你到底在怕什麼？19種奇怪的恐懼症
Phobias are strange things, turning seemingly innocuous objects and situations into catalysts of fear. The following 19 phobias include some that are common knowledge, whereas others are a little more… unorthodox. Can you get through the list unfazed, or is there something in there that gives you the chills?
恐懼症很奇怪，平白無故的事物或情景都可能引發恐懼。下面19種恐懼症，有些很常見，而有些則比較特例。趕快看看你是能淡定地看完這個恐懼症清單，還是有啥是會讓你不寒而慄的？
1. Acrophobia – fear of heights
恐高症——害怕高處
Probably the most ‘normal’ of all phobias. How high you have to go to start feeling it differs from person to person, but many will have at one time or another experienced a flipping stomach and spinning head when looking over the edge of a steep precipice. It’s completely natural to feel a fear response when in a situation that’s obviously dangerous, and some experts have even suggested that it’s those who don’t feel the fear of heights that have the problem.
恐高症可能是所有恐懼症種最常見的一種。每個人的恐懼高度不盡相同，但站在陡峭的懸崖邊緣時，我相信大多數人都會有噁心、暈眩的經歷。其實在危險環境中，人很容易感到害怕。甚至有專家認爲，不恐高的人才有問題。
However, some sufferers can’t escape the fear of falling even when the high place is completely safe, like being in the enclosed room at the top of Tokyo Tower, while others find themselves dizzy at a height of only a couple of meters.
但有些人，哪怕站在像東京塔這樣的密封安全環境中，也還會覺得快要掉下去了；甚至有些人，僅僅幾米的高度都會感到暈眩。
2. Trypophobia – fear of objects with small holes close together
密集物體恐懼症——害怕有密集小孔的物體
The name for this phobia was only coined in 2005, but there are a surprisingly huge number of people who suffer from this strange fear. It’s hard to give a specific definition of the trigger, but the basic idea is a revulsion and fear of things with clusters of small holes – think beehives, ant holes, and in particular lotus seed heads. Unfortunately for sufferers of this phobia, the Internet has found much joy in photoshopping lotus-pod designs onto various body parts. Google if you dare.
這種恐懼症在2005年才作爲一個新名詞誕生，但患症人羣卻數量龐大。很難具體定義這種恐懼症的誘因，但籠統來說，就是指對有密集小孔的物體感到噁心和恐懼，類似物體有蜂窩、蟻窩，尤其是蓮蓬。但對患症人羣而言不幸的是，網絡上到處都是“蜂窩化”的人體影像處理。不信可以谷歌一下。
3. Megalophobia – fear of large things
恐巨症——害怕龐大物體
This vague terms covers all ‘huge objects’. These are often objects such giant statues or works of art which are much bigger than the real thing they are mimicking. In the presence of such objects, people become overwhelmed and unable to move.
這個模棱兩可的定義涵蓋所有“龐大的物體”，例如巨型雕像，或比現實物體大得多的臨摹藝術品。面對類似物體時，有人會變得四肢僵硬、喘不過氣來。
4. Coulrophobia – fear of clowns
小丑恐懼症——害怕小丑
We all known clowns are meant to make us laugh, but for some unfortunate folks the sight of a guy in pajamas with big colored buttons and a painted face sends them running. Perhaps it’s Stephen King’s It we have to thank for a generation of kids who have now grown up to be clown-phobic adults. A particular focus of fear is poor misunderstood Ronald McDonald. I know it’s hard to imagine people being frightened of him, I mean just look how completely normal, sane and non-homicidal that face is!
衆所周知小丑是用來逗樂的。但在有些人眼裏，身穿大鈕釦睡衣的花臉小丑很可怕。有些人害怕小丑，也可能是因爲一直受斯蒂芬-金小說的影響。最典型的就是對麥當勞叔叔的恐懼。很難相信有人害怕麥當勞叔叔，是不是？麥當勞叔叔看上去完全正常沒有半點惡意嘛！
5. Aichmophobia – fear of sharp objects
恐尖症——害怕尖銳的物體
Scissors, needles, pencils, knives, you name it – if it’s sharp, they’re scared of it. Sufferers enter a state of extreme psychological agitation when around objects with sharp, pointy ends. Of course anyone would be scared of a crazed person wielding a butcher knife at you, but a characteristic of this phobia is that the sufferer is scared of the object even when they know there is no danger of their being cut or injured. Some peoples’ fear is based around the irrational and disturbing worry that they might end up using a nearby pointed end to stab someone else.
