Real Estate

Rare Phobias: Foot Phobia – Fear of bare feet

Are you one of those people who nervously walks into shoe stores? Can’t you see, feel or hear your feet or someone else’s? If your answer to any of these questions is “yes”, you may be suffering from foot phobia, known as podophobia.

Foot phobia is one of the rare phobias as only 1 in 1000 people have it. However, it could affect your life in some pretty amazing ways that many without this phobia may not have considered.

To give just a few examples, this unusual fear could prevent you from going to a pool, working out at a gym, shopping for shoes, or wearing flip-flops. Foot phobia can be quite harmless, a bit annoying, and sometimes frustrating. However, it could also cause life limitations. Therefore, it is important to carefully judge how much it impacts your daily life or someone else’s.

What exactly is foot phobia (or podophobia)?

Foot phobia, like any other phobia, is an irrational and inexplicable fear. People who suffer from podophobia feel very nervous, scared, upset or even disgusted by their feet in general. The exact cause of podophobia is still not fully understood. Symptoms include an overwhelming sense of anxiety, sweating, a rapid heartbeat, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, and a desire to flee at the sight or even thought of the feet. Some people will experience panic attacks and very unpleasant sensations when facing the feet. Of course, one person’s symptoms may be different and/or more intense than another’s. This fear can make some feel uncomfortable or irritated. For others, it could become so intense that it interferes with their normal life.

The fear may be related to the person’s feet or someone else’s. People who suffer from the phobia generally do not like the way their feet or someone else’s feet look or feel, as they see the feet as gross and unsightly. This person may also feel uncomfortable when other people look at or touch their feet. He or she will even sleep in socks or shoes and will not even consider buying or wearing open shoes or sandals of any kind. He or she may also hate foot odour, and thinking of feet envisions getting a fungal infection or a wart, making it even worse. Uncomfortable feelings also surfaced when talking about feet or foot-related problems. The sufferer of the phobia may avoid watching any type of stand-up television documentaries or commercials on television. One of my friends who suffers from foot phobia to avoid unpleasant sensations introduced a rule in her house. You must wear shoes in his house. If the shoes are very dirty, he allows you to wear socks or a pair of his own shoes. He won’t even let his girlfriend touch his feet or remove her socks around him.

When should one seek help to cure foot phobia?

Most fears and phobias, including foot phobia and fear, are not serious, especially if they do not significantly affect your normal daily life. But if your foot phobia causes you to avoid situations on a regular basis that prevent you from functioning or enjoying life, you should consider seeing a doctor. Regardless of how long you have suffered from it, despite the unpleasant life limitations you have endured because of your fear, your fear of feet can be overcome.

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