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.
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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.
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