Botanophobia: the fear of plants
Published: February 18, 2021
Botanophobia describes an individuals’s irrational fear of plants: whether it be trees or pot plants, whether they be indoors or outdoors. According to depression-guide.com, people suffering from Botanophobia feel anxiety and butterflies in their stomach when they come in contact with any type of plants, whether inside the home or outside.
This phobia of plants can affect people of all ages and genders. Interestingly, 80 percent of the botanophobia sufferers can be cured. Celebrities are not immune and there are some who suffer from botanophobia. Sufferers of plant phobia experience higher stress levels, higher blood pressure, profuse sweating, nervousness, restlessness and increased pulse rate. Botanophobes generally feel anxiety whenever they come in contact with indoor or outdoor plants.
Actress Christina Ricci admitted to British Esquire that she is terrified of houseplants. She reportedly hates indoor plants because they are dirty and she just could not take this.
This rare disorder arises from anything ranging from a horror film to any such related scene on the television. Christina Ricci is also scared of small pets like gerbils and swimming pools. On this fear, according to China Daily, she said: “I won’t swim in a pool by myself because I think that somehow a little magic door is going to open up and let the shark out.”
In addition to other causes, superstition emerges as an important cause of botanophobia because here people might consider plants as gloomy and threatening. Ricci confesses her fear of houseplants and says: “They are dirty, if I have to touch one, after already being repulsed by the fact that there is a plant indoors, then it just freaks me out.”
In the case of plant phobia, a person might have experienced something unpleasant during their childhood, which continues to remain in their consciousness. There are a variety of drugs available to cure botanophobia but the drugs are advised to be taken just to suppress the existing symptoms. Self-help techniques are useful to deal with botanophobia and can be extremely effective to conquer this fear of plants.
Read more about Christina Ricci’s phobias. Other celebrities with phobias include Justin Timberlake, Billy Bob Thornton, and Woody Allen.
Christina Ricci also says she wants to quit smoking.
Image: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blume_mit_Schmetterling_und_Biene_1uf.JPG; Author: Uwe H. Friese
Posts you might also find interesting:
I Fear To Think- 20 Strange Phobias | Bloggo Schloggo
28. Oct, 2011
[...] so common, although a fear of plants in general, Botanophobia, has been documented: The actress Christina Ricci admitted in 2003 to British Esquire that she is afraid of houseplants. “They are dirty,” she [...]
Noma Rannefeld
10. May, 2011
I have a phobia of all plant roots. This is the closest name that comes close to my fear. It started when I was around 5 or 6, and I and everyone else thought I would eventually grow out of it, but it got worse. Thank you for helping me get information about this. If anyone out there shares my fear, please contact me. I’d be so grateful to know I’m not the only one.
Stop Smoking Cold Turkey
04. Aug, 2010
It was a pleasure finding this, thanks for meeting my needs here.