What do they call a fear of clowns?

But if you take a look at popular media, you would think we were all terrified of sharks, dolls, and clowns. A fear of clowns, called coulrophobia (pronounced “coal-ruh-fow-bee-uh”), can be a debilitating fear. A phobia is and intense fear of a certain object or scenario that impacts behavior and sometimes daily life.

What causes coulrophobia?

Coulrophobia brings on feelings of fear when you see clowns or clown images. It’s a specific phobic disorder that causes anxiety, a racing heart, nausea and profuse sweating. Most people can avoid clowns.

When was the word coulrophobia first used?

1998
The first known use of coulrophobia was in 1998.

Why are clowns used in horror movies?

That oddness is heightened by a clown’s bizarre costume. According to some, 1970s American serial killer John Wayne Gacy—who performed as Pogo the Clown at charity events and children’s parties—solidified the idea of the evil clown, and that trope became common in horror movies and books.

Why is it a clown?

During the course of the story, It primarily appears in the form of Pennywise the Dancing Clown. King stated in a 2013 interview that he came up with the idea for Pennywise after asking himself what scared children “more than anything else in the world”, and feeling that the answer was clowns.

What are the effects of coulrophobia?

By definition, an irrational fear of clowns is known as coulrophobia, with the prefix “coulro” coming from the ancient Greek word for “one who goes on stilts.” Symptoms of coulrophobia can include sweating, nausea, feelings of dread, fast heartbeat, crying or screaming, and anger at being placed in a situation where a …

What is the fear of bridges over water called?

Crossing a bridge may seem easy for some people, but for those affected by gephyrophobia, or a phobia of bridges, this fear can be very real. If you get scared driving over water or have a fear of bridges, read on for information about how to cope with gephyrophobia.

What is the fear of dogs called?

Cynophobia ‌is the fear of dogs. Like all specific phobias, cynophobia is intense, persistent, and irrational. According to a recent diagnostic manual, between 7% and 9% of any community may suffer from a specific phobia.

What are the causes of coulrophobia?

There are no known causes of coulrophobia. However, genetics and one’s environment are likely to be significant causes of this condition. Someone who has a family history of mental illness, especially with anxiety disorders may have an increased chance of developing coulrophobia.

What is coulrophobia and what causes fear of clowns?

Coulrophobia is the irrational fear of clowns. People who experience this mental disorder will have a very difficult time seeing depictions of clowns in the media or even thinking of them. Doing so will give them extreme amounts of anxiety that may even cause them to experience panic attacks.

Why do people fear clowns?

But a specific fear of clowns either comes because you had a traumatic event in childhood around clowns, a family member or somebody close to you kind of has taught you that clowns are scary, or you had an anxiety attack when you were around clowns and paired them together.