Word for phobia of long words

Last Updated on February 17, 2023 by

The fear of long words, or hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia, is described as an intense and irrational fear of pronouncing long words. Long words phobia can occur even if an individual imagines having to pronounce long words.  

The fear of long words is the anxiety felt from the possibility of getting stuck when pronouncing certain words. The person with this phobia also fears embarrassment and being perceived as uneducated.

  This phobia mostly appears when the words used are uncommonly long and rarely used. Most times, they are related to areas of science or technology. The person with this phobia also often avoids using long words in casual or comfortable environments.

Characteristics of Long Words Phobia

As with the other specific phobias, several criteria characterize the fear of long words.

The Fear is Excessive

The fear that the person feels about having to pronounce long or complicated words is unreasonable. Having to pronounce long words should not cause these levels of anxiety.  

 The Fear is Irrational

The person who suffers from it is aware that their fear is irrational. They understand they should not feel this much discomfort but are still unable to control it.

Knowing their irrational feelings increases their insecurity and increases their anxiety. This knowledge makes them feel different from others.

 Fear is uncontrollable.

The person cannot control the fear, thoughts, and emotions he has before when faced with situations they fear. This usually causes greater discomfort, and they feel the problem is out of hand.

Displays Avoidant Tendencies

One of the reasons why long words phobia doesn’t go away is because of the avoidant tendencies the person sets in motion. You become afraid when you’re in a situation where you are likely to have to use the words. Therefore, you avoid the situation instead of waiting for that to happen.

Here are examples of situations that may cause avoidance:

• Skipping a meeting that you have to speak at
• Leaving a job that requires speaking in public,  
• Avoid situations involving technical language
• Decreasing or even eliminating social gatherings.

Each time the person avoids the situation instead of facing it, their fear increases. Instead, they should use the opportunity as an opportunity. Exposure to these feared situations will show them that it is not so dangerous or threatening.

Each time the person avoids the situation instead of facing it, their fear increases. Lose the opportunity to expose yourself to the feared scenario and learn that it is not so dangerous or threatening.

What Causes the Fear of Long Words?

As with most specific phobias involving irrational fears, there is no concrete and definite origin for the appearance of this fear. It is usually the sum of several factors or situations that leads to the disorder’s development.

In the case of hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia, the fear of long words probably goes back to childhood. For example, say someone cannot correctly pronounce a long word in a speech or conversation. If this results in being teased or mocked, then they can develop a fear of long words. 

Even if no one mocked or teased this person, they may still think they made a fool of themself. This belief leads them to refrain from using long and unusual words. 

In other cases, the origin may be that someone they admired and looked up to had this fear. When you observe another person living with this fear, and they experience ridicule, it could result in you getting a phobia. Even if they never experienced it. 

No matter the cause of long words phobia, social anxiety almost always accompanies it. And very often, other underlying problems appear.

These problems include:

• Insecurity
• Lack of self-confidence
• Feelings of inferiority 
• Low self-esteem
• Fear of failure

Signs and Symptoms 

Each person lives with their phobia differently. This means the symptoms they experience differ as well. But several common characteristics usually appear. These shared symptoms help determine if someone suffers from the fear of long words. 

Physical symptoms

Those who have hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia, or fear of long words, experience several bodily symptoms when they come into touch with their dreaded element.

Our body’s main systems experience these changes. In particular, fear of long words causes the central nervous system to become more active.

Each patient will likely have different physical symptoms brought. A person who suffers from the fear of long words will specifically exhibit a mix of the following physical signs:

• The heart rate has increased
• The pace of breathing becomes faster.
• Choking sensations or hyperventilation
• muscular strain and tension
• Excessive perspiration or chilly sweats throughout the body
• Headaches or stomachaches
• Feelings of being in a dream.
• Enlarging of the pupils
• Nausea, vomiting, and lightheadedness.

Emotional symptoms

Often the person imagines themself in a situation of mispronouncing difficult words and being humiliated. 

Additionally, there is a fear of having a panic attack or even fainting from rising tension. In most cases, the person can recognize that their anxiety is irrational and meaningless, but they can not control the emotions and discomfort he experiences.

Adverse Effects of Long Words Phobia

The main effect of having this phobia is that the person who has it lets this intense fear control them. This makes them feel less safe and lowers their sense of self-worth.

Most of the time, the subject will try to avoid or run away from situations where he has to use long words. Therefore they must give up many activities and, sometimes, their job. Also, social relationships are often affected, and the person becomes isolated to avoid discomfort.

Another repercussion is a sense of guilt. Even though they know their anxiety is unjustified, they abandon hobbies and relationships to avoid confronting it.

Typically, this results in feelings of shame and adds to low self-esteem since it is viewed as inferior and distinct from others.

