Galeophobia is the medical term for a fear of sharks. The name galeophobia derives from the Greek language with galeos meaning shark and phobia meaning fear.[1] This phobia is diagnosed using DSM-5 criteria and is characterized by a patient showing marked fear or anxiety about sharks that leads to severe impairment of their quality of life.[2] Although it is not known exactly how many people have been diagnosed with galeophobia, a study conducted in 2015 revealed that just over half (51%) of Americans are absolutely terrified of sharks.[3]
- ^ "Medical Definition of Galeophobia". MedicineNet. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
- ^ Austin, Amanda. "Phobias: They aren't just in your head, including a fear of sharks". UF Health. University of Florida. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
- ^ Jackson, Chris. "Sharks: Half (51%) Of Americans are Absolutely Terrified of Them and Many (38%) Scared to Swim in the Ocean Because of Them" (PDF). Ipsos. Retrieved 18 March 2023.