Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List
Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «F»:
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Fear of dogs
Fear of dogs: An abnormal and persistent fear of dogs. Sufferers of this fear experience anxiety even though they realize that most dogs pose no threat. To avoid dogs, they may barricade yards or refuse to travel except in an enclosed vehicle.
Fear of dogs is termed "cynophobia, "a word derived fro...
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Fear of drinking alcohol
Fear of drinking alcohol: An abnormal and persistent fear of drinking alcohol. Sufferers of this fear experience undue anxiety about addiction to alcohol and the effect this addiction can have on their body. (However, their abstinence from alcohol certainly should not be criticized.)
Fear of alcohol...
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Fear of dust
Fear of dust: An abnormal and persistent fear of dust. Sufferers of this fear experience anxiety even though they realize dust poses no threat.
Fear of dust is termed "amathophobia," a word derived from the Greek "amathos" (sand) and "phobos" (fear)....
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Fear of feces
Fear of feces (bowel waste): An abnormal and persistent fear of feces (bowel waste). Sufferers of this fear experience anxiety even though they realize their fear is irrational. They go out of their way to avoid coming into contact with feces or sometimes even seeing feces.
Fear of feces is termed "...
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Fear of flowers
Fear of flowers: An abnormal and persistent fear of flowers. Sufferers experience undue anxiety even though they realize they face no threat from flowers. Any genus or species of flowers can instill fear, as can any flower part, such as a petal or stem.
Fear of flowers is termed "anthophobia," a wo...
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Fear of flying
Fear of flying: An irrational fear of flying is called aerophobia. Aerophobia also refers to irrational fear of fresh air or drafts of air. From the Greek "aero-", air or gas + "phobos", fear.
A virtual reality program that simulates the experience of take-offs, landings, normal flying and turbulen...
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Fear of fur
Fear of fur: An abnormal and persistent fear of fur is called doraphobia. Sufferers of this fear avoid fur-bearing animals such as dogs, cats, foxes, beavers and rabbits because fur is repulsive to them. Perhaps some of these phobics associate fur with childhood stories about "the big bad wolf" and ...
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Fear of ghosts
Fear of ghosts: An abnormal and persistent fear of ghosts.
Sufferers of this fear experience undue anxiety even though they
realize their fear is irrational. They may fear going into woods,
empty houses or dark places and may react with alarm at strange or
unexplained noises. No doubt Hollywood ...
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Fear of going to bed
Fear of going to bed: An abnormal and persistent fear of going to bed. Sufferers of this fear experience anxiety even though they realize that going to bed normally should not threaten their well-being. However, because they worry about having nightmares or wetting the bed, they often remain awake a...
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Fear of having a malformed child
Fear of bearing a malformed child: An abnormal and persistent fear of bearing a malformed child is termed teratophobia. A phobia is an unreasonable sort of fear that can cause avoidance and panic. Phobias are a relatively common type of anxiety disorder.
The term "teratophobia" is made up of "terat...
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Fear of heat
Fear of heat: Thermophobia. An abnormally excessive and persistent fear of heat, including hot weather and hot objects. Sufferers from this fear experience anxiety even though they realize their fear is irrational. To avoid heat, they may live in a cold climate, wear light clothing, stay indoors on ...
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Fear of heights
Fear of heights: An abnormal and persistent fear of heights. Sufferers experience severe anxiety even though they realize as a rule that heights pose no real threat to them.
Fear of heights is termed acrophobia. The word "acrophobia" is derived from the Greek "acron" (height) and "phobos" (fear)....
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Fear of horses
Fear of horses: An abnormal and persistent fear of horses. Sufferers of this fear experience undue anxiety even when a horse is known to be gentle and well trained. They usually avoid horses entirely rather than risk being kicked, bitten or thrown. They may also fear other hoofed animals such as pon...
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Fear of insects
Fear of insects: An abnormal and persistent fear of insects. Sufferers of this fear experience undue anxiety even though they realize that most insects pose no threat. To avoid insects, they may frequently clean rooms and carpets, sweep hallways, spray insect-killer or seal off doors and windows.
"E...
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Fear of intercourse
Fear of intercourse: An abnormal and persistent fear of male-female sexual intercourse. Sufferers of this fear experience undue anxiety because they are preoccupied with failing in some way while having heterosexual intercourse. Among the symptoms of coitophobia are failure to achieve an erection (e...
