Look, up in the sky! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No . . . it is the Moon!

The Moon has been an intrinsic part of human culture from its beginnings. Since the first humans began to make art in caves, the Moon was already a special element of their paintings. And it sure is still special for us today. As our closest cosmic companion, humans have shared millennia of evolution with the Moon in many ways.

But we do not usually stop to think about what would happen if the Moon had never accompanied us. What if the Moon had never existed or if it disappeared today? Could we expect things on our planet to stay the same?

In fact, we are about to see that everything that makes the Earth special could be lost in the absence of such a dusty rock orbiting us.

10 Earth’s Seasons Would Become Crazy

While the Earth revolves around the Sun, it also rotates on its own axis, which turns out to be tilted. Currently, the rotation axis of the Earth is inclined about 23.4 degrees, a value that does not change during the year.

As a result, in a certain part of the year, the northern hemisphere is more oriented toward the Sun than the southern one is. Six months later, when the Earth is on the opposite side of its orbit around the Sun, the southern hemisphere is now the one facing toward the star. In this way, both hemispheres of the Earth receive different amounts of sunlight and heat according to the time of year in what we know as annual seasons.

The reason why the Earth is tilted on its axis goes back to its formation 4.5 billion years ago. When the early version of the Earth collided with another planetary body, its rotation axis inclined drastically. Then, the attraction of the Moon stabilized this inclination to the current one, with small fluctuations over the span of millennia.

So, what would happen if the Moon did not exist?

Well, some experts believe that the Earth would tilt up to 85 degrees more than now. Others are more modest and assume that this inclination could be up to 20 degrees. Either way, the Earth’s axis would tilt so much that the poles would be exposed to the Sun, melting their ice caps and triggering extreme climatic shifts. In fact, a change of only one degree in the inclination of our planet’s axis is enough to cause ice ages.^[1]

9 The Oceans Would Come Down

Among the best-known effects that the Moon produces on Earth are ocean tides. Together with the Sun, the Moon is responsible for increasing and decreasing the level of our seas several times a day. As the Moon revolves around the Earth, the former’s gravity pulls the oceans toward it and thus high tides are created.

In essence, the closer the Moon is, the higher the tides. To get an idea of the power of the Moon over the oceans, the maximum height difference between low and high tides can be as much as 16 meters (52 ft).

If the Moon were not there to cause this effect, ocean tides would be significantly reduced. There would still be tides because the gravitational force of the Sun also does its part over the Earth’s water, although its attraction is less than that of the Moon.^[2]

In short, the tides would be reduced to one-third of their current size and the oceans would become much calmer. The sea level would also be affected. Without the gravity of the Moon, the oceanic water would be redistributed uniformly across the entire surface of the Earth. Therefore, the sea level at the poles would increase drastically.

8 Say Goodbye To Any Other Moon

Earth’s gravitational pull influences the height at which our spacecraft orbit the planet. For this reason, some structures in low orbits—such as the International Space Station—must make periodic corrections in their course to avoid falling into Earth’s atmosphere.

However, there are points in space with a perfect balance between the gravity of the Earth and that of the Moon. Anything within these points will remain relatively stationary with respect to both celestial bodies. Neither the Earth nor the Moon will be able to attract the object until it falls to any of their surfaces. These are the Lagrange points.

In 2018, Hungarian astronomers discovered that at two of those points—L4 and L5—there are huge clouds of interplanetary dust orbiting Earth with a size up to nine times larger than our planet. In addition, another study states that Lagrange points could momentarily capture small asteroids, which become temporary “mini-moons” of the Earth before resuming their journeys.^[3]

If there were no Moon, the Lagrange points shared with Earth would also disappear. The dust clouds trapped there would just disperse, ultimately intersecting Earth or being blown away by the solar wind and the gravity of other planets. In the case of the asteroids, the lack of the Moon would make these objects keep crossing outer space in an unaltered trajectory until impacting with a larger body—perhaps our own world.

7 How About Much Shorter Days?

One of the things that makes our planet so habitable is its rotation time. Currently, Earth completes one revolution every 24 hours—specifically, 23 hours and 56 minutes. This allows the planet to have a pleasant climate for life because all its surface has enough time to warm and cool according to the moment. But this was not always the case. Scientists are now convinced that Earth’s days were much shorter millions of years ago.

When the Earth and the Moon formed 4.5 billion years ago, the planet was spinning so fast that the day only lasted four hours.^[4] During the time when dinosaurs roamed Earth, the day already lasted 23 hours. And on June 30, 2012, clocks around the world had to mark an extra second before 00:00 to keep pace with the longer days.

The cause of this delay is nothing less than, you guessed it, the Moon. It happens that the gravity of the Moon exerts friction forces on the Earth itself and slows down the planet’s rotation two milliseconds every 100 years. As the Moon keeps moving away from Earth—at a current rate of 3.82 centimeters (1.5 in) per year—our world loses rotational energy and slows down its spin.

If the Moon had not existed from the beginning, we could expect the days to be several hours shorter than they are today. If the Moon disappeared now, the days would remain almost unchanged at about 24 hours long. But if everything remains the same as it has been so far, the days will last 25 hours in about 180 million years.

6 Forget About Plate Tectonics

By this point, we are already clear that the Moon’s gravity exerts great effects on the natural processes of the Earth. For example, we saw that the Moon causes the ocean tides. But the Moon is so powerful over our world that it also produces tides on solid ground—something we know as Earth tides.

