Does anyone have anatidaephobia

Though the Spectacled Eider may not look as disturbing as the Hooded Merganser 1 or the Wood Duck 5 , someone suffering with full blown anatidaephobia may still have a very difficult time looking at the picture alongside this article, let alone actually being near a Spectacled Eider in real life. This duck in particular will typically get to around inches in length.

The paler goggles you can clearly see in the picture of the male Spectacled Eider is a key sign of what type of duck it is. The female Spectacled Eider has the same goggles, except with hers being light brown instead of white. The large sea duck known as the Surf Scoter, which is native to North America has eerily disturbing eyes as they look similar to human eyes, minus the iris.

Such an unsettling glare may not sit well with those suffering from full blown anatidaephobia and may exacerbate their symptoms. This seems especially true due to the fact that anatidaephobia is specifically the fear of being watched by a duck.

Similar to the other ducks in this list, the male Surf Scoter, which is displayed in the photo looks very different than the female Surf Scoter as far as the color goes. However, their eyes look similarly reptilian-like. The Surf Scoter can be found in Alaska and Canada, among other areas. It comes from the genus Melanitta and the species M. They can get up to 2. The Wood Duck may be one of the most diabolical looking ducks on this list thanks to its grotesque looking red eyes.

What seems to be the trend here on this list and perhaps in nature as well, the female Wood Duck looks nothing like the male Wood Duck shown in the photo. A typical adult Wood Duck gets to around 21 inches long with a wingspan of up to around 29 inches. It comes from the genus Aix and from the species A. It can be found in various parts of the US and in some parts of Northern Mexico during the winter months.

The red eyes found only on the male Wood Duck can understandably make some people feel uncomfortable. However, such feelings of anxiety can be expected to be greatly exacerbated with someone suffering from anatidaephobia. It comes from the genus Cairina and the species C. These large ducks get as long as 30 inches and weigh around 15 pounds, dwarfing most of the ducks on this list.

This may be bad news for anyone with anatidaephobia. Though the male and female Muscovy Ducks both look quite different, their faces are both quite similar. So, though their color patterns may differ slightly, the face of the Muscovy Duck is easy to identify.

People suffering from anatidaephobia may find the Muscovy Duck to be quite frightening given its grotesque face and large size. However, this will vary from person to person. The Ruddy Duck is a very unique looking specimen.

In this photo, you will see a male Ruddy Duck. The Ruddy Duck is from the genus Oxyura and the species O. They can be found in various parts of Europe, among other areas. They get to a length of about 17 inches and a weight of just over a pound. They will typically have a wingspan of around inches. Though as attractive as its light blue bill may appear to some, those suffering from anatidaephobia will likely not feel such endearment as the anxiety they will experience from merely being near such a duck may be enough to cause them to experience a full blown panic attack.

The point here is that the convictions that people with anatidaephobia hold are based on irrational premises which have no grounding in reality. Though it may be common to think that the more attractive an animal is, the less it will be feared, this is not necessarily the case for those suffering from anatidaephobia. The pompously named King Eider is from the genus Somateria and the species S.

It can be found near the Arctic coasts of the Northern Hemisphere. So, unless you live near the Arctic tundra, you will likely not come into contact with the King Eider on many occasions. Though its beautiful colors are pleasing to the eye, its lumpy head, which appears whale-like may make you question whether or not you find this duck to be attractive. However, such superficial opinions will likely fall on deaf ears with those suffering from anatidaephobia as they will likely fear all ducks.

This large sea duck can get as long as 28 inches with a wingspan of around 40 inches. They can also get to a weight of just under 5 lbs. The females, which are often called the Queen Eider look very different from the male Eider as their feathers are mainly comprised of different shades of brown.

Those suffering with anatidaephobia may find the King Eider to be very frightening as they may believe that it is somehow watching them at all times.

However, unless you live near the Northern Hemisphere, you will likely not come across this duck very often. The very unique looking Mandarin Duck is a perching duck found in East Asia.

It is from the genus Aix and the species A. It looks spectacularly interesting at first glance as its different feather colors and patterns make it a truly unique duck. It can get as long as 19 inches with a wingspan of up to 30 inches. The female Mandarin Duck looks much different than the male and is just as interesting looking with different color patterns of grey and brown.

