2. Genuphobia

People with this fear probably think the summer time is hell on earth. And not because of the heat; but, because everyone is walking around in shorts and skirts. They suffer from genuphobia, the fear of knees. The sight of knees can cause nausea. And many burst into panic attacks when others touch their knees or brush up against them.

This rare phobia can stem from having a traumatic knee injury or seeing someone else have one. For some, it comes from an extremely difficult time adjusting to life outside a religious upbringing that required the sufferer to conceal the knees and not look at others.

Stephanie Cockerill’s fear came suddenly when she was in bed with her ex-boyfriend at the age of 15. Their knees brushed and she panicked.

“I hate the way knees feel and my worst nightmare would be if someone else’s knee touched mine.”

Stephanie won’t even kneel or cross her legs because of the feeling. She says she’d have them surgically removed if she could.

Her fear even extends to knees in movies. Stephanie says she went hysterical after watching a scene in a movie where someone busts his own knee caps. She has lost friends after violently lashing out at them for unintentionally touching her knees.

This kind of phobia can easily affect everyday-life, occupation and relationships. If you suffer from it, you should consider seeking professional help immediately.