Earth tides are fluctuations in the relative height of the Earth’s crust at a daily frequency similar to that of ocean tides. As the Moon constantly pulls the surface of the Earth, the ground beneath us can rise up to 30 centimeters (12 in) at a given time of day. This is due to the elasticity of the Earth’s crust, which has fissures that allow large landmasses—the tectonic plates—to move.

Speaking of tectonic plates, what would happen to them if there were no Moon?

It is believed that the Moon originated after the Earth lost much of its primordial crust during an interplanetary collision. If the Moon had never been formed, all that crust would have remained on Earth, filling in the gaps in which the oceans lie today.^[5]

The Earth would not have tectonic plates because there would be no space for them to move. In addition, the Earth’s surface would be made of a single piece, which would prevent the processes needed to form mountains. That is right. There would be no mountains on our planet except for some scattered volcanoes. Assuming there was still some ocean on Earth, the water would cover the entire surface of the planet.

Some studies indicate that Earth tides are related to the occurrence of small earthquakes. There is a possibility that weak earthquakes occur when the stress in the crust caused by the attraction of the Moon is high. So, in the event that the Moon disappeared today and Earth tides were reduced considerably, so would the frequency of such tremors.

5 We’d Lose A Shield Against Unwanted Space Rocks

Today, we know that the Earth is bombarded by small meteoroids at a higher frequency than previously thought. The number of meteoric impacts on our planet has tripled during the last 290 million years to the point that 33 tons of space debris fall to Earth every day. Due to their size, most of these rocks burn completely in the Earth’s atmosphere. However, without the presence of the Moon, the impact rate could be much higher, making the Earth a fairly hostile place.

The Moon is almost 3,500 kilometers (2,175 mi) in diameter—about 27 percent of the Earth’s diameter. Thanks to its large size, the Moon has served as a protection for Earth in times of cosmic adversity.^[6]

During the planet’s early days, the Moon attracted to itself a large part of the interplanetary debris and asteroids wandering in this area of the solar system. Had our natural companion not existed, the neighborhood of Earth would have been like a minefield too dangerous for the development of life.

Even today, the Moon is still like a small shield that protects us from meteoric impacts. Studies show that the gravity of the Moon helps to prevent more asteroid collisions with the Earth than it causes.

And how much is that?

Well, just between 2005 and 2013, NASA detected more than 300 impacts on the lunar surface. This means that in the absence of the Moon, hundreds of such bodies could have ended up impacting us. So, in that sense, it is hard to imagine Earth without its Moon.

4 No More Moon, No More Gold

Gold, platinum, palladium, iridium. These metallic elements have proved extremely valuable to our civilization. We have used them in all kinds of inventions—from cars and spaceships to electronics and jewelry. But again, it is likely that we would not have such materials without the Moon.

Why?

To understand it, we must go a little deeper into the facts surrounding the formation of the Moon. About 4.5 billion years ago, a rock the size of Mars—which scientists have called Theia—hit squarely against the hot, molten surface of early Earth.

Both the outer layer of Theia and part of the Earth’s mantle were ejected into space, agglomerating in Earth’s orbit to form the Moon. However, the core of Theia stayed here on Earth and the metals that composed Theia became part of our planet.

If the Moon had never formed, the concentration of precious metals in the Earth’s mantle would be much lower. It happens that metals like gold and platinum tend to be attracted to iron. On a molten planet like the Earth was at first, these metals would have sunk until they reached the iron core. They would have been trapped there forever once the core began to cool.

But thanks to the formation of the Moon after an interplanetary impact, abundant amounts of metallic elements were scattered in the Earth’s mantle. There they waited until seismic activity dragged them to the surface and to us.^[7]

3 Earth’s Magnetic Bubble Would Be Switched Off Forever

Earth’s magnetic field (aka magnetosphere) is essential for the development of life on this planet. Such a magnetic bubble surrounds the Earth and constantly protects it from solar wind, a flow of charged particles that come from the Sun with the power to destroy our atmosphere. But the magnetosphere also protects us because it prevents life from being bombarded by harmful cosmic and solar radiation.

The magnetosphere exists due to something known as the geodynamo, which is the rotary motion of the molten iron core of the Earth. Such a movement of the internal magnetic metals causes the magnetosphere to remain strong.

This geodynamo exists thanks to the tidal forces that the Moon exerts on the Earth. As the Moon flattens and stretches the inner layers of the Earth with its gravitational force, enough energy is generated to keep the planet’s core hot and moving.

If we did not have the Moon and its exchange of rotational energy, the Earth’s core would stop moving and then it would solidify. With the geodynamo lost, the magnetosphere of the planet would vanish, allowing the solar wind to devour the atmosphere completely. Without an atmosphere, every water reservoir on the Earth’s surface would evaporate and solar radiation would turn our world into a barren desert.

In fact, this description can be perfectly applied to what happened with Mars. Having been like Earth once, Mars lost its magnetosphere 4.2 billion years ago, becoming the scorched, red rock it is today.^[8]

2 Warning: Wild Weather

If there were no Moon, the weather patterns on Earth would go crazy. Of course, this assumes that the Earth still had an atmosphere. First, the destabilization of the Earth’s axis due to the lack of the Moon would cause extreme changes in global temperatures.

As the poles would remain longer under the Sun’s heat, the surrounding oceans could reach a temperature of at least 47 degrees Celsius (116 °F). Meanwhile, the areas at the equator would suffer from glaciations.

The phases of the Moon in the sky also affect the rainfall of a region. When the Moon is overhead, the atmospheric pressure and the air temperature increase, which translates into less rainfall for that place. If the Moon did not exist, we could expect more rain. But the effect caused by the Moon is so minimal that the increase in rainfall would be only 1 percent.

