Anthophobia is not to be confused with the fear of people or Anthropophobia. Anthophobia is the term used to refer to a fear of flowers.
While this may seem weird or impossible, there are people who are afraid of all types of flowers, while there are some who fear only one or more particular types of flowers.
Causes of Anthophobia
So what can possibly cause people to become afraid of flowers? Often, the major cause of Anthophobia is a previous bad experience involving flowers.
For example, people who have seen a scary scene in a movie or TV show that had to do with flowers or those who grew up with a parent who is afraid of flowers can be enough to cultivate the seed for anthophobia which will develop later in life.
Some people who have Anthophobia may not be able to trace their phobia to a particular event at all, but at the end of the day, it’s not really important to discover the root cause of this phobia before it can be treated.
Anthophobia and Medical Concerns
Plants are not generally harmful to all humans, nut some can cause allergies and skin reactions in people who are sensitive.
If you are dealing with a medical condition that has been found to be triggered by one or more flowers, the best way to avoid such reactions is to avoid those flowers completely. By definition, it is impossible to categorize a justified fear as a phobia, because a phobia is considered an irrational fear.
Nonetheless, it is possible for people who have medical concerns to act in an irrational manner and take their fright too far that it becomes a legitimate phobia.
If you have noticed that you are sensitive to only one or more specific flowers, yet you begin to fear and avoid all flowers, then the fear you feel is no longer reasonable and justified.
Nevertheless, it can be really hard to know when a healthy avoidance turns into an unhealthy phobia, so it is vital to get professional guidance.
Anthophobia and Related Fears
For some individuals, the fear of flowers is not independent of other phobias. People who have a phobia of germs might be scared of coming in contact with contaminated plants or soil.
People who are scared of bees, ants, and other insects may feel that plants have been infested by insects. Those who have a phobia for certain foods may be scared of plants used for soups and other foods.
In cases such as the ones mentioned above, treating the independent phobia will generally eliminate the dependent one which is anthophobia.
However, it can be a daunting task trying to determine exactly which phobia is the independent one, or if there is any other phobia causing the fear of flowers.
Additionally, most people do not suffer from just one phobia. With the aid of a trained mental health professional, it is possible to tease out the different issues and go further to develop an individualized treatment plan for the patient that addresses all of the concerns.
If a person’s life is heavily impacted by the symptoms of the presence of any phobia, the only way to get better is to get help from a professional therapist.