剪刀、針、鉛筆、小刀……反正，只要是尖銳的東西，患症者就會害怕。要是周圍有尖尖的銳利的東西，他們心理上會感到極度焦躁不安。當然，正常人遇到瘋子手持利器對着自己也會害怕，而這種恐懼症的區別就是，當事人即便知道自己不會被戳傷劃傷，也還會心生恐懼。相反，還有些人是莫名其妙害怕自己一不小心拿利器傷害別人。6. Dysmorphophobia – fear of ugliness
醜形恐懼症——害怕醜陋
Specifically, fear of one’s own ugliness. This is characterized by an extreme obsession with one’s appearance, and an unhealthily low opinion of one’s own looks. It’s often classified as a form of hypochondria and obsessive compulsive disorder, and can even develop into schizophrenia in the worst cases. Many sufferers get plastic surgery, but as this is a psychological condition, sufferers are unlikely to ever be satisfied with the results. Paradoxically, many people end up actually mutilating their own face or body.
具體來說，是害怕自己的醜陋。這種人通常對自己的外貌相當自戀，但同時又極端不自信。一般這類似於疑病症和強迫症，嚴重的話還會引發精神分裂症。大部分患症者都整過容，但因爲癥結在於心病，當事人對整容結果不會滿意。而且荒唐的是，多數患症者最後真的毀掉了自己的容貌或身體。
7. Triskaidekaphobia – fear of the number
數字13恐懼症——害怕數字13
The number 13 has a long history of unluckiness in the Western world, leading some people to fear that seemingly innocuous pairing of a one and a three. And if the 13th of the month falls on a Friday, then it’s a double whammy. In Japan, Korea, and China, replace 13 with the number 4, which has all kinds of nasty connotations with death.
13在西方被視爲不吉利可謂由來已久，以致有些人看到13就沒來由地害怕。而且，如果一個月的13號恰好是星期五的話，晦氣更是嚴重。在日本、韓國和中國，數字4則被視爲不吉利，繞來繞去總好像跟死亡有關。
8. Fear of sink holes
害怕排水洞
No name for this rather specific phobia. Sufferers experience fear and unease upon seeing a sinkhole, particularly the glory holes used to drain water from dams. People describe the fear of being unable to see the bottom or of being sucked in. Some even describe the feeling that the sinkhole could be connected to some other terrible dimension, and the sense of an otherwordly force pulling them in.
這種恐懼症目前還沒有名稱。患症者看到排水洞會感到害怕不自在，尤其是那種髒兮兮的大壩排水口；他們覺得那就像是能把人吸進去的無底洞。有些人還聯想到更可怕的方面，好像是地獄口要把人拉進去一樣。
9. Socmephobia – fear of social media
社交媒體恐懼症——害怕社交媒體
Not sure this is a genuine name, but I’m sure it’ll be popping up in medical journals in the next few years. Ever felt like it’s impossible to break away from the constant demands and conversations on social media such as facebook, twitter, or mixi, yet feel depressed after checking them, and not want to go back? Feelings of jealousy and failure after seeing your friends’ latest status update about their awesome job, or browsing through their pics from a fabulous fancy night out can lead to social isolation and inferiority complexes, triggering this phobia.
名稱是否正確還有待商定，但可以肯定的是，不出幾年醫學雜誌上就會有相關報道。是否覺得難以戒掉facebook、twitter或mixi之類的社交媒體，但上癮之後又覺得很抑鬱、難以自拔？每次看完朋友更新的好工作碎碎念、瀏覽他們美圖美照後，都會覺得羨慕和失落？那麼這有可能造成與社會脫節、引發自卑情結，最後患上恐懼症。
10. Scopophobia – fear of being stared at
被盯恐懼症——害怕被人盯着看
The idea of being in the middle of a crowd of people all staring at you would be enough to rattle anyone (excluding reality TV stars). Sufferers of scopophobia often irrationally fear that everyone around is staring at them, paralysing them with fear and making their movements clumsy and awkward, drawing even more (perceived) stares. Consequently they dislike crowded places, and even rear-view mirrors. People with social anxiety also often fear being stared at.