In addition, we know that planets with a faster rotation also have stronger winds. For example, a day on Jupiter lasts about 10 hours and its winds are 160–320 kilometers per hour (100–200 mph).

Meanwhile, Saturn completes a rotation in about 10.5 hours, having winds that can reach 1,800 kilometers per hour (1,118 mph). And as we discussed earlier, without the Moon, the Earth would rotate faster, with days that could essentially last several hours less.

Under these conditions and despite the obvious differences between planets (such as Earth and Jupiter in terms of size and composition), the winds on our planet could reach 160 kilometers per hour (100 mph) on any day. Hurricanes would have even stronger winds with a greater destructive force.^[9]

1 It Would Be A World Devoid Of Intelligent Life

Despite everything we’ve already discussed, we have not delved into the fact that complex life on Earth might not exist at all without a moon to take care of us. Without the Moon, the Earth would have been hit by a greater number of large asteroids and planetary bodies. Under this scenario, life would have had a hard time trying to exist, which means a lower probability that living beings would have become more complex over time.

It is believed that the stabilization of the Earth’s axis provided by the Moon, combined with continental drift, allowed the emergence of many different ecosystems across the planet. These ecosystems, which were more complex than those at the time of the dinosaurs, contributed to the emergence of mammals and, ultimately, of humans. So, had the Moon never existed, beings like us would also have had a lower probability of coming into existence.^[10]

But it is possible that not even life as we know it would have appeared on Earth if the Moon had not helped. We know that life originated in the primordial oceans where molecules merged to form nucleic acids, the elementary building blocks of life. Without the gravitational pull of the Moon, there would not have been enough salt concentrations in the seawater for such life-making chemistry to have taken place.

As the Moon controls tides on Earth and the tides transport the minerals needed for the subsistence of marine life, it is difficult to imagine life in the oceans without our natural satellite making it possible. It is also worth mentioning that without the Earth’s magnetosphere, for which the Moon is largely responsible, solar radiation would break down the oceans, erasing all chance of vital chemical processes arising there.

That is why, when looking for habitable worlds in other regions of the galaxy, scientists focus on finding planets with large moons that allow the development of life.

Brian is an economy student, graphic artist, science enthusiast, and founder of A Strange Place Called Knowledge. You can reach his site at https://strange-knowledge.com/.

Food is something most of us enjoy—sometimes, a little too much. So it may be hard to believe that some people are afraid of food. But it can become a crippling daily reality for these folks.

Although phobias can be difficult to deal with in general, food phobias are often worse because they create social stress and have the potential to wreak havoc on one’s well-being. Some food phobias can be avoided. But as we’ll see, others are far more serious.

10 Deipnophobia
The Fear Of Dining Or Dinner Conversations

The idea of family holiday get-togethers is enough to make many of us cringe, but for some, the idea is downright terrifying. People who suffer from deipnophobia prefer to eat in silence and usually alone.^[1]

This means that it is a hard pass on family holiday meals and dinner dates with friends. This is often the result of a singular traumatic event such as a failed dinner date or a business interaction over a luncheon that went awry.

Since deipnophobia is a social phobia, it also means that it is the result of genetics. Troubled childhoods and failed social experiences are all contributing factors. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and cognitive therapy offer hope for those with deipnophobia.

9 Oenophobia
The Fear Of Wine

A day of touring wineries and participating in wine tastings may sound like the optimal day for some, but those with oenophobia would disagree. A fear of wine is pretty frustrating because wine is just about everywhere.^[2] This condition makes eating out difficult, and trips to the grocery store become awful as most places have an entire aisle dedicated to wine and spirits.

In some cases, this fear can pertain to the inability to choose the right wine for a gathering. Those suffering from this disease are afraid that if they choose the wrong wine, then those at the party will blame the host.

It may not sound serious, but those suffering from this disease can have the same symptoms as people with anxiety: shortness of breath, tremors, and a severe inability to cope with the situation. Those severely stricken with this phobia may vomit if they accidentally imbibe wine.

Behavioral therapy is the usual choice to cure those afflicted with oenophobia, but cognitive psychotherapy may be used as well.

8 Lachanophobia
The Fear Of Vegetables

This is the phobia most children would happily claim if they could pronounce it. Most people don’t really have lachanophobia but rather a strong dislike or aversion to vegetables. Those with an actual fear of vegetables find that grocery shopping and eating out present a real challenge. Just the sight of produce can induce shortness of breath and nausea.^[3]

For those who suffer from lachanophobia, eating a balanced diet can difficult as starchy foods and sugars often act as replacements for side dishes. While most of us can agree that cake and pasta are far more fun than broccoli and leafy greens, the vitamin deficiencies and other potential dietary issues that can stem from lachanophobia make it a far more threatening condition than it may appear.

7 Mageirocophobia
The Fear Of Cooking

No one likes scraping their latest culinary experiment off their cookware, but for those who suffer from mageirocophobia, this is the nightmare scenario that keeps them out of the kitchen. Ranging from avoidance of the kitchen to a collection of takeout menus stuffed in a drawer to panic attacks and anxiety at the very thought of cooking, this can be a very expensive problem.^[4]

Mageirocophobia is a social phobia that can take many forms. Some are terrified of the idea of giving people food poisoning or conjuring up an inedible entree. Others are concerned about plating issues. The idea of serving up ugly food overwhelms them entirely and makes it impossible to cook. Still others fear the idea of getting cuts or burns while cooking.

Whatever the underlying fear is, it can completely destroy a person’s ability to function in the kitchen. Eating out or ordering in is a lifestyle for those with severe cases. Those with milder cases can eat sandwiches and microwave entrees to fill in the gaps.

