Anatidaephobia

Quack.... Quack, Quack.

If you probably haven't fainted as yet, it means you are not suffering from anatidaephobia. And no, it does not mean you fear the sound 'Quack Quack'. There is a long list of phobias, some really strange enough that makes one wonder are they for real or an urban myth? There are millions of humans around the world and each one having their own set of phobias. For example, Omphalophobia. Wondering what is omphalophobia? It is fear of belly buttons. I keep thinking why would someone be afraid of a belly button? It is by default a part of the human anatomy and till date it has not caused any harm. Anyway, I won't wonder off from my original topic anatidaephobia. We shall continue learning more about anatidaephobia in detail, beginning with the anatidaephobia definition.

Anatidaephobia Definition

The intense, irrational fear of duck watching over you is called anatidaephobia. This fear of duck is so intense that the person forgets everything around him. He can no longer function as a normal person and yeah, his social life at the local park with ducks in pond is completely over! It may even affect the person's performance at work and other areas of his life is left untreated. The fear of duck can strike the person the minute he sees a single or group of ducks around. Not just ducks, but it may include fear of geese and swans.

Causes of Anatidaephobia

When a few of our friends were invited to a farm-house of a common friend, we were surprised to find a friend of a friend faint at the sight of a duck. At first, we all thought this 6 feet 4 inch fully grown man fainted due to the heat. But, the after coming back to his senses, he explained his weird phobia of ducks. This made me wonder what causes anatidaephobia?

Anatidaephobia is caused by a trauma that the anatidaephobic saw in real life. The origin of this phobia lies probably in the childhood years of the phobic. The person may have seen either a duck, swan or geese attack someone or themselves. These waterfowl are known to be a bit on the aggressive side may bite someone in self-defense. Maybe this memory is what washes away the giggles one experiences after watching 'Donald Duck'. The giggles and smiles are taken over by general anxiety, fear and emotional upheaval. The intensity of the fear of duck causes reduction in daily chores.

Symptoms of Anatidaephobia

Now that we know anatidaephobia exits for real, it is time to understand the symptoms of fear of ducks. It may come handy at a local fair or near the local pond where you might come across someone with anatidaephobia. Or maybe you yourself realize you too suffer from intense fear of ducks. The symptoms of anatidaephobia are as follows:

• Dry mouth
• Hyperventilation
• Muscle tension
• Shortness of breath
• Trembling
• Feeling trapped
• Inability to escape from the gaze of the duck
• An intense feeling of an impending disaster waiting to happen

Treatment of Anatidaephobia

Anatidaephobia is generally self diagnosed as the person begins to feel scared of ducks. The treatment of anatidaephobia includes speaking to a doctor, counseling and joining support groups. Some patients are advised relaxation therapies and in extreme cases antianxiety medications are prescribed.

The Truth Behind Anatidaephobia, Fear of Ducks

Before someone stops going to the local park or zoos, think about this. What has the poor quack, quack done to make it look like such a fearsome creature? Maybe you forgot to give it a small treat, while you were happily boating around in his pond. Maybe you are too close to Mother Goose's nest full of eggs. Or it was just a cranky old swan who just went through a break up with his childhood darling. There is no reason to develop a delusional fear ducks or other waterfowl, in which they are watching over you where ever you are. And besides, what I am going to share with you now, will surely make you smile and feel a bit funny.

There is a long list of all phobias and their meanings. But, if you refer any medical dictionary, you will find no mention of anatidaephobia. Wondering why? Because anatidaephobia is a jocular or fictional phobia. It was created by Gary Larson in a cartoon published in The Far Side Gallery. This one panel comic is based on surrealistic humor and often comes up with unreal social situations featuring bizarre experiences or disasters in world. So basically it is not for real and just a made up phobia in a cartoon strip, just as my story about a friend of a friend suffering from fear of ducks.

You will find there are many pages containing articles on anatidaephobia, making it look like a rare phobia. However, they are mostly baseless as there is no mention of this fear of duck in most medical sites. So, you can breathe easy, the duck is not watching over you. Have a great time the next time you visit the park. Giving them wrong kind treats will cause death of these poor waterfowl. Hope the above information on anatidaephobia has helped you learn all about this jocular phobia.