The photo here is of a male Mandarin Duck and is almost unrecognizable to that of the female Mandarin Duck. They mainly eat plants and seeds, and even snails and fish. This omnivorous diet may make someone suffering with anatidaephobia to feel somewhat unsettled. Asians suffering from full blown anatidaephobia will feel deeply anxious as they will believe that in some way somehow, the Mandarin Duck is watching them at all times of the day and night to the point of having no privacy whatsoever.

The Pink-eared Duck comes from the genus Malacorhynchus and the species M. This duck can be found in numerous areas of Australia. They eat plankton, crustaceans, and various insects.

Unlike virtually every other duck in this list, the female Pink-eared Duck looks very similar to the male. Such a feature may evoke unwanted anxiety in those with anatidaephobia. Anxious Australians suffering from full blown anatidaephobia may find the Pink-eared duck to be absolutely terrifying insofar as they believe it to be watching them at all times without rest.

If you think you may be suffering from some of the symptoms of this condition, then you may benefit from therapy. Feel free to reach out to your doctor or local mental health clinic to see what your available options are and to see if there is any sort of discount or promo code available to help you with the costs of treatment , as well as if your health insurance will cover treatment costs.

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Symptoms of Anatidaephobia As is the case with virtually all other phobias, anxiety will be the main symptom experienced with someone suffering from anatidaephobia.

Below, you will see some more common symptoms of anatidaephobia: Anxiety when thinking of a duck watching them Intense anxiety when seeing a duck Isolating oneself May avoid going outside or to certain places Unable to cope with their anxiety Muscle tension, shakiness, and sweating May experience panic attacks Causes of Anatidaephobia There is no definitive cause of anatidaephobia.

Anatidaephobia Treatment Although there is no form of treatment that is specifically designed to treat anatidaephobia, there are definitely a multitude of treatments that can aid in minimizing some of the symptoms that are associated with this condition. Exposure therapy for anatidaephobia Exposure therapy is one of the most common forms of treatment for people suffering from phobias and can be quite effective at treating anatidaephobia too.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy CBT for anatidaephobia CBT is one of the most common forms of treatment used to help those suffering from a range of different anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder GAD , obsessive compulsive disorder OCD , panic disorder, social anxiety disorder , and even phobias like anatidaephobia , among several other conditions.

Medication for anatidaephobia Anti-anxiety medication or antidepressants may also be effective at helping to reduce some of the symptoms of anatidaephobia. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction MBSR for anatidaephobia MBSR is an 8-week evidence-based program that offers secular, intensive mindfulness training to help people who are suffering from anxiety, stress, depression, and other sorts of mental anguish.

Yoga for anatidaephobia There are numerous different yoga poses that can substantially benefit someone who is suffering from anatidaephobia. Reducing Caffeine for anatidaephobia It is no secret that consuming large amounts of caffeine throughout the day can aid in making you more anxious.

Meditation for anatidaephobia There are many different forms of meditation that exists which can be very advantageous for someone suffering from anatidaephobia. Exercise for anatidaephobia Exercise has been shown to be extremely beneficial for people suffering from anxiety disorders, including anatidaephobia. Anatidaephobia and Paranoia Due to the paranoia associated with anatidaephobia, there may be a link with this specific phobia and schizophrenia.

They have superior vision Ducks have been known to see three times farther than humans. They crave meat Ducks are omnivores, which means they eat both plants and meat. Their feet never get cold Ducks have no problem with walking on ice or swimming in frigid waters as their tiny little webbed feet have what is called a counter-current heat exchange system between the arteries and veins found in their legs.

They can change gender This is one of the more bizarre duck facts in this list. They have 3 eyelids Ducks have 3 eyelids: One at the top of the eye, one at the bottom of the eye, and one on the side of the eye. They can sleep with one eye open Some say that sleep is the cousin of death.

They can fly very high When migrating, ducks can fly at altitudes of around to 4, feet. They live in all climates Though some ducks prefer some climates over others, ducks as a whole can be found in virtually any sort of climate.

Hooded Merganser The Hooded Merganser is a very unique looking duck that can be seen as majestic or utterly creepy depending on where you are on the anatidaephobia spectrum.