6 Arachibutyrophobia
The Fear Of Peanut Butter Sticking To The Roof Of The Mouth

This is an incredibly specific fear and perhaps the easiest phobia on this list to deal with: Simply don’t eat peanut butter. The terror comes from the idea of possible suffocation from eating the sticky sandwich spread. But sufferers don’t have problems with seeing peanut butter or being around it, which is definitely a perk if you live in America where peanut butter is a pantry staple.

This phobia has many degrees of severity, which depend upon the individual.^[5] Symptoms can range from agitation to panic and anxiety. It also may manifest into terrifying physical symptoms that range from a nervous sweat and irregular breathing to shaking, irregular heartbeat, and choking.

Even though people with arachibutyrophobia know that their fear is baseless and irrational, it doesn’t seem to help. The fear creeps in regardless.

Though horrible, this fear is easy enough to avoid. For sufferers with milder versions and a love for peanut butter, switching to crunchy peanut butter with its less sticky texture can make all the difference. Others learn to drink specific liquids while they eat peanut butter to help break down the stickiness. The more severe cases avoid peanut butter at all costs and may even avoid peanuts.

5 Xocolatophobia
The Fear Of Chocolate

This is almost beyond comprehension. Afraid of chocolate? Imagine the foods associated with so many holidays in the US: Valentine’s Day chocolates, Easter bunnies, and Halloween candy, to name a few. This would truly be a rough phobia. You would not only miss out on chocolate and all its awesomeness, but you would live in a world where it is practically unavoidable.

This can easily create tension in social situations,^[6] frustration when shopping with chocolaty candy bars residing at every checkout, and even highly stressful situations at work as there is always that one coworker who keeps candies on her desk.

Extreme cases may find chocolate vulgar. In fact, if they touch anything chocolaty, then they must immediately run to the nearest sink to wash it off.

4 Orthorexia
The Fear Of Eating Food That Is Not Pure

Okay, so orthorexia is not officially an eating disorder. Yet the number of patients exhibiting an obsession with eating healthy is growing. A physician describing his own relationship with food first coined the term “orthorexia” in 1997.^[7]

Too much healthy eating doesn’t sound like a bad thing, but these people take it to the extreme. While too much fat, sugar, and salt isn’t good for you, eliminating these things completely is bad, too.

An obsessive behavior that is still not recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, orthorexia nervosa has many of the same symptoms as anorexia nervosa. While those with anorexia worry about the quantity of food they consume, those with orthorexia obsess over the quality.

Orthorexics are so concerned with the purity of their food that they tend to restrict their diets in unsafe ways. For example, they may eliminate entire food groups such as dairy and grains. These boundaries can continue to tighten as other foods are deemed “impure” over time.

Finding pure food becomes an obsession for those dealing with orthorexia. Only organic food will do, and the food must be prepared in the “proper” way. It is not uncommon for orthorexics to spend hours shopping for the right foods to take home and prepare themselves.

In a cruel twist of fate, this extreme crusade to eat healthy is actually super unhealthy. Malnourishment can result as important food groups are eliminated and the body ultimately begins to ignore or not recognize its own hunger signals.

3 Ichthyophobia
The Fear Of All Things Fish

Though the nature of this phobia may sound fishy, don’t tell an ichthyophobe that! Just the mention of fish is off the table for those with this phobia. The sight or smell of fish—and even the idea of swimming where fish may be—is frightening to them. This means no swimming in the ocean and definitely no sushi bars.^[8]

Often, the fear stems from the idea that eating the mercury and other contaminants in fish could lead to illness. In other cases, the sight of a fish can act as an omen to warn the ichthyophobe of impending doom.

Those suffering from this strange disease can get dry mouth, anxiety, dizziness, and shaking. For ichthyophobes, avoidance is often the easiest route. This means no fishing trips, no fish movies (sorry, Dory!), and no trips to pet stores and aquariums.

Since no direct cause for this phobia is known, there are several prospective ways to treat it. The most common are hypnotherapy, neurolinguistic programming, and exposure therapy.

2 Phagophobia
The Fear Of Swallowing Food, Pills, Or Liquids

Degrees of phagophobia can be so bad that a person can be terrified to swallow his own saliva. Commonly stemming from the fear of choking, this phobia can be life-threatening. With malnutrition and dehydration as inevitable consequences, people with phagophobia tend to skip meals as often as possible. When they absolutely have to eat, they use work-arounds such as overchewing and avoiding certain textures.^[9]

Phagophobia is a notoriously difficult fear to contend with. In many cases, it feels like there is something stuck in the throat. But when people with this phobia go to the doctor, nothing is found. The sensation is persistent, but in all actuality, that is all it is: a sensation. There’s nothing actually there.

It is hard to imagine not being able to sustain yourself due to crippling terror. Then you seek help only to find that most healthcare professionals can’t pinpoint what is wrong. This has to be a truly awful way to live.

1 Cibophobia (Sitophobia)
The Fear Of All Food

Given that we need food to live, the magnitude of cibophobia cannot be overstated. What can you do when you are terrified of the very thing that you need to stay alive?

Avoiding food for any length of time isn’t an option, so where does that leave you? Oh yeah, hungry. Forever. On the bright side, most sufferers are not so afraid that they forgo any food or drink. Instead, they fear foods prepared by people whom they don’t know, are obsessive about expiration dates on food, and are more afraid of beef and chicken.

