The Fear of Clowns Is A Real Phobia–So Stop It!

Halloween can be a fun holiday where people play dress up, but lately scary clowns have been taking it a step too far. There is a lot of anxiety built up around clowns and both children and adults are being terrified by individuals dressed as killer clowns that have been taunting them and scaring them during the middle of the night. Coulrophobia, or the fear of clowns is a real phobia and there’s nothing funny about it.

The fear of clowns is the result of not knowing who lies behind the scary disguise. The clown wears cheerful makeup to deconstruct their facial features and create a new identity. Clowns can also break social norms: the mask makes them do things that others can’t do socially, like interact with unknown people with ease. Some researchers believe that coulrophobia cases began increasing after the 90’s, when Steven Spielberg’s classic horror film “IT” depicting a murderous clown was released, and the portrayal of Joker as an evil character in Batman movies did not help the matter either.

The phobia can cause a state of panic, difficulty breathing, irregular heartbeat, sweating, nausea and feelings of fear. Many people suffer so much, that it prevents them from doing everyday things, like eating a hamburger when seeing a clown pass by.

Coulrophobia shouldn’t be treated lightly. Some hospitals use clowns in mural decorations, which can cause coulrophobic children to feel uneasy during their stay at the hospital. Although the fear of clowns develops most of the time during childhood, it is prevalent among the adult population too, even if a big number of adults deny it.

Here’s a video of what it might look like to live with coulrophobia:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVlnxELyfYk&feature=youtu.be

In theory, clowns are figures of fun, intended to provoke amusement and laughter with their hijinks, not screams of horror. Big smiley faces, slapstick, party tricks, bright colors; none of these things are typically associated with intense fear. And yet, when combined in the form of a clown, they regularly cause the exact opposite reaction to the one intended. 

There isn’t any official data about how many people suffer from coulrophobia, although it is believed that it is much more prevalent in western society (where exposure to clowns is more prevalent since a younger age). Some estimate that around 12% of adults in the US suffer from it. At the end of the day, any phobia is an irrational fear, and clowns exist to entertain us, not to terrify us. So if you’re planning on dressing up as a scary clown this Halloween, be nice.