“What do you call people who are afraid of Santa Claus?”
“Claustrophobic”, says the joke.
Cute and funny, but absolutely incorrect!
Claustrophobia is the fear of small spaces, such as elevators, tiny rooms with low ceilings, closets, and other enclosed spaces. Luckily, Santa Caus doesn’t suffer from this one, otherwise he wouldn’t risk squeezing his chubby body through the tight
chimney just to deliver us presents. However, there is a real, legitimate fear of Santa Claus. It is called Santaphobia, or Clausophobia, and it is typically suffered by young children who encountered with Santa Claus. The fear is linked to
Christougenniatikophobia, fear of Christmas, or broader, Hagiophobia, fear of saints or holy things.
Phobias come in all shapes and sizes. Some are more common (Agoraphobia – fear of public spaces, Arachnophobia – fear of spiders, or Hemophobia – fear of blood), but some are rare and rather peculiar, such as Pogonophobia – the fear of beards,
Porphyrophobia – fear of color purple, Mageirocophobia – fear of cooking, or Ephebiphobia – the fear of teenagers). And the list goes on and on, because there is an infinite number of objects and situations that may create phobia.
Common or peculiar, phobias can wreck havoc on your daily life. However, you don’t have to, and you shouldn’t embrace it and push through it! Phobias are learned, and they can be unlearned, if you are willing to. Luckily, most of phobias are easily treated with therapy.
Rapid Transformational Therapy is incredibly effective in eliminating fears and phobias. If you would like to celebrate Christmas free of Clausophobia, Claustrophobia, or any other kind, send me a message and I can help you let it go for good, in as little as one session.