This can be a lethal phobia and must be addressed as soon as possible. Though psychotherapy has shown promise in patients with cibophobia, this is by far the worst food phobia of them all.^[10]

Melynda Sorrels is a writer, student, reckless blogger, dreamer, and an aficionado of all things funny or caffeinated. You can check out her random musings at https://despitealllogic.com.

A phobia is an extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something.^[1] Humans have a tendency toward phobias. Certain phobias are deemed normal, tolerable, and easy to cope with, like pyrophobia (fear of fire) or thalassophobia (fear of the sea). These are phobias that are relatively easy to manage.

However, people have been found to have unusual and extreme phobias. These bizarre phobias are not only difficult to manage but may significantly and negatively impact the life of the sufferer and the lives of those around them. These are the top ten bizarre phobias that people do suffer from.

10 Haphephobia

Haphephobia is the fear of being touched. This sounds like something from Comedy Central, but it’s a real phobia that people have. With haphephobia, human touch can be overpowering and even painful.^[2] In some cases, the fear is specific to only one gender, while in others, the fear relates to all people.

The confession of A.J., a 23-year-old graphic designer in the United States, gives us an insight into the phobia. A.J. feels pain whenever someone touches him. His haphephobia is so bad that at one point in his life, he could remember every single time a person touched him.

This is one type of phobia we consider to be very bizarre. Not only will someone who suffers from it live an unusual life, but it would be very difficult to deal with them.

9 Ergophobia

Ergophobia is the fear of work. It is downright creepy that people suffer from this type of phobia.

Lorna Liebenberg is a self-confessed ergophobia sufferer.^[3] For 17 years, Lorna has hardly worked. Whenever she thinks of work, an overwhelming feeling of fear cripples her. Lorna’s case was so bad that she was always getting a new job, and with each new job, her fright increased. Despite the fact that she sometimes had good bosses who were like fathers to her, she still couldn’t help fearing the workplace environment. Unsurprisingly, she has struggled with great financial difficulty throughout her life.

Of all phobias out there, ergophobia is one we do not want to hear about.

8 Neophobia

Neophobia is the fear of anything new, be they situations, places, or things.^[4] Neophobic people usually have problems with trying new gadgets, food, habits, or schedules. Societally, neophobia explains why ideas, inventions, fashions, morals, and other societal changes are often resisted despite their logical advantages. The most absurd reality of neophobia is that it is easy to see in retrospect, but it is harder to see where it might be having an effect on us right now.

One of the causes of neophobia is status quo bias. People are biased toward things as they are now and against changes. All the advances of the 19th century, which include national police forces, enlightenment, mass education, social regulation, law, economic organization, and industrialization, were all opposed by the majority of ill-educated masses, mostly for reasons we now understand as emotional but illogical.

Food neophobia is one of the more common forms of the fear. According to research, making young children eat food they have not tried before could do them more harm than good. The study suggests that it could lead to youngsters growing to be anxious adults with low self-esteem. Neophobia is not only a bizarre phobia but one that can cause substantial harm.

7 Philophobia

Philophobia is the fear of falling in love. It is closely related with a previous traumatic experience involving love and relationships. If a person has had a past relationship failure such as divorce, it can cause philophobia. Philophobia can also be a result of an upbringing in which the person saw the ups and down of their parents’ relationships. Moreover, witnessing someone else go through the turmoil of relationships can cause a person to develop extreme anxiety about forming a loving bond.

As humans, positive emotional relationships are essential for us to thrive, both familiar and romantic ones. When a person expresses any kind of romantic interest in someone with philophobia, the sufferer tends to retreat and run in the opposite direction. A philophobic person puts up a wall when he or she notices that someone is getting close.

Generally, philophobia is restricted to romantic partners, but in certain cases, it can extend to family and friends. In such cases, a philophobia sufferer can completely withdraw into their shell. This can put both their physical health and mental health at stake. Several people who suffer from philophobia have made shocking public confessions of what it is like.^[5] These confessions paint a sordid picture. The only good news about the condition is that it can be treated. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy are the most effective treatments for philophobia.

6 Ablutophobia

Ablutophobia is the fear of bathing, washing, and cleaning. It is a situation-specific phobia that is more common in women and children than men. The phobia manifests in different ways, from a fear of showering to a complete phobia of all washing. Ablutophobia is most likely to be caused by unique or specific traumatic instances, which could relate to childhood accidents that involve water or abusive or neglectful parents who may have implemented water or bathing as punishment.^[6]

In a bizarre case reported by several mainstream news outlets, a British teenager named Thomas Townsend met an untimely death due to ablutophobia. Townsend was using a large amount of deodorant to compensate for not bathing. He eventually died from inhalation of excess butane gas contained in the deodorant he used. His case is very saddening considering the fact that he was not a drug or alcohol addict.

Ablutophobia can be treated by a mental health practitioner. The goal of any such expert is to first target the initial inciting factor that caused the person’s irrational and extreme fear.

5 Nomophobia

Nomophobia is the fear of being without a mobile phone.^[7] One of its causes is addiction to technology. Moreover, people who have had negative experiences upon being left without a cell phone can also develop nomophobia.

Nomophobia, although bizarre, has many sufferers. In a study conducted in the United Kingdom, out of 1,000 people surveyed, 66 percent admitted suffering from nomophobia. Nomophobia is common in all nations of the world, considering the soaring rate of mobile phone addiction. According to a survey, the younger you are, the more prone you are to nomophobia. The youngest age group, consisting of people between the ages of 18 and 24, tops the nomophobic list at 77 percent, which is 11 percent more than the next group, which is those aged 25 to 34. The results of the survey also show that women are more likely to be unnerved by cell phone separation.