Spectacled Eider The large sea duck known as the Spectacled Eider not only has a very pretentious name, but it also has a stern look which may provoke your anatidaephobia, depending on how severe your symptoms are. Surf Scoter The large sea duck known as the Surf Scoter, which is native to North America has eerily disturbing eyes as they look similar to human eyes, minus the iris. For a long time, the fear of falling was merely believed to be a result of the psychological trauma of a fall , also called "post-fall syndrome".

This syndrome was first mentioned in by Murphy and Isaacs, who noticed that after a fall, ambulatory persons developed intense fear and walking disorders. We dread reaching out and finding nobody there to respond to our needs. The Fear of Connecting. The Fear of Being Abandoned. The Fear of Self-Assertion. The Fear of Lack of Recognition.

The Fear of Failure and Success. The Fear of Being Fully Alive. Claustrophobia : This is the fear of being in constricted, confined spaces. Zoophobia: This is an umbrella term that involves extreme fear of certain animals. Arachnophobia means fear of spiders. Ornithophobia is the fear of birds. Aerophobia is used for people who are afraid to fly. For some, even thinking about flying is a stressful situation and flying phobia, coupled with panic attacks, can lead to dangerous situations.

Eunoia , at six letters long, is the shortest word in the English language that contains all five main vowels. Seven letter words with this property include adoulie, douleia, eucosia, eulogia, eunomia, eutopia, miaoued, moineau, sequoia, and suoidea.

The scientific name iouea is a genus of Cretaceous fossil sponges. So what's the word? Wikipedia's says that it's " Methionylthreonylthreonylglutaminylarginyl Does anyone have anatidaephobia?

Asked by: Alvera Schinner Jr. Ablutophobia Fear of bathing. Arachibutyrophobia Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth. Arithmophobia Fear of math. Chirophobia Fear of hands. Chloephobia Fear of newspapers. Globophobia Fear of balloons Phobias are one of the most common types of mental disorders. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, One phobia that has been discussed on many websites and blogs is known as anatidaephobia.

While often presented as a real phobia, anatidaephobia is actually an invented phobia and not a medically-recognized diagnosis.

Anatidaephobia originated from the Far Side comic by Gary Larson, who defined it as: "The fear that somewhere, somehow, a duck is watching you. Since Larson first introduced the concept, the concept of anatidaephobia has worked its way into popular consciousness and is now often presented as a real type of phobia.

Anatidaephobia might not be real or officially recognized, but that does not mean that a fear of ducks or geese is not possible. The fear of birds, or ornithophobia, is a very real specific phobia. In fact, the actual fear of ducks and geese would be characterized as a form of ornithophobia. Specific phobias are classified as one of five different sub-types:.

Ornithophobia is an animal type of specific phobia. Some people with this phobia might fear all kinds of birds, while others might only fear a specific type of birds such as waterfowl, birds of prey, or tropical birds.

Like other animal phobias, this fear often stems from a negative encounter with the fear object, in this case, ducks or geese. Being bitten, chased, or attacked by a duck or flock of ducks while at the park, for example, might lead to later fear of this type of bird. When people encounter the source of their fear, they experience feelings of uncontrollable anxiety.

Common symptoms include:. People may also go to great lengths to avoid the source of their fear, sometimes to the point that it interferes with daily functioning. A person might avoid certain locations or even stop leaving their home in order to prevent any encounters with the feared object. In some cases, people may also have a panic attack.

During a panic attack, fear symptoms become so severe that people might feel disoriented, detached, or even as if they are dying. While anatidaephobia is not real, the fear of birds including ducks or geese can be serious and often debilitating. Fortunately, there are effective treatments available to help people overcome their phobia and manage their symptoms.

Here's an overview of the treatment options. Exposure therapy, which involves being exposed to a fear object, usually gradually and systematically, until the object no longer triggers a fear response. Exposure therapy and systematic desensitization are considered the gold-standard approach to treating specific phobias. In vivo real-world exposure is usually considered the best approach, but research also suggests that virtual reality can also be helpful.

Cognitive-behavior therapy CBT , which involves identifying the problematic thought patterns that contribute to phobic responses. Then, the individual works with the therapist to replace these unhelpful thoughts with more realistic ways of thinking.

The goal is to remove the anxiety response from the fear trigger. Medications may also be used in conjunction with psychotherapy to help manage symptoms of anxiety.