Although it depends on each situation and the degree of the phobia, the individual’s emotional, social, or professional life tends to deteriorate.

How to Treat the Fear of Long Words

Like all phobias, there are several treatment options for fear of long words. The person’s recovery usually goes through therapy or a mental health professional consultation.

The areas of focus for the treatment depend on the symptoms that cause discomfort and the cause of the phobia. Also, in therapy, underlying problems such as low self-esteem, insecurity, a lack of self-confidence, or a lack of social skills are treated. 

Not only must we work to alleviate the symptoms that generate so much discomfort, but we also need to know the cause, and the origin of the phobia, to be able to solve the problem correctly.

It is also necessary to treat the avoidance behavior of situations that cause fear and discomfort. This behavior is responsible for reinforcing and increasing the fear, so it is essential to treat them.

Relaxation and breathing techniques are other proven methods of treatment. These techniques help the person to relax and control the symptoms before the feared situations.

Once the therapist has prepared the person, he begins exposing them to their fear. In other words, they must be exposed to situations requiring them to pronounce long words. By facing their fear, they will learn that these situations are not as challenging to deal with as they thought. 

Depending on the type of treatment, the exposure will be imagined or real. It can also happen gradually or all at once. In some cases, a combination of both techniques will be necessary. 

But the most recommended exposure is done in an actual situation and gradually. In the case of the treatment of this phobia, the use of drugs is not recommended. Medications mitigate the symptoms and reduce the discomfort the person experiences, but they do not treat or solve the problem. 

Also Read: Dermatopatofobia: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments

Conclusion

The first step toward overcoming the fear is to acknowledge and identify it. The next step is to get assistance from a professional. Although the individual may be terrified of being different or having an enormous problem, the expert understands that his scenario is not unique and knows how to handle it.

What Is Hippopotomonstro-sesquipedaliophobia?

Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia is the fear of long words. This 35-letter, 15-syllable word contains the root sesquipedalian, which means «long word.» Therefore, it is sometimes called sesquipedalophobia. However, somewhere along the line, references to the hippopotamus and monsters were added, making it sound even more intimidating.

Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia is highly personalized, meaning that it can vary from person to person. Some people have a phobia of long words that are multisyllabic, for instance, while others have a fear of long words that are obscure. Some even fear common words that are more moderate in length.

Specific phobias such as the fear of long words affect somewhere between 3% and 15% of the population. But their relative rarity does not change how devastating they can be for those who have them.

Symptoms of Hippopotomonstro-sesquipedaliophobia

Although some phobias lead to external symptoms such as shaking, freezing in place, or sweating, symptoms of the fear of long words may be more subtle.

If you have this phobia, you might mentally lock up when confronted with particularly long words. You may also limit your speaking and writing, brushing off textbooks and scholarly works by saying «that author is too pretentious» or «I never did have a head for science.»

Children with hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia might develop school-related phobias or appear to simply lose interest in their academics. Other possible symptoms associated with a specific phobia such as the phobia of long words include:

• Feeling like you’re in imminent danger or need to escape
• Heart palpitations, sweating, or trembling
• Shortness of breath or feeling of choking
• Chest pain
• Abdominal discomfort or nausea
• Lightheadedness or dizziness
• Feeling like you are «going crazy»
• Tingling, chills, or a heat flush

Diagnosis of Hippopotomonstro-sesquipedaliophobia

Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia is not included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), but a mental health professional might consider the criteria for a specific phobia when evaluating for a diagnosis of the fear of long words.

This criterion includes having a pronounced fear or anxiety around the phobia which, in this case, is long words. This fear or anxiety also:

• Often happens immediately upon encountering it
• Is out of proportion with how dangerous it actually is
• Causes the person to avoid it
• Lasts for six months or more

The fear of long words may be related to other fears of reading or writing. For example, bibliophobia (the fear of books) could be aggravated or caused by the fear of long words. Mythophobia (the fear of legends) also could be caused by the fear of lengthy, unfamiliar passages, particularly in older legends.

Another potentially related fear is metrophobia or the fear of poetry. By its nature, poetry often contains unfamiliar words and unusual phrasing that can strike fear in those predisposed to discomfort with long words.

Logophobia is the fear of words altogether. This might encompass only words with particular sounds, suffixes, prefixes, etc. or words at large.

Causes of Hippopotomonstro-sesquipedaliophobia

Anxiety disorders are thought to be caused, in part, by environmental factors such as experiencing a traumatic event. In terms of hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia, a person may have experienced a traumatic event tied to a long word.

Research suggests that genetics may play a role as well. It’s not uncommon for patients with a phobic disorder to also have a family history of these types of conditions.