The major drivers of nomophobia include boredom, loneliness, and insecurity. Overcoming the fear can be challenging; the good news, however, is that medical intervention is not needed.

4 Decidophobia

Some phobias look like something from a carefully made Hollywood comedy, and this is one of them. Decidophobia is the fear of making decisions. People who suffer from it are usually bothered about having to make choices. The cause of decidophobia is usually a bad experience with decision-making during one’s childhood or at any other point in one’s life. An example would be an unwise decision that led to devastating consequences or witnessing same occur to another person. As a result, decidophobia sufferers usually stick with decisions made by the majority.

There are certain signs that reveal whether a person suffers from decidophobia.^[8] One of them is that sufferers usually go out of their way to avoid making choices. Severe decidophobia is so distressing that people will devote serious effort to ensuring that they are not responsible for decision-making in their lives. Another telltale sign is that a sufferer consistently depends on others for help with decisions.

Decidophobia is not only an unusual phobia, but it is one with a lot of negative effects, as frequent indecision interferes with the lives of sufferers. If left untreated, it can severely devastate a person’s life.

3 Heliophobia

Heliophobia is an exaggerated or irrational fear of sunlight.^[9] One of the most likely causes is misinterpreted information. For instance, a person who believes that overexposure to sunlight will cause skin cancer could become heliophobic. Moreover, a person who has previously suffered from sunburns may also develop heliophobia.

You might think heliophobia is rare, but people do suffer from it. Lucy Jeffries, a 20-year-old full-time mom, has turned down work and dating, fearing that such activities would expose her to the Sun. Her case is so severe that she suffers from panic attacks whenever she is exposed to sunlight. Lucy’s fear started immediately after a malignant tumor was removed from her thyroid gland. Consequently, she developed a serious fear of cancer, which led to her heliophobia.

2 Genophobia

Genophobia is the irrational psychological fear of sexual intercourse. Genophobic people may be terrified of sex or anything involving it.^[10] Genophobia may develop due to an unpleasant sexual experience, such as rape or molestation. The victim may relive the trauma multiple times; consequently, such a person may develop genophobia. Furthermore, genophobia may develop as a result of performance anxiety, especially for those who lack sexual experience or have abstained from sex for a prolonged period of time.

Sophia Birch suffers from genophobia. Sophia’s case is so bad that her childhood sweetheart abandoned her due to lack of sex. Not only is she terrified of engaging in sex, but she is equally terrified of watching a sex scene in a romantic film.

1 Glossophobia

Glossophobia is the fear of public speaking.^[11] A glossophobic person is unable to control an overwhelming nervousness that will result whenever he is required to speak publicly. Such people may suffer a nervous breakdown when confronted with public speaking. Sufferers tend to completely avoid any public speaking scenarios.

Glossophobia can be caused by a related trauma or internal predisposition. Most of the people who suffer from glossophobia are distressed about being embarrassed in front of others. The fear can be treated with psychotherapy. Many people are able to overcome their glossophobia with cognitive behavioral therapy. Prince Harry is a self-confessed sufferer of glossophobia.

Jeffrey Morris is a freelance writer with a passion for history, finance, and rarities.

The words “fear” and “phobia” are often used interchangeably; however, their meaning is far from the same. Fear is a natural emotion when we are in the presence of danger or harm. On the other hand, a phobia is a persistent, irrational fear that causes the sufferer to be faced with feelings of panic and terror that never seem to go away.

While it’s not uncommon to hear someone say they have a fear of spiders, snakes, or even thunderstorms, the ten people on this list suffer from strange phobias—mostly everyday things—that have had a debilitating effect on their lives.

Related: Top 10 Bizarre Phobias People Suffer From

10 Cafephobia: Fear of Coffee

No matter whether you prefer black coffee, espresso, or a custom-made beverage from your local coffee shop, for most people, our morning doesn’t truly start until after we’ve had our first cup of coffee—or that half-caf caramel macchiato with extra whip. However, for people like Becky Marks, who suffers from cafephobia, the fear of coffee, her life was completely altered by her phobia, and not only during the morning hours.

People who suffer from cafephobia, as well as people who suffer from other food and drink phobias, often simply try to avoid coming in contact with the particular item or putting themselves in a situation that may trigger their phobia. Additionally, they often have feelings of anxiety which lead to panic attacks causing physical symptoms such as sweating, difficulty breathing, nausea, headaches, and dizziness. For Marks, her phobia and its accompanying symptoms became so severe that she was unable to be intimate with her partner, kiss her children, or even swallow her own saliva.

Marks’ phobia started at the age of 16 after losing her premature baby girl. The baby only lived for 10 minutes after birth, and Marks sought counseling to help with the trauma she had experienced. She recalled the doctor telling her that caffeine would make her anxiety worse, yet Marks blamed herself and drinking coffee for losing her baby.

Due to her phobia, she refused to kiss her partner because he was a coffee drinker. Additionally, because he was a coffee drinker and naturally kissed their children, she would not kiss the children due to a fear of cross-contamination. Marks would only use disposable cups, plates, and cutlery and would only eat sealed microwave meals. She would even go so far as to spit out her saliva rather than swallow it. However, through therapy, she was able to overcome her phobia and came to the realization that neither caffeine nor coffee played a role in losing her daughter.^[1]

9 Doronophobia: Fear of Opening Gifts

Holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, and celebrations in general often revolve around some form of gift-giving. Gifts are one way to show how much we care for someone, be it a parent, sibling, friend, or partner. The gift giver puts tremendous amounts of thought and care into selecting the perfect gift in anticipation of witnessing the recipient’s reaction. While this tradition of gift-giving has become customary in our day-to-day lives, those who suffer from doronophobia, the fear of opening gifts, never get to experience the joy wrapped inside a perfectly picked present.

