I have a friend who has Onomatophobia, the fear of hearing a certain word or name, and she feels alone in the world. If there is anyone out there that has Onomatophobia, then please let me know. If you let me know, I will assure her that she is not alone in the world.

Sincerely,
Trying to be a good friend

I don't know anyone... I do know that rather than others in her same boat, she needs to get cognitive or behavior therapy, then a little bit of 'exposure' therapy when her therapist says it's OK, and maybe a therapy group. The group does not have to have anyone with onomatophobia in it. People with all sorts of anxieties and depressions for all sorts of reasons help each other. Sometimes it helps just knowing someone who has had a much more tragic life than yours helps.

In other words, she can cure herself of the fear, rather than hang onto it by finding like minded people. That's the trouble with diagnoses. They are mostly for insurance and medication purposes. Her fear of a word is a SYMPTOM of something deeper. She needs to find out what that is.

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Originally Posted by joypulv

I don't know anyone... I do know that rather than others in her same boat, she needs to get cognitive or behavior therapy, then a little bit of 'exposure' therapy when her therapist says it's OK, and maybe a therapy group. The group does not have to have anyone with onomatophobia in it. People with all sorts of anxieties and depressions for all sorts of reasons help each other. Sometimes it helps just knowing someone who has had a much more tragic life than yours helps.

In other words, she can cure herself of the fear, rather than hang onto it by finding like minded people. That's the trouble with diagnoses. They are mostly for insurance and medication purposes. Her fear of a word is a SYMPTOM of something deeper. She needs to find out what that is.

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I really agree with this advice, Joy.