A phobia, as we understand, is a fear of a specific object, situation, or activity. It was during the late 19th and early 20th centuries that the formal naming of specific phobias, using Greek or Latin prefixes combined with the 'phobia' suffix, became prevalent.
The recognition of fear of specific objects or instances has been recognised since ancient times. The fear of water has been documented as far back as 600 B.C.E.
Fears or phobias are categorised into specific phobias, such as:
Animals: fear of spiders, fear of dogs, fear of snakes, fear of insects, etc.
Natural environment: fear of heights, fear of thunder and lightning, fear of water, fear of fog, etc.
Medical or injury-based: fear of dentists, fear of blood, fear of injections, fear of injuries, etc.
Situational: fear of enclosed spaces, fear of washing, fear of flying, etc.
Others: fear of mirrors, fear of ghosts, fear of mannequins, etc.
Do you know which fear 'acrophobia' describes? The term 'acrophobia' was coined in the late 19th century. Read this article to know what "acrophobia" means. In today's list of phobias, we will learn a new term, 'acrophobia', and what it means.
What is Acrophobia?
Acrophobia is the fear of heights. Also known as hypsophobia, it is an extreme and irrational fear of heights. People with acrophobia cannot stand near the edge of mountains, walk through bridges, stand on balconies, climb ladders, or even look out of high windows. Acrophobic people tend to avoid high places. They may experience intense fear and panic of falling down. They may also experience numbness in legs.
Acrophobia origin
The word 'acrophobia' originates from the Greek words 'akron' (meaning peak or summit) and 'phobos' (meaning fear).
The term 'acrophobia' was coined in the late 19th century by Italian physician Andrea Verga, who himself suffered from this phobia.
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