{"id":12123,"date":"2019-09-04T06:51:08","date_gmt":"2019-09-04T06:51:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=12123"},"modified":"2021-04-29T15:03:32","modified_gmt":"2021-04-29T15:03:32","slug":"14-common-causes-of-fear-of-long-words","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/14-common-causes-of-fear-of-long-words\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Common Causes of Fear of Long Words"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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You might be wondering why we\u2019re referring to the condition as fear of long words rather than its more appropriate medical term. However, once you hear the de facto name of the condition then you\u2019ll understand. For some odd reason, we just didn\u2019t feel like typing hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia out again and again. We\u2019re not even joking, doctors coined a term knowing full well that those with this condition would freak out upon hearing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The irony isn\u2019t lost to us, but we\u2019ll digress anyway. The American Psychiatric Association \u2014 commonly shortened to APA \u2014 classifies it as a type of social phobia in accordance with the criteria set by the DSM-5. Beyond the obvious symptom of this condition, those who are affected may also be afraid to read, have dizziness, and even faint on some occasions. Here are some of the causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Genetics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the most common causes of the fear of long words is genetics<\/a>. It might seem surprising to you that a phobia would be hereditary, but you should remember that various mental illnesses can also be passed down through genetics. Many studies have shown that people who have parents with a fear of long words tend to develop that phobia themselves. Another factor that could be contributing to this is exposure to the phobia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if the genetics don\u2019t play a role in the transmission of the phobia, children may learn to fear long words themselves if they always see their parents fearing them. After all, evolution is designed in such a way that infants learn from their parents and rely on their knowledge to survive. If one of your parents or relatives has a fear of long words then you\u2019re at higher risk for developing the condition yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Brain function<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Studies have shown that the development of some phobias may be linked to brain function. This applies to all phobias <\/a>rather than a fear of long words specifically. Those who are afraid of heights and spiders have also displayed some behavior leading psychologists to believe that their brain function may be playing a role in their irrational fear. There are various things that could change how your brain functions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, stimulants and opioids can alter the way that your brain functions based on some research conducted on drug abusers. Those who took heroin, meth, and cocaine on a regular basis displayed aberrations in the way that their brain is wired. This leads some doctors to believe that drug use may be a major factor in the development of various phobias including the fear for long words. If you want to avoid a fear of long words then heed Nancy Reagan\u2019s advice and just say no.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Negative experiences<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Negative experiences are one of the key triggers that could lead to the development of a phobia. For instance, if you were bitten by a spider as a young child then you may develop arachnophobia <\/a>due to the event. In the same way, some people could develop a fear of long words due to past experiences. An extreme example would be a strict teacher who physically abuses students whenever they fail to pronounce or spell out a long word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More common situations in which parents pressure their children to excel at spelling bees and other related activities could also lead to the development of a fear of long words. If the phobia is in fact due to a traumatic experience then psychologists can resolve it by helping the patient access their repressed memories and come to terms with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Age<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Age <\/a>is another factor that could come into play when looking at the causes of fear of long words. While you won\u2019t exactly develop the phobia just because you turned a certain age, there have been various studies showing that it is, in fact, a risk factor. By age 10, most phobias have already formed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That being said, there are still some cases in which people develop phobias beyond the age of 10 perhaps due to one of the other causes listed above like traumatic events or changes in brain function as a direct result of drug abuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The minimum age at which someone can develop a phobia is a topic of debate amongst psychologists the world over. However, there are some studies showing that even newborns could develop a phobia if they have a negative experience with something in particular. This is why babies in the incubator may develop claustrophobia later in life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Learning difficulties<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Learning difficulties can also increase the odds of a certain phobia \u2014 like the fear of long words \u2014 developing, but not in the exact way that you\u2019d expect. You might think that the patient\u2019s learning impairment is directly responsible for the development of the phobia. However, it\u2019s actually an indirect correlation. For instance, if someone has a learning impairment <\/a>when trying to add more words to one\u2019s vocabulary then they might end up fearing long words as a result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There have been multiple studies that show a link between learning difficulties and the development of phobias. If your child has a learning difficulty then getting a specialist early on who can help them with it might prevent the development of phobias later down the road. It could be costly to get a child psychiatrist, but it\u2019ll be worth it in the end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Dyslexia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Dyslexia <\/a>is a disorder that makes it difficult for those affected to read. You might think that dyslexics are safe from a fear of long words seeing as they don\u2019t read that much, but it\u2019s actually quite the opposite. A common misconception is that those with dyslexia can\u2019t read. In reality, they can read but they just have difficulty doing so. When even words of regular length are hard to read, you can imagine how strenuous it can be to read long words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This difficulty when trying to read long words can lead to the development of the phobia. There are some programs that help dyslexics cope with their condition from an early age. Enrolling your children who have dyslexia in these programs can reduce the odds of them developing a fear of long words when they grow up. Furthermore, it can also make life a whole lot easier for them since it won\u2019t be as hard for them to read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Social anxiety<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Those who have social anxiety<\/a> are also at higher risk for developing a fear of long words. There have been quite a few studies that link the two conditions together and show that having one means that you\u2019ll be at a higher risk of developing the other. Why does this occur? Well, those who suffer from social anxiety are already uneasy when around large groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now imagine this in a classroom setting where socially anxious people have to spell out long words for their teacher. All this pressure over the course of years \u2014 as school lasts around two decades in total \u2014 could lead to the development of the phobia. Awareness programs have been used to educate teachers on the risks of hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia to ensure that they don\u2019t pressure their socially anxious students into reading long words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Depression<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There have been countless studies showing a correlation between clinical depression <\/a>and the development of phobias. After all, happy people aren\u2019t as likely to develop phobias due to their superior state of mind. In contrast, those who suffer from clinical depression are more vulnerable to other mental problems such as phobias. In one study, a patient developed arachnophobia at the age of 30 \u2014 and late development for that phobia is very rare \u2014 after being diagnosed with clinical depression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s worth noting that the gap between his depression diagnosis and the development of the arachnophobia was only two months, and he didn\u2019t report any encounter with spiders during that time. If you\u2019re clinically depressed then getting the treatment that you need can not only improve your mental health but also prevent the development of various phobias such as a fear of long words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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