Fear of bananas It is very rare and uncommon, but the fear of bananas or the phobia of bananas exists. A very famous case of such a phobia has been reported in the Daily Mail. According to this report, a woman had been afraid of bananas all her life, so much so that she could not bear to be in the same room as them without feeling nauseous every time. Fortunately, her story ends on a happy note, as she ultimately overcame her fear of bananas.
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Causes of Bananophobia
Only a handful of people suffer from the fear of bananas worldwide. Most cases begin in childhood when one has been forced to eat bananas by parents or caregivers to the point of causing an upset stomach or vomiting. Bananas often have a slimy texture, and not everyone likes their taste or smell. Many claims that the surface of overripe bananas is similar to eating “slugs.” The brain learns to revisit those bad feelings repeatedly, especially when one experiences stress or anxiety-causing situation, such as watching someone eat a banana.
Some children develop a fear of this fruit after slipping and falling on slimy banana peels. As a result, other children might have laughed at you. A Bananaphobic woman recalls developing it after her brother played a prank on her in her childhood. He slid a banana onto her bed, and she tends to remember the cold, slimy feeling she experienced after she unknowingly squashed it. She describes the sensation of ‘touching a slimy snake or an eel.’
Bananas are pretty healthy and a great source of potassium. But, a bananaphobic can cause a lot of anxiety, and even walking alongside them in stores can be traumatic.
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Symptoms of fear of bananas
People with banana phobia experience many symptoms of anxiety.
As mentioned before, a banana phobia is so extreme in some cases that the person suffering from it cannot even walk past the banana carts found in the produce sections of grocery stores.
- Children tend to have crying spells when they see them.
- Children and some adults alike experience a gag reflex whenever they see someone eat a banana or when they are in a room with bananas.
- Vomiting, nausea, and gastrointestinal upset are common symptoms in such cases.
- Some people with phobias tend to have an all-out panic attack.
Just as an arachnophobic experience great terror when seeing a spider, a bananaphobic experiences terror when seeing a banana. They imagine that they will drown or even dies. Sweating, shaking, and shaking are common symptoms.
The phobic also tries to flee (or, on the contrary, remains rooted or paralyzed in place) when he sees a banana.
Unfortunately, phobics can’t always avoid bananas. Some are even working as chefs and waiters, and their jobs require them to handle bananas from time to time. In case this occurs, many tend to indulge in obsessive and compulsive behavior, such as frequent hand washing over and over again to get rid of the smell of the fruit.
Overcome fear
Self-relaxation has helped many phobics overcome their fear of bananas. Many understand that their anxiety is irrational, which is the first step in finding a permanent cure for this phobia.
The key is to visualize the feared object while staying calm. For example, closing your eyes and imagining a banana away from you while practicing deep breathing can help you relax. Naturally, this won’t cure the phobia overnight, but it can be a good starting point.
Expert hypnotists have also handled these cases, and many have yielded positive results. Hypnosis gets to the root of the phobia to prevent the panic attacks that come with it every time.
Self-relaxation and visualization can gradually help you desensitize and overcome Iranophobia once and for all.
Hello, how are you? My name is Georgia Tarrant, and I am a clinical psychologist. In everyday life, professional obligations seem to predominate over our personal life. It's as if work takes up more and more of the time we'd love to devote to our love life, our family, or even a moment of leisure.