The DSM-5 adds that people with specific tempers, like behavioral inhibition, may be more at risk of developing a specific phobia. However, more research is needed to determine the risk factors for developing a phobia of a specific object, such as a long word.

Impact of Hippopotomonstro-sesquipedaliophobia

Like all phobias, the fear of long words can have a very real impact on a person’s daily functioning and quality of life. A college professor who is constantly exposed to lengthy words might have serious difficulties at work, for instance.

In the classroom, a young person with a fear of long words may experience anxiety that potentially leads to the development of a social phobia or feelings of isolation and depression. As they head toward adulthood, they may even choose a career path that provides less exposure to lengthy words, cutting their list of opportunities short.

Treatment for Hippopotomonstro-sesquipedaliophobia

If you are diagnosed with a phobia, there is treatment available to help manage your symptoms. Treating a specific phobia such as hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia may involve medication, psychotherapy, or both.

Medication

The most commonly prescribed medication for anxiety disorders are antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Benzodiazepines, such as Xanax (alprazolam), may be prescribed as well.

Psychotherapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy are two types of psychotherapy that may be used to help treat the fear of long words. CBT helps identify and change negative thought patterns while exposure therapy is a type of behavioral therapy that involves facing your fears.

Coping With Hippopotomonstro-sesquipedaliophobia

If your phobia of long words is mild and doesn’t significantly impact your life, making a conscious effort to expand your vocabulary can help. Look for opportunities to learn new words through reading or everyday conversation.

Additionally, if you come across an unfamiliar word, look it up. Developing a level of familiarity with the word may help ease your symptoms of anxiety.

If your symptoms are more serious and impacting your daily life, professional assistance may be needed. A mental health professional can help you work through your fears and provide more coping strategies for managing your symptoms during the treatment process.

A Word From Verywell

Living with a phobia can be difficult. However, with proper treatment, you can relieve your symptoms and go through your days with much greater ease.

If you are experiencing a profound fear of long words, or any other fear that is disrupting your everyday life—such as impacting your eating, sleeping, work, or school—reach out to a mental health professional for help. They have tools that can help provide relief.

By Lisa Fritscher

Lisa Fritscher is a freelance writer and editor with a deep interest in phobias and other mental health topics.

Sesquipedalophobia or Longphobia is the fear of long or complicated words. Ironically, the original word naming the phobia may trigger it. There are people who suffer from the phobia. However, the phobia is not recognized by most doctors. The causes of the phobia are unknown but might stem from difficulties to learn reading back at school, or certain brain patterns. It might be associated to a more worrisome mental illness. Most of the long words can be found in the medical and chemical vocabulary or large numbers, such as a certain acid, something else, another thing and another thing. The longest English word, which has 189,819 letters and takes more than 3 hours to be fully pronounced, is a chemical name. For these reasons, people suffering from this phobia should avoid becoming doctors or chemists.

This is why I want to die, there is way too many Bambi fantracks named after phobias.

Ironically, the fear of long words is called hippo monstrosesquipedaliophobia. Such a word can be scary at first glance, but if you take your time and divide it into its components, it turns out that it is quite easy to pronounce. Some people may think this phobia is contrived, but such a word for the fear of long words does exist.

Steps

Step 1. Get to know the word

This is hippo monstrosesquipedaliophobia.

Step 2. Divide the word into root words

Hippopotamus-monster-sesquipedalio-phobia. Hippopotamus is a distorted word for hippopotamus, monster comes from the Latin monstrum and means monster, sesquipedalio comes from the English sesquipedalian, which translates as a very long word, while phobia is excessive or irrational fear.

Step 3. Divide the word into parts that are comfortable to pronounce

Hippo-poto-monster-sesqui-pedal-phobia.

Step 4. Start with the hippo

Pronounce hip-po syllables.

Step 5. Then say poto

Pronounce something syllable.

Step 6. Next comes the monster

Say monstro.

Step 7. Now say sesqui

Say ses-qui.

Step 8. Say the pedal

Say ne-da-li-oh.

Step 9. End with the word phobia

Say pho-bi-ya.

Step 10. Practice pronouncing each part

Step 11. Say the whole word

Hip-po-to-mon-stro-ses-qui-pe-da-li-o-fo-bi-ya.

Step 12. Practice pronouncing the word until it bounces off your teeth

Advice

• People often make a subtle pause between hippopotamus and sesquipedaliophobia, because they want not to get confused and pronounce the word correctly.
• If you are familiar with the international phonetic transcription system, you can pronounce this word even in English: /ˌhɪ.pə.pɒ.təˈmɒn.strəˌsɛ.skwɪ.pɪˈdeɪ.lɪəˌfoʊ.bɪə/.