除了電視明星，估計正常人都不喜歡被一大羣人圍觀盯着看。患有這種恐懼症的人總感覺周圍的人在盯着自己看，因此顯得很惶恐無措，結果弄巧成拙引來更多目光。久而久之，他們便不喜歡公共場合，甚至連後視鏡都害怕。有社交焦慮症的人也害怕被人盯着看。11. Claustrophobia – fear of enclosed spaces
幽閉恐懼症——害怕封閉空間
Here’s one everyone’s heard of. The fear of being in an enclosed space and unable to escape is probably most often exemplified in the being-buried-alive movie scenario. I’m pretty sure that this kind of situation would rattle even the bravest soul, but for some people the scope is widened to elevators, trains, and even just rooms where the door is closed.
相信很多人都聽說過這種恐懼症。困在封閉空間無法逃離的感覺，就像在電影裏被活埋了一樣。我相信，哪怕是非常無畏的人，遇到這種情況也會六神無主。能引起害怕的空間有電梯、火車，甚至是關着門的房間。
12. Ectophobia – fear of vomit
嘔吐恐懼症——害怕嘔吐
Vomit. No ones likes to do it, no one likes to see it. But it’s a fact of life that sometimes just can’t be avoided, whether you’re struck down with norovirus, or waking up with a pounding hangover and a stomach full of dubious late-night kebab. Someone looking a bit green is likely to send the sufferer of this phobia into a panic, and they’ll generally avoid anywhere that they or other people may throw up, such as rollercoasters and boats. Some experts suggest that painful childhood experiences of vomiting, or the trauma of having been vomited on by someone else can be at the root of this phobia.
沒人喜歡嘔吐，更沒人願意看到別人嘔吐吧。但嘔吐是誰也無法避免的事——有時是因爲感染了病毒，有時是宿醉醒來滿腹胃酸。患症者看到快要嘔吐的人會感到慌亂無措，並儘可能避開嘔吐易發點，比如過山車和輪船。有專家表示，兒時痛苦的嘔吐經歷或被他人嘔吐物濺到過的經歷都可能造成這種恐懼症。
13. Spectrophobia – fear of mirrors
鏡子恐懼症——害怕鏡子
A spooky silhouette glimpsed out of the corner of your eye as you’re checking your hair will give anyone the creeps, but imagine being scared of even your own reflection. The world is surprisingly full of mirrors, from department store fitting rooms, tiny drug store mirrors to check your makeup, and of course the mirrors on every car. Beauty and hair salons are of course the worst culprit, and this phobia can seriously interfere with a person’s daily life.
如果在鏡子面前梳頭時突然瞥見陰森幽靈一閃而過，那你肯定會嚇破膽兒。但有人卻怕在鏡子裏看到自己。可惜，這世上鏡子無處不在：百貨商店試衣鏡、小藥店補妝鏡，車上、美容美髮店裏又都有鏡子……因此，患上鏡子恐懼症的人可真是苦不堪言了。
14. Pediophobia – fear of dolls
玩偶恐懼症——害怕玩偶
For some it’s just the frozen faces of porcelain dolls; for others it’s ones that talk or move. Some people’s fear centres around a specific type of doll, while others fear all kinds and will go out of their way not to encounter any. The reason for the fearful reaction is probably something to do with dolls’ resemblance to living human beings, leading the brain to become confused over whether this still, inanimate object is alive or not. And to be honest, who hasn’t at one point in their childhood woken up in the night and mistaken a discarded doll or teddy for a malicious intruder? What do you mean, it’s just me?
對一般人來說，那不過是呆板的陶瓷娃娃罷了，但在有些人眼裏，這些玩偶卻能講話甚至走動。有些人只害怕某種特定玩偶，而有些人卻害怕各式各樣的玩偶，且避之唯恐不及。之所以害怕玩偶，可能是因爲玩偶跟人很像，患症者搞不懂到底是靜止不動的物體還是活生生的東西。而且說實話，大概很多人小時候半夜醒來會認爲那個廢棄的玩偶或泰迪熊是邪惡的入侵者吧？我敢打賭這麼想的不止我一個！
15 Arachnophobia – fear of spiders (Anyone remember that movie?)
蜘蛛恐懼症——害怕蜘蛛（是不是想起了某部電影？）
This is one of the most common phobias, with women being the most likely to be affected. Some experts suggest that it may be an amplified form of a response that helped humans survive in the past, while others believe it’s a cultural phenomenon as it seems to be most prevalent in Western countries. The response is usually irrational, especially in places like the UK where spiders are not only non-venomous, but also unlikely to grow larger than your little fingernail. If you’re in Australia, however, you might be considered a little more rational.
