Anatidaephobia: The Fear of Being Watched by a... Duck?

"Anitidae" meaning duck; and "phobia" meaning fear - Anatidaephobia is the uncontrollable fear of being watched by a duck. While this sounds like a joke, it's a genuine fear that some people actually have.

As with most phobias, Anatidaephobia is typically caused by a real-life trauma usually taking place during childhood. Perhaps the person had a bad experience with ducks or geese and now feels vulnerable to them.

The video displayed to the right shows a good example of how one might acquire this fear.

While this may sound comical, think of it this way: As a child, if you were harassed by an older man with a creepy trench-coat, then wouldn't you be scared of creepy looking men with trench-coats?

For some, the answer might be no. For others, like people suffering from Anatidaephobia, this feeling can really stay in ones mind and take a toll on an individual's life.

• Dry Mouth
• Shortness of Breath / Gasping
• Extreme Muscle Tension
• Trembling / Shaking
• Feeling Trapped
• Extreme Anxiety
• Feeling Out of Control

There really isn't much one can do to receive help with this fear. However, you can try seeking help from psychologists and hypnotists to combat the problem. Generally, people with Anatidaephobia realize that their fear of being watched by a duck is irrational and not worth being afraid of.

While Anatidaephobia may be one of the silliest things you've ever heard, it is in fact a real fear lurking in the forefront of some unlucky individuals minds. This goes to show that if someone you know has a silly problem that you may not understand - don't think they're joking and certainly don't do anything to entice the fear. Remember, like Scott Hamilton once said: "The only disability in life is a bad attitude."

“If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, looks like a duck, it must be a duck”

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