Love Is Scary: 12 Weird Phobias

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Romance can be pretty anxiety-inducing. From the fear of staying single to a dread of chocolate, Life's Little Mysteries has rounded up the strangest love-related phobias. Here are a dozen examples:

1. "Commitmentphobia" is a made-up phobia, but folks who fear being in a relationship may actually have amoraphobia, the fear of love.

2. People with metrophobia, the fear of poetry, would need to hire a ghostwriter if they want to pen their sweetheart a passionate verse.

3. A heart-shaped box of chocolates — that sweet Valentine's Day staple — would be more horrifying than romantic to those with xocolatophobia, the fear of chocolate.

4. Here's a phobia that is probably most common among bashful people making an overture to a crush: Erythrophobia, or fear of blushing , causes the sufferer to be extremely embarrassed and self-conscious of their reddening complexion. Talk about a vicious cycle.

5. Anyone who has ever been the victim of a particularly bad kisser can understand philematophobia, or the fear of kissing .

6. Sending a red, heart-shaped Valentine's Day card to someone with cardiophobia, the fear of the heart , would be a pretty cruel thing to do.

7. What could possibly be threatening about a bouquet of flowers ? Among those with anthrophobia, or the fear of flowers, a single red rose brings about feelings of anxiety — even if it's been de-thorned.

8. People with haphephobia or aphenphosmphobia must get pretty lonely, as their phobias cause them to avoid letting anyone touch their skin .

9. Headaches caused by overwhelmingly strong, chemical scents and burns from hot wax may explain why some suffer from keriophobia — the fear of candles.

10. Guys who have anuptaphobia, the fear of staying single, might want to use a wingman to help pick up women at bars.

11. & 12. These last two go together:  Ornithophobia, the fear of birds , and apiphobia, the fear of bees. One poses the threat of being pooped on from above and the other packs a painful sting , so these phobias seem pretty reasonable to us.

Remy Melina was a staff writer for Live Science from 2010 to 2012. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication from Hofstra University where she graduated with honors.