Alliumphobia: The Extraordinary Fear of Garlic

Alliumphobia, quite possibly the strangest word I've heard in quite sometime (no this isn't a Dr. Seuss rhyme). But, what's even stranger is what it means. Alliumphobia is the extraordinary fear of garlic. I can't say I've actually met anyone suffering from alliumphobia yet, but I would definitely not take them out for Italian if I did. I'm not even sure how I heard about it, I was simply browsing the internet and somehow found my way to a person complaining they had a very eccentric reaction whenever they saw or smelled garlic of any kind. Apparently people with alliumphobia get severe panic attacks or anxiety when in close proximity to garlic. Now that I think about it, a person with alliumphobia must have quite a rough time because almost everything we eat in American society contains some form of garlic or seems too at least.

Alliumphobia also is used to describe a more generalized phobia. Besides garlic, those suffering from alliumphobia usually have an extreme fearful or anxious reaction whenever confronted with something that is not dangerous whatsoever, things like opinions or beliefs of other people. So, if you offered someone a piece of gum or told them what you thought about the headline news, and they ran away screaming in fear I suppose that would be another example of alliumphobia.

Think you might have alliumphobia? If you open your fridge and see that menacing garlic clove and experience some of these signs, you may want to see someone.

Signs of alliumphobia (taken from an informative alliumphobia website) include loss of breath, dizziness, shakiness, becoming mad or losing control over ones self, unable to think or speak, get an uncontrollable fear that you are going to die, become detached from reality or have a massive panic attack. These are all some serious signs, and if you get some of these while doing something completely safe you may want to consult your doctor. You might have alliumphobia.

Typical harmless garlic...or is it?

Credit: www.bigoven.com

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