Phunny Phobias

If you met someone who was afraid of paper or wax statues, wouldn't you tell them to stop being so ridiculous and get over it? Every Monday, Null editor Hayley hand-picks another bizarre phobia and tries to work out whether it's real or rubbish.

This week:

Nucleomituphobia: fear of nuclear weapons

What's so scary about it?
What do I keep saying? A phobia is an irrational fear. In fact, let's get pedantic about this. The Collins English dictionary definition of phobia is - ahem - "an intense and irrational fear of a given situation or thing". Now, where and when has anyone with a fear of nuclear weapons ever been considered irrational? Eh?

What do the scientists say about it?
I think they've very sensibly ignored this one. Desensitisation therapy is quite possibly going to end badly in this case. I say "badly", I mean "in the destruction of the planet".

Hayley says:
"Yes, you can be scared of nuclear weapons. But is it a phobia? No, it's just good common sense. Rubbish."

So far: Real 20 Rubbish 20

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