What is coulrophobia?
Since it is not an old phobia, but one that increased in recent decades, little is known about coulrophobia.
Scientists and doctors now agree that it is a result of not knowing who lies behind the excessive makeup, red nose and hair color.
By definition, an irrational fear of clowns is known as coulrophobia, with the prefix "coulro" coming from the ancient Greek word for "one who goes on stilts." Symptoms of coulrophobia can include sweating, nausea, feelings of dread, fast heartbeat, crying or screaming, and anger at being placed in a situation where a clown is present.
The clown wears a colorful makeup to deconstruct the facial features to create a new identity.
And clowns can also break social norms, their mask makes them able to do things that others can’t do socially, like interacting with unknown people at ease.
Some researchers believe that coulrophobia cases increased after the 90’s, when Steven Spielberg classic horror film “IT” depicting a murderous clown was released and the portrayal of Joker as an evil character in Batman movies did not help the matter either.
Social implications
The phobia can cause a state of panic, difficulty in breathing, irregular heartbeat, sweating, nausea and feelings of fear.
The coulrphobia may seem absurd for some, however, many people suffer so much, that it prevents them to eat a hamburger in a famous fast food chain. It is not a trivial matter either and coulrophobia shouldn’t be treated lightly.
Some hospitals use clowns as mural decorations which may make some coulrophobic children feel unease during their stay at the hospital.
Although the fear of clowns develops most of the time during childhood, it is prevalent among adult population too, even if a big number of adults would deny it.
It is said that the phobia develops in early years, when children are very sensible to an unfamiliar face in a familiar body.
There isn’t any official data about how many people suffer from coulrophobia, although it is believed that it is much more prevalent in western society (where exposure to clowns is more prevalent since a younger age). Some estimate that around 12% of adults in the US suffer from it.
At the end of the day, any phobia is an irrational fear and clowns exist to entertain us. To help better understand what provoked this phobia and how it is manifested, write in the comments below.
How do you treat a clown phobia?
The same way you treat any other phobia, says Nader, the psychologist
“What we need to do is gradually come into contact with that thing – whether it’s spiders or heights, whatever you’re afraid of – and learn to cope with the anxiety, learn to recognize that what you’re afraid of won’t actually harm you," he says. "You won’t lose control, you won’t panic, you won’t embarrass yourself with other people."
Judy Chessa, LMSW and coordinator at the Anxiety & Phobia Treatment Center in New York’s White Plains Hospital, says she can’t recall ever treating any person with coulrophobia.
“But I wonder if that’s because this isn’t a phobia as much as a fear,” she says. “You can put the suffix ‘phobia’ after pretty much anything and define it as a phobia.
“Most likely, people with this fear can just easily avoid situations where they encounter clowns. So it doesn’t become an issue for them. They don’t see clowns during the day or at their jobs – except, I guess, those poor people who work at the circus.”
Here is a brief video showing the phobia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h3Dh5QAD7w
ATTENTION!!
THE WORLD CLOWN ASSOCIATION, ANNUAL CONVENTION WILL BE HELD MARCH 22-26, 2015
IN
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