Those who suffer from doronophobia often experience severe panic attacks not only from being near gifts or presents but even by simply thinking about being in a situation where they may be expected to open gifts. These panic attacks lead to trembling, hot flashes, chills, and the inability to speak. Doronophobia has had a crippling effect on twenty-six-year-old Sam Das and her family, making it impossible to celebrate Christmas or any other occasion involving gifts.

Das believes her doronophobia began at her 21st birthday party. There were 50 guests in attendance, and when everyone stopped to watch her open gifts, she panicked. While she received wonderful gifts such as perfume and make-up from her friends and family, she couldn’t hide her discomfort. She became hot and sweaty, her heart raced, and she found it difficult to breathe or speak.

From that moment on, Das refuses to open gifts in front of friends, family members, and her husband and will only open gifts in her bedroom when she is completely alone. During holidays or celebratory occasions, she keeps a list with her that is filled with excuses in order to avoid situations that will trigger her phobia. Even though no one will ever see her physically open a gift, Das never forgets to thank her friends and family for anything she receives.^[2]

8 Lachanophobia: Fear of Vegetables

While some vegetables such as turnips, beets, and Brussel sprouts may be among some of the least favorite varieties, vegetables are packed full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They are an essential part of a healthy diet and may also reduce the risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. However, for those that suffer from lachanophobia, the fear of vegetables, consuming their “five-a-day” is quite literally impossible.

Lachanophobia is the dislike of vegetables that actually turns into a panic attack at the sight or thought of vegetables. People who suffer from this phobia try to avoid touching vegetables and avoid these sections of a grocery store. While it may seem silly that someone could be so afraid of something such as peas or carrots, this phobia may have one of the most negative impacts on one’s health and well-being because their body is deprived of much-needed nutrition.

Twenty-two-year-old Vicki Larrieux suffers from lachanophobia, which brings on panic attacks and sweating at the sight of vegetables. Larrieux recalls “freaking out” if vegetables were on her plate, even as a small child, but it wasn’t until she became an adult that she realized her fear was actually a phobia. Normal trips to the grocery store or out to a restaurant are huge obstacles, but thankfully, Larrieux’s boyfriend understands her phobia and is willing to help in any way he can. While her current diet mainly consists of meat, potatoes, cereal, and some fruit, Larrieux hopes to enjoy a piece of roast with a side of greens one day.^[3]

7 Emetophobia: Fear of Vomiting

Vomiting is the natural reaction of our stomach in trying to rid the body of contaminants. It can occur for a wide variety of reasons—early pregnancy, overeating, side effects of medication, or consuming too much alcohol. No matter the reason, vomiting is never a pleasant experience and is understandably something most try to avoid.

Emetophobia is the fear of vomiting. Those suffering from this phobia often avoid specific foods, alcohol, and even social situations where they may be exposed to a virus that could cause vomiting. Like other phobias, emetophobia also brings on panic attacks as well as physical symptoms such as a choking sensation, difficulty breathing, dizziness, sweating, and a rapid heartbeat.

Cheryl Longman began suffering from emetophobia at the age of 12. However, in 2014 after over-indulging in a meal and becoming nauseous, her fear of overeating became even worse. In order to avoid any possibility of becoming sick or overeating, Longman would restrict each meal to only two mouthfuls. Within 15 months, her weight plummeted from 10st 7lbs (147 pounds) to a mere 4st 11 lbs (67 pounds), and she had to be admitted to the hospital and fed through a tube. Naturally, medical professionals, as well as Longman’s friends and family, assumed she was suffering from anorexia.

What they didn’t understand was that she did not have body image issues. Instead, she was trapped in a vicious cycle of being too afraid to eat, which in turn, was causing her stomach to shrink and her body to shut down, no matter how desperately she wanted to put on weight. After a three-week hospital stay and realizing how fortunate she was to recover, Longman has been going to therapy, working on her weight, and spreading awareness of her condition in hopes of helping others.^[4]

6 Turophobia: Fear of Cheese

Cheese is an essential ingredient for making entrees such as pizza, tacos, sandwiches, nachos, and many baked pasta or casserole dishes. In fact, there are over 1,800 different varieties of cheese found throughout the world. Unfortunately, people who suffer from turophobia, the fear of cheese, are forced to miss out on so many culinary experiences. But in cases like twenty-two-year-old Melissa North, even walking past cheese in the grocery store leads to clamminess, panic attacks, and tears.

Melissa North’s turophobia started when she was only four years old. She was visiting a friend’s house and was served cheese on toast. Even though the taste was disgusting, North had been taught by her parents to be respectful and always finish what was on her plate. Turophobia is commonly associated with a traumatic memory of the dairy product, so this experience led to a crippling fear of eating, touching, or even seeing cheese. To make matters worse, North experienced cruel jokes and torment throughout her adolescent years regarding her fear of cheese.

At the age of 15, North’s friends threw cream cheese in her face, causing her to fall to the floor and leave the classroom crying. Thankfully, one true friend stepped in to calm her down and clean her face. In another incident, a friend from university decided to smear cheese all over North’s room door and leave a trail of cheese outside, preventing her from going in. Not much has changed as she is still mocked by friends, family, and even her boyfriend about her phobia.^[5]

5 Genuphobia: Fear of Knees

Our knees are made of bones, ligaments, tendons, and meniscus and are vital to weight-bearing and movement. Not only is it the largest joint in the human body, but it is also the most stressed. Therefore, it is essential to protect our knees from common injuries such as sprains, tears, and fractures. While everyday functions such as standing, walking, and running would be impossible without our knees, there are some who suffer from genuphobia, the fear of knees, and are completely grossed out by this amazing part of the human body.

