What is leukophobia?
Leukophobia is an intense fear of the color white. It’s a specific phobia, which occurs when you face or think of a particular situation.
Leukophobia may stem from other mental health issues, including:
- Repetitive thoughts and urges: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
- Perfectionism: An expectation of flawlessness that, when not met, causes severe self-criticism.
The source of the fear is often in what the color white represents:
- Commitment: Seeing white can remind you of brides and marriage. It can cause you to fear commitment (gamophobia).
- Death: In some cultures, people wear white when they’re mourning. You may also have thanatophobia, a fear of death.
- Perfection: Seeing the color white can reinforce an abnormal need for perfection. You may have atelophobia, which is the fear of being imperfect.
- Purity: You may feel shameful about not being pure, which can occur in survivors of sexual abuse and rape.
- Snow: White may remind you of a bad experience with snow causing chinonophobia.
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What are phobias?
It’s natural to fear things that seem dangerous or uncomfortable. You may also get anxious about things that remind you of a bad experience, like food that made you sick. But these situations rarely disrupt daily activities.
Phobias cause more intense feelings. They bring challenges that affect your everyday life. You may experience fear that makes you go out of your way to avoid certain normal situations. This can lead to abnormal thoughts and behaviors that are difficult to control.
What does it feel like to have leukophobia?
With leukophobia, seeing or thinking of the color white causes extreme fear and anxiety. In some people, these feelings become overwhelming, leading to panic attacks.
If the color white makes you feel this way, there’s no reason to feel self-conscious. Many people have phobias. Talk to your healthcare provider so you can learn how to lessen the impact the color white has on your life.
