Fear of being touched
Encyclopedia
The fear of being touched (also known as aphephobia, haphephobia, haphophobia, hapnophobia, haptephobia, haptophobia, thixophobia) is a rare specific phobia
that involves the fear of touching or of being touched. It is an acute exaggeration of the normal tendencies to protect one's personal space, expressed as a fear of contamination or of the invasion, and extending even to people whom its sufferers know well.
Sometimes the fear is restricted specifically, or predominantly, to being touched by people of the opposite sex. In women, this is often associated with a fear of sexual assault
. Dorais reports that many boys who have been the victims of sexual abuse
have a fear of being touched, quoting one victim who describes being touched as something that "burns like fire", causing him to freeze up or to lash out.
In the 2006 Carl Hiaasen novel, Nature Girl
, the philandering Boyd Shreave feigns aphenphosmphobia to try to hide from his wife the real reason that he won't be intimate with her.
In the 2007 movie Numb
, Matthew Perry
portrays Hudson Millbank, a screenwriter who suffers from depersonalization disorder
, clinical depression
, and also a fear of being touched, which causes him to become anxious and twitchy in his leg.
Satellizer L. Bridgette from the 2011 anime Freezing reacts with extremely violent behavior whenever someone is in close proximity to or touches her. Her fear of being touched is attributed to years of constant abuse she suffered in childhood.
Johnny C. from the comic series "Johnny the Homicidal Maniac
", is suspected to be afraid of the human touch.
Numbuh 363 from the television series "Codename: Kids Next Door
", is suspected to be afraid of the human touch.
Sachiko Ogasawara, from the anime "Maria-sama ga Miteru
", is suspected to be afraid of the opposite sex touching her because of her disdain for men, caused by the many males of her family openly having multiple mistresses, unabashedly dividing their time between home and the women.
Ciel Phantomhive, the thirteen year old protagonist of "Black Butler", is suspected to be afraid of human touch due to his traumatic past.
Christopher Boone, the autistic protagonist
of the popular novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
, dislikes being touched and will hit and moan if others get too close. Instead of hugging a family member, he will hold his hand and spread his fingers in a fan formation.
Specific phobia
A specific phