Phobia - a compulsive uncontrollable anxiety, acute in certain situations.
According to the statistics of Manchester charity Mind, dealing with mental health problems, phobias suffer more than 10 million people. And the outstanding historical figures were not exceptions.
Yesenin sifilofobiey suffered - the fear of contracting syphilis. A friend of the poet Anatoly Mariengof says: "popped happened on his nose pimple the size of bread crumbs and so he goes from mirror to mirror stern and grim. One even went to the library read the signs of the terrible hvoroby. Once it got worse, just that: whisk Venus! ยป
But no less fear in Yesenin called police. Once passed by Wolf Ehrlich Summer Garden, Sergei noticed standing at the gate guards. "Suddenly he grabbed me by the shoulders, so that he becomes a person to set, and I see his yellowed, full of incomprehensible fear eyes. He was panting and wheezing, Hear, and! Just a word to anyone! I'll tell you the truth! I am afraid of the police. Do you understand? I'm afraid! .. "- Says Ehrlich.
The writer Nikolai Gogol, the composer Giacomo Meyerbeer and the father of the American nation, George Washington feared being buried alive (tafefobiya). Phobia Gogol appeared in youth over the years greatly increased. The writer addressed his friends written instructions about his burial, which states that it must be done no sooner than show signs of decomposition. Meyerbeer ordered that after his death to his hands and feet tied bells, guarded his corpse for four days, and after this time opened a vein in one arm and one leg. Washington has just asked his adjutant to wait two days, and then bury it.
The genius of Alfred Hitchcock thriller (pictured) has been subject to ovofobii - fear objects oval. Chicken eggs he bore only omelet. After all, in the form they are terrible, and they yolk oval.
No less strange phobia had Sigmund Freud. The father of psychoanalysis was afraid of ferns (pteridofobiya)! What is the reason for his fear - is unknown, but it is assumed that the ill-fated plants associated with unpleasant childhood memories.
French postimpressionist Paul Cezanne lifetime pursuing fear of touch - haphephobia that emerged after the artist hit the boy kativshiysya the banisters ladder which descended Cezanne. Haphephobia brought him a lot of kazusnyh moments, as others do not know about this feature and accept frustration and anger of the artist's bad temper. For example, unaware of the phobia Cezanne Emile Bernard rushed stumbling support each other, but instead of gratitude he heard a flood of abuse. Only the next day surprised Bernard found the reason for such unusual behavior.
Joseph Stalin tormented fear of being poisoned (toksikofobiya), which is understandable. Also, because of the constant waking at night from fear Generalissimo suspected sleep (somnifobiyu). However, most likely, it was the usual paranoia.