Phobia of Long Words

We've all heard and talked about phobias - even strange, funny and unusual ones. However, it is only people who suffer from them who know the intensity of fear caused by the presence of any particular person, object, situation or activity. One such phobia is the phobia of long words known as "hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia" (Unfortunately it is an extremely long word that I cannot help mentioning). Characterized by the fear of pronouncing long words, this phobia is categorized as a strange and baseless phobia, as pronouncing a long word can cause no potential harm or life-threatening danger. As such, it is considered to be an irrational fear.

A phobia may not be diagnosed unless one is exposed to a situation that may cause the phobia. It is mainly characterized by symptoms of anxiety, such as nausea, losing control over actions, palpitations, nervousness, shortness of breath, and excessive sweating, leading to full-fledged panic attacks. With the onset of symptoms such as these, though considered irrational, the phobia of long words can even go on to affect one's mental health and stability. Unfortunately, a phobia like this may also alienate friends and family from the person suffering from it.

This phobia may have developed in an instant, when at some point in the past, one may have had trouble pronouncing or spelling a long word. It may even lead to stammering, due to the fear of pronouncing long words. This phobia would be more pronounced if it happened among a group of people, say at school, or at a social gathering, as the sufferer may then relate the situation to public humiliation, and similar other negative emotions. It may also cause her or him to retreat into a cocoon, thereby, resulting in complete withdrawal from social life.

How to Treat this Phobia

This fear of long words, fortunately, is treatable. There are several therapies that contribute to the treatment of the phobia of long words. Some of them are mentioned here.

• Pronunciation Practice: With the help of online dictionaries, persons suffering from this phobia can slowly learn how to pronounce long words. A lot of these websites help with audio pronunciations. This helps the victim of the phobia to learn how to pronounce long words, in a private setup, without the fear of embarrassing him/herself.
• Psychotherapy: Sometimes, a simple series of sessions with a therapist, where the victim of the phobia can talk out his or her fears, can make a difference to the impact the phobia may have on that person. Over a period of time and various stages of psychotherapy, a therapist can make the much required difference in the life of an individual suffering from a phobia of long words, and eliminate it completely.
• Hypnosis/Hypnotherapy: By attempting to communicate with the subconscious mind, hypnotherapy calls for eradicating all irrational thoughts and fears, by making the mind work with you as opposed to against you.
• Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP): Neuro-linguistic programming is a relatively new approach used to deal with a variety of psychological disorders. However, as opposed to traditional psychotherapy methods, NLP aims to deal with the self and its perceived problems that may be a result of the phobia. For instance, NLP will not eliminate the phobia, but the fears associated with it. As such, it will aim to improve an individual's self-esteem, thereby slowly minimizing the fear of long words, and ultimately encouraging social interaction.

Several people suffer from the phobia of long words, but the good news is that it is completely curable. Though considered to be an irrational fear, this phobia can worsen over time depending on the level of anxiety one may develop. Therefore, it may be unwise to take this phobia lightly. Rather, by practicing some of the simple above-mentioned tips, this phobia, like many others, can be overcome.