這個恐懼症也很常見，其中患者女性居多。有專家認爲，這可能跟人類遠古時期的生活習性有關；也有人覺得這只是一種文化現象（西方尤甚）。人們對蜘蛛的反應通常不是很理性，尤其是在英國：那裏的蜘蛛既沒毒又不可能大過指甲。但是，如果你是在澳大利亞，遇到蜘蛛還真得理性一點。16. Odontophobia – fear of dentists
牙醫恐懼症——害怕牙醫
A trip to the dentist probably isn’t going to make most people’s ‘top 10 things I love to do’ list, but most of us can put up with it with just a mild feeling of unease. Some people, however, have such a strong reaction that they are unable to attend the dentist even when in dire need. If you’ve ever had the unfortunate experience of a painful cavity you can get an idea of just how intense this fear can be when a person would rather live with that pain then take a trip to the dentist’s chair.
相信很多人都不是很喜歡看牙醫，但即便不舒服，大部分人也還能忍受。但有些人卻非常抗拒，寧死也不願去看牙醫。如果你曾經歷拔牙的切膚之痛，或許就能理解這種恐懼到底有多深：害怕看牙醫的人寧願一輩子忍受牙痛折磨也不願送上門去。
17. Telephonophobia – fear of telephones
電話恐懼症——害怕電話
The fear of using the telephone can develop to the point where the sufferer panics even when hearing the sound of a ringtone. This fear of receiving a call can lead to an oversensitivity to noises and auditory hallucinations. And it’s not just the sound – setting the phone to vibrate doesn’t help, and the sufferer will instead imagine their pocket is vibrating even when it’s completely still. This is known as phantom vibration syndrome. It must be very difficult to live with this in an age of mobile phones, where calls can follow you wherever you go.
患有電話恐懼症的人有時候哪怕只是聽到電話鈴響都會驚慌失措。害怕接電話會引發對聲音的過度敏感和幻聽。而且問題不在於鈴聲——就算把手機調成振動，結果也一樣無濟於事，患症者反而會幻想兜裏的手機在振動。這叫做幻想振動綜合症。生活在這樣一個手機時代，電話隨時會在身邊響起，有這種恐懼症的人還真不容易。
18. Mysophobia – fear of dirt
污跡恐懼症——害怕污跡
This involves a fear of being contaminated by bacteria and germs which, being invisible to the naked eye, can be felt by the phobic person to be crawling everywhere even in the cleanest-looking environment. Sufferers of this phobia often display the stereotypical OCD behavior of washing their hands over and over, as they never feel like they’re completely clean. This complusive act just serves to make the sufferer more aware of their state of (un)cleanliness, and thus reinforcing the cycle.
患有污跡恐懼症的人害怕細菌或病菌感染，哪怕是看上去很乾淨的環境，他們都覺得到處都有肉眼看不到的細菌。這類人最典型的特點就是強迫似的反覆洗手，總覺得自己怎麼也不乾淨。而這種強迫行爲更加劇他們的潔癖意識，然後惡性循環下去。
19. Masklophobia – fear of mascots/costumes
吉祥物恐懼症——害怕吉祥物/演出套具
It’s not the size, or even the bizarreness of the concept that scares people, but rather the expressionless, staring faces of the costumes. Especially for children, who gaze at people’s faces to work out their feelings through their expressions, the blank, unchanging face of the mascot can be especially freaky. (That explains all the crying babies at Disneyland). Such a stone-still face indicates death, and the unfamiliar sight of a huge mascot with a dead face moving around is like the dead have come to life! Yep, the fear of mascots is basically like a fear of zombies, and we can’t really say that’s irrational.
倒不是吉祥物的大小或怪誕使人害怕，而是套具上面無表情又目光灼灼的樣子叫人不安。尤其是對孩子而言，他們一向通過觀察人們的表情來揣摩情感，但吉祥物的表情空洞呆板，看上去特別嚇人。（難怪迪斯尼樂園到處都有嚎哭的小孩！）死板的面部表情讓人想起死亡，何況是沒有生命力的巨型吉祥物頂着一張死人臉到處走動呢！所以，害怕吉祥物就像害怕殭屍，完全是在情理之中的。
