Taphophobia is the fear of being buried alive. History shows that taphophobia (Greek for tomb or grave) has some degree of merit, although a very small one. As early as the 14th century, there are accounts of specific people being buried alive. Legend has it when his tomb was opened, the body of philosopher John Duns Scotus of the High Middle Ages was reportedly found outside of his coffin, his hands torn up in a way that suggests he had once tried to free himself. Between the end of the 18th century and the end of the 19th century, public concern about the possibility of premature burial was widespread in Europe and the United States And more recently, Walter Williams of Mississippi was pronounced dead on February 26, 2014. The correct paperwork was completed, his body was put into a body bag, and he was taken to a funeral home. When his body was taken to the embalming room, his legs began to move. Then, the coroner noticed him lightly breathing. Williams was alive. It was, as it turned out, a short-lived reprieve. Just over two weeks later, he passed away for real. So, a case of almost buried alive -- wonder if he spent the last two weeks of his life with taphophobia... Several horror movies explore the theme of someone being buried alive, drawing inspiration from Edgar Allan Poe's "Premature Burial" and similar tales. Some notable examples include "The Premature Burial" (1962), "Buried Alive" (1990), and "Buried" (2010). Additionally, animated films like "Lunacy" (2005) also delve into the fear of being buried alive. Do you have a fear of being buried alive (sorry if NOW you do)?

Lutraphobia (Latin for otter) is the fear of otters. Yes, otters. Probably can't think of another animal as cute and non-threatening as an otter, but this is a very real phobia, that usually affects people who have been bitten by them or even witnessed someone else being bitten by them. And while it may be easy enough to avoid coming into contact with otters, this fear can be so overwhelming that even a walk in the woods can trigger it -- you never know where they could be lurking. All kidding aside, this fear triggers anxiety, sweaty palms, elevated heart rate and even panic attacks. Even seeing photos of otters can trigger a reaction. Do you have any phobias of animals?

Chloephobia, also known as the fear of newspapers, is a rare condition characterized by an intense aversion to newspapers. This fear can manifest in various ways, such as being unable to touch, smell, or even look at newspapers. One woman, Diane Freelove, developed chloephobia after witnessing her mother hit her father with a newspaper. She has been living with this fear for years. Chloephobia gained public attention in 2014 when Diane's story was widely shared in newspapers and online. And while most phobias have their names rooted in Latin or Greek, the origin of the term "chloephobia" remains unclear, but it is now commonly used to describe the fear of newspapers. Now, I must admit, I often don't enjoy seeing a newspaper (or actually the news in it), but had never heard of this fear before. Are you familiar with this phobia?

Spring is finally here and most people are thrilled. If you have this next phobia, you might not feel that way. Anthophobia (Greek for flowers) is the fear of flowers. Individuals experience an intense and irrational fear of flowers, either all flowers or specific types. This fear can be accompanied by physical symptoms like a racing heart and nausea, and can lead to avoidance of situations where flowers are present, like weddings, gardens, nature...you get the point. Often this phobia can even extend to all plants, and this is called botanophobia. This can be a very life-altering phobia, as you can imagine. Do you find it hard to believe that someone could have such an adverse reaction to plants or flowers?