For most people, color is basic element of our daily lives that we use for comfort, inspiration, practicality, etc. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, phobias and irrational fears affect approximately 10% of adults. Some of those phobias relate to colors being the most terrifying thing imaginable… for those poor people, this color loving website would probably be hell-incarnate. Here are several color phobias and some of color associations with common and strange phobias.
Chromatophobia – The fear of colors.
Chromatophobia is an abnormal and persistent fear of colors. Like most fears and phobias, the fear of color is created by the subconscious mind as a protective reaction. It was likely an emotionally traumatic event in ones past that was linked to colors in general or a specific color. Because the association of colors to that traumatic event is so strong, when subjected to colors later in life the unconscious mind brings up terrible feelings. The phobia affects people in different ways, with some experiencing the suffering all the time and others just to direct stimuli.
Specific Color Phobias:
| Phodophobia Fear of the Color Red  |
Chrysophobia Fear of the Color Orange  |
Xanthophobia Fear of the Color Yellow  |
Chlorophobia Fear of the Color Green  |
||||||
| Cyanophobia Fear of the Color Blue  |
Porphyrophobia Fear of the Color Purple  |
Leukoophobia Fear of the Color White  |
Melanophobia Fear of the Color Black  |
Common and Strange Phobia Color Association
Coulrophobia – The fear of clowns.
 |
The fear of clowns is not uncommon among children, but is also sometimes found in teenagers and adults as well. One of the most well known and totally creepy clowns is Pennywise from Stephen King’s 1990 film IT . It usually appears as Pennywise the Dancing Clown before taking the form of whatever its child victim most greatly fears. |
Ablutophobia – The fear of washing or bathing.
 |
The horror classic Psycho probably helped create this phobia. The shower scene is commonly rated as one of the scariest moments in movie history. |
Trypanophobia – The fear of needles.
 |
Trypanophobia is the extreme and irrational fear of medical procedures involving injections or hypodermic needles. It is occasionally referred to as aichmophobia, belonephobia, or enetophobia. I’m not sure anybody likes getting shots, but 10% of Americans are officially trypanophobic.
Photo by Jenni Tapanila |
Arachnophobia – The fear of spiders.
 |
I would consider arachnophobia a fairly rational fear… I mean there are several types of spiders that can kill or seriously harm you with their bite and since most of us aren’t informed enough to tell which ones are what… it is better to err on the safe side and keep your distance from them. With that being said, I know a daddy long leg spider is totally harmless but I still freak if one is on me. |
Selachophobia – The fear of sharks.
 |
This is actually a pretty rational phobia. I’m don’t think I have a phobia of sharks, but I’m not exactly excited about being anywhere near a perfectly designed predator with razor sharp, regrow-able teeth that can smell a drop of blood in the ocean from 2 miles away. The JAWS movies that came out in the 70s and 80s did a good job of scaring every 9 year old out of the ocean for a good decade or two. |
Caligynephobia: The fear of beautiful women.
 |
This has got to be by far the worst phobia ever. Ever. I suppose this would be a hard to classify phobia though as beautiful to one is not always beautiful to another… and if you agree that all women are beautiful… well, then people with caligynephobia live in a very scary world. |
Somniphobia – The fear of sleeping.
 |
1… 2… Freddys coming for you… 3… 4… better lock your door. I would probably say that because of Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th I had a fear of sleeping for a year or two of my childhood. Not only did Freddy haunt the dreams of millions of children, he single handidly killed the red and green striped sweater industry. |
Pediophobia – The Fear of dolls.
 |
Most people would find creepy old dolls a little scary, but there are people who suffer a terrifying fear of all dolls… Barbies, Cabage Patch Kids or Bratz. For the 20-30 crowd with this phobia, they can probably blame a little read headed doll named Chucky. |
Were you looking to add some frightening colors or icons to your project. Check out Creative Market for some terrifying downloads.
