Are you afraid of work? There’s a name for that phobia. What is it?

Ergophobia is the fear of work.

Fear is essential for survival. It keeps us from tightrope walking on power lines or trying to tickle a lion. What makes phobias different is that the fear is of something that doesn’t seriously threaten you. It can be an object, animal, activity or situation. The anxiety you feel from a phobia is extremely intense, can be long lasting, and affect your ability to function at work or in social situations.

If you have a phobia you’re not alone, about 9% of people suffer from phobias. People with phobias are often aware that their fear is irrational but they are unable to stop it on their own. If a phobia affects your daily life then you should seek help from a doctor or a mental health provider.

Many phobias have interesting names. Here are some of them.