Some curious and, luckily, rare phobias although we are used to hearing about arachnophobia, claustrophobia or agoraphobia, there are other phobic disorders that leave us speechless. And we talk about words when we talk about hippopotamus’s quipedaliophobia, specifically long words.
The phobia of long words
The phobia of long words is called hippopotomonstroses quipedaliophobia, a term so difficult to pronounce that a person with this disorder would be unable to do so. Have you tried to do it yourself? Don’t worry if it’s hard for you, that don’t mean you suffer from a phobia of long words.
People suffering from hippotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia are afraid of saying long words in their conversation or speech. It is a phobia that is closely related to the fear of public, pathological shyness or social but in any case it is a more limiting phobia than it may seem at first glance.
Symptoms of this curious phobia
Hippotomonstroses quipedaliophobia is limiting due to the series of symptoms it triggers. The physical symptoms are the usual symptoms of anxiety, such as dizziness, rapid heartbeat or a feeling of suffocation. Symptoms that arise when the person is forced to pronounce a long word or even when imagining the situation.
But what limit the most are the psychological symptoms of this phobic disorder, since they manifest themselves mainly in low. The consequences of this phobia of long words in the social sphere are obvious, but it can also wreak havoc at work, so it must be treated as soon as possible.
Causes of hippotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia
The origin of hippotomonstroses esquipedaliophobia is varied. The most common cause is having lived through a traumatic experience in childhood. If you’ve ever been teased by your peers for struggling to say a difficult word, it may be the reason for developing this phobia.
The particularity of the phobia of long words is that it is closely linked to social phobia, shyness and fear of speaking in public, because what cannot be ruled out is of any origin. The wear and tear that this phobia produces on self-esteem is the main reason for seeking treatment, since at first it seems quite easy to survive by avoiding complicated words.
Treatment of fear of words with many letters
But the fact that you can spend your whole life avoiding long words does not solve the phobic disorder, so it is best to seek psychological help. Cognitive behavioral therapy will help you find the origin of the transform distorted thinking, and reduce the negative impact that the stimulus produces on your behavior.
In this case, you also have to work to improve self-esteem, to gain self-confidence and to overcome the social limitations that it implies. And as with all phobias, practicing relaxation techniques is essential to reduce the effects of anxiety.