Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Anthropophobia
Introduction
Background
Background
Anthropophobia (literally, “fear of people”, from Greek roots phobos, fear, + anthropos, man) is pathological fear of people or human company. According to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10), it is a particular case of social phobia.[1]
Anthropophobia is an extreme, pathological form of shyness and timidness. It may be manifested in fears of blushing, meeting the gaze of the others, awkwardness and uneasiness when appearing in society, etc. [2] A specific Japanese cultural form has been known as taijin kyofusho[3]
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]