Samhainophobia

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Samhainophobia is the morbid fear of Halloween. The origin of the term traces back to the Celtic word Samhuin, meaning All Hallows Eve to Christians, though Samhuin predates the introduction of Christianity to the region it originated in, Ireland, by at least 4000 years. Samfuin (alternate spelling of Samhuin) comes from Old Irish word sam, meaning "summer", and fuin, meaning "end".

Causes and effects

Halloween has many scary things associated with it, including ghosts, witches, skeletons, spiders, cats, bats, and vampires which can all be aided to the development of the phobia. The phobia is also caused by religious beliefs surrounding Halloween. Another cause of samhainophobia is watching horror films associated with Halloween, such as Halloween starring Michael Myers.

Many sufferers are unwilling to celebrate Halloween, including not wearing costume, go trick-or-treating, nor visit haunted attractions.

Symptoms

For child sufferers, they would refuse to go trick-or-treating, but parents forcing them to go trick-or-treating would make them scream and panic. Other symptoms include dizziness, barfing, nausea, increased heartrate, and rapid breathing. Halloween fear sufferers may also suffer symptoms in the form of other phobias, including phasmophobia (fear of ghosts), wiccaphobia (fear of witches and witchcraft), sanguivoriphobia (fear of vampires), chiroptophobia (fear of bats), nyctophobia (fear of darkness), arachnophobia (fear of spiders), skelephobia (fear of skeletons), and placophobia (fear of tombstones), due to the presence of scary associations of Halloween. It's scary for you.

Treatment

For children sufferers, parents must be aware of the fear and should determine the causes of samhainophobia, and then teach children to manage fear. Child should choose to avoid going trick-or-treating at night, and avoid going to stores where a lot of Halloween decorations are displayed.

Samhainophobia sufferers often have nightmares relating to it. To avoid getting nightmares, people should avoid thinking about scary stuff before going to bed.

For mild sufferers, they should overcome their triggers themselves by gently encountering things that fear. The fear can effectively be treated by discussing with people (friends, family members, and therapists) about fear. For severe sufferers, professional therapists or even a religious leader may be required.

Holiday phobias

Christougenniatikophobia (fear of Christmas) · Gratiarophobia (fear of Thanksgiving) · Libertatophobia (fear of Independence Day) · Neoannophobia (fear of New Year) · Paschaphobia (fear of Easter) · Patricophobia (fear of St. Patrick's) · Samhainophobia (fear of Halloween) · Valentinophobia (fear of Valentine's) · Don'tCryOverSpilledMilkDayphobia (fear of Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk Day) · Marmotamonaxdeiphobia (fear of Groundhog Day) · Sinoneoannophobia (fear of Chinese New Year) · Bastilledeiphobia (fear of Bastiille Day) · Protapriliaphobia (fear of April Fool's Day) · Arbordeiphobia (fear of Arbor Day) · Mardigrasphobia (fear of Mardi Gras) · Ergasiaemarphobia (fear of Labor Day) · Imeratoupateraphobia (fear of Father's Day) · Natredemphobia (fear of Mother's Day) · Columbusdeiphobia (fear of Columbus Day) · Diwaliophobia (fear of Diwali) · Ramadanophobia (fear of Ramadan) · Cincodemayophobia (fear of Cinco de Mayo) · Thanatodemphobia (fear of the Day of the Dead)