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.
Antlophobia
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Antlophobia is a specific phobia—an irrational fear of floods. The term comes from the Greek word antlia, meaning “pump”, and phobos, meaning “fear”. Antlophobic people usually fear the power of floods that can cause property damage or loss of life.[1]
Causes
Causes
Antlophobia develops from past traumatic experiences with floods; either personal experiences or through knowing survivors of a flood.[1]
Symptoms and treatment
Symptoms and treatment
People who are severely antlophobic may feel anxious, be filled with dread, or have panic attacks. Mild sufferers may have shakiness, breathlessness, irregular heartbeat, discomfort, etc.[1]
As with other specific phobias, antlophobia is treated through psychotherapy, talk therapy, support groups, cognitive-behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, and for severe sufferers anti-anxiety medication.[1]
See also
See also
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]