Fear of Clocks or Chronomentrophobia
Chronomentrophobia, or the fear of clocks, is the situation wherein an
individual has an
irrational aversion to clocks. However, most people believe that this particular phobia of clocks or any other
timepiece has a deeper, inner fear – the fear of mortality.
The fear of clocks and other timepieces represents the great phobia for time to pass. People with such fear
often feel uncomfortable about making and having schedules, punctuality, and other practical concerns that has
anything to do with time and its spending.
But the root cause of such fear could go much deeper than the simple
day to day concerns of
an individual. Most of the time, there is an underlying reason for the strong and persistent fear clocks –
the perception that clocks signify impending death.
Clocks are there to take note of the time and in the process, they constantly illustrate the passage of time as
well. Although we are all aware that our time here on earth is limited, we do not exactly know when the ultimate
end will come. For a person who gets upset and anxious around clocks, every tick of the second hand can be a
constant reminder that time is indeed eternal, but human lives are not.
People having phobia with clocks tend to avoid having clocks anywhere near them – in their home or in their
place of work – and they may also choose to check the time in other ways but looking at clocks and timepieces. Some
people with this phobia make use of their cell phones to keep track of the time, while there are others who use
their computer. The complete avoidance of the classically shaped, circular clock with its second hand ticking can
be difficult and could have adverse impacts on everyday life.
Having the fear of clocks can inconvenient an individual simply because clocks are virtually everywhere and they
play a very significant role in our daily lives. Having Chronomentrophobia can therefore be very stressful for
anyone who has it – from London’s Big Ben having a very huge clock face, to the millions of clocks found in the
office, in train stations, and shops, there will be no way to totally avoid all the triggers.
The symptoms of this particular phobia include feeling anxious and uncomfortable whenever someone is around
clocks. They may feel a sense of panic and the need to leave the place immediately where a clock is in sight. Even
the sound of a ticking clock can cause much irritation and annoyance to anyone who has the fear of clocks. And
because they are at a constant watch for clocks, they could sometimes have headaches, nausea, and
lightheadedness.
People with this phobia often feel that they are ruled by the clock, thus the discomfort for schedules. They
feel trapped and that they are racing against time, all the time.
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