Horrifying video tests if you really have megalophobia
Bigger isn't always better
Everyone has a fear, and whether you want to admit it or not, we're sure there's something that makes your skin crawl and your blood run cold.
All the usual ones like arachnophobia (fear of spiders), acrophobia (heights), and claustrophobia (small spaces) are the most common, but what about the weird and wonderful ones?
Whether it's a fear of clowns (coulrophobia), the fear of being without your mobile phone (nomophobia), or a fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth (arachibutyrophobia), let’s also not forget that a fear of long words is called hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia.
Many of you might have megalophobia without even realizing it, but thankfully, there's a YouTube video that can diagnose you.
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For those who don't know, megalophobia is an intense and irrational fear of large objects. This can trigger anxiety or panic attacks, with sufferers being forced to avoid large animals, vehicles, or even buildings.
While some might mock megalophobia, like many phobias are laughed at, it's a serious affliction that can lead to a racing heart, shortness of breath, and dizziness.
The YouTube video goes through different levels of megalophobia with some creepy creations.
Starting with a giant diver at Level 1, we go through to a massive ship propeller, a swirling tornado, a roaming skeleton, a monstrous War of the Worlds creation, a nightmarish cat that wouldn't look out of place in Silent Hill, and Level 7 rounds off with a nightmarish Santa Claus.
We'll admit that the music arguably makes the video more unnerving, but in the comments, others shared their megalophobia stories.
The last clip was particularly terrifying, with one person writing: "Mate I actually had a heart attack from that Santa 😭😭😭."
Another added: "The phobia of large structures underwater is 100% legit for me. Especially ships."
A third said: "As a person with intense megalophobia, I can say that number 2 was the scariest."
Notably, the real-life ones appear to have genuinely triggered someone's megalophobia instead of AI creations of giant cats.
Like there's a whole Reddit dedicated to thalassophobia (a fear of large bodies of water), the megalophobia community is alive and well. Top posts include a giant tower collapsing on bystanders in India, a look at a near-Earth asteroid called Eros, and a volcanic eruption of Mount Stromboli.
If you're lucky enough not to suffer from megalophobia, it can be a fascinating look at some of Earth's colossal creations. For those who do suffer from megalophobia, it's probably best to steer clear.
Researchers don't know what causes megalophobia, although it's thought that past trauma involving large objects, learned behavior from others, cultural influences, and even genetic factors may contribute.