Those suffering from genuphobia experience intense emotions and physical symptoms such as shivering, shaking, and panic attacks simply by looking at the knees. Genuphobia can be triggered by a previous knee injury, punishments such as being forced to kneel for long periods, or cultural restrictions, where exposing the knees is frowned upon. Genuphobes typically also try to avoid places such as the beach where others’ knees will be exposed and a church where they may be required to kneel.

Stephanie Cockerill’s genuphobia began when she was lying in bed with her boyfriend and his knees were touching hers. She immediately began feeling sick and having a panic attack. She now avoids all contact with knees, be it hers or others, as she begins to shake and her mind goes blank, making it hard to speak in the situation. Cockerill’s phobia is so intense that she cannot watch movies featuring knees, specifically gangster movies where a kneecap may be broken. She has left her swimming club due to the sight of so many knees, and she refuses to kneel, shave, or even put sunscreen on her legs. Cockerill also claims that if there was a way to remove her knees, she would have such an operation.^[6]

4 Pemmaphobia: Fear of Cake

Cakes are a common celebratory dessert for both birthdays and weddings, and the very first wedding cakes were actually a tradition to encourage fertility for the new couple. In Roman times, grain was a symbol of fertility, and it would be thrown at the newlyweds. Then, over time, grain began to be baked into cakes. Wedding cakes often take center stage at the reception, and most couples continue the tradition of preserving the top tier of their cake until their one-year anniversary as a symbol of luck and prosperity. Choosing the perfect cake for your special day may seem daunting, but bride-to-be Rachel Lee has come to dread her wedding day, not only because of a cake choice but because she suffers from pemmaphobia, the fear of cake.

Lee’s phobia started when she was just a small child after eating a piece of sponge cake that made her sick. She begins to cry and shake if someone with cake gets too close to her and the smell of baking cake makes her violently sick. Lee tries to avoid triggers as most phobia sufferers do and has been known to jump over chairs in order to escape the situation. A more intriguing fact is that even though Lee is a black belt in kickboxing, she states she “would rather fight six blokes than eat a piece of cake.”^[7]

3 Galaphobia: Fear of Milk

Milk is a great source of protein and calcium. It can be used to make a variety of products such as butter, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream and can also be used as an addition to hot beverages such as hot chocolate and espresso. While it may be hard to imagine that something used to make such delicious products could ever be scary, for someone like Joannah Symes, who suffers from galaphobia, the fear of milk, the white liquid is enough to make her cower in a corner.

Symes has suffered from her phobia for as long as she can remember, although it has gotten much worse as she’s grown older and learned where milk came from. Given her fear, she cannot consume hot beverages that may be flavored with milk, such as tea, coffee, or hot chocolate, and she also avoids cold treats such as milkshakes and ice cream.

It is unbearable for her to watch someone pour milk from a carton or spill any, but since Symes has kept her phobia a secret from most of her friends and family, she has had to learn to manage dealing with these types of difficult situations. Perhaps the worst part for Symes is the fact that her father is a farmer, and he often has to visit milk farms. However, she is very much in control of her emotions and will simply make an excuse to leave or sit inside rather than looking at the cows.^[8]

2 Argyrophobia: Fear of Silver Things/Silverware

Formal dinners are well-known for intricate place settings and formal flatware such as cutlery, serving trays, ladles, and bowls. Due to the fact that large dinner parties or multi-course meals are not held as frequently today, many have come to rely on the convenience of disposable utensils in lieu of fancy silverware sets. However, for Zoe Ingleston, who suffers from the fear of metal cutlery, plastic silverware is a necessity at mealtimes.

As with most phobias, it is common for a traumatic experience to bring about feelings of anxiety which then trigger fear that wasn’t previously present. Ingleston’s fear of metal utensils began at the age of 17 when she accidentally hit a new filling in her mouth with a fork. Now, even the sight of metal silverware causes her chest to become tight, and she experiences shortness of breath.

Ingleston has spent the last 20 years dreading mealtimes and only uses plastic cutlery to eat and cook with because the sound of metal scraping triggers cold sweats and panic attacks. Even though she is a mother to four children and engaged to her partner Phil, they are unable to enjoy meals together as a family. Ingleston eats her meals at a separate table and even goes so far as to turn her back to them to avoid seeing any metal utensils. Sadly, the only time they can eat together is on Christmas when her family gives in and agrees to eat with plastic utensils.^[9]

1 Cucurbitaceaeophobia: Fear of Watermelon

Watermelon is considered to be a fruit botanically like tomatoes and peppers because of the way it is grown. However, watermelon is also part of the Cucurbitaceae plant family of gourds that includes squash, pumpkins, and cucumbers. Its juicy, red center and refreshing taste have made it a popular addition to summer barbeques, and for a good reason. However, when Xiao Jun, who suffers from cucurbitaceaeophobia, the fear of watermelon, was surprised by his co-workers with watermelon on a hot day, rather than being grateful, he became sick with fear.

Jun had been sick for two months as a child, and in an attempt to get him to take a bitter liquid medicine, his father claimed it was watermelon juice. Jun never forgot this awful experience, and each time he saw a watermelon, he was reminded of the awful medicine and his father’s lies. He was unable to look at a watermelon or be in the presence of one. However, Jun kept his phobia a secret for 30 years. That is, until the day his co-worker presented him with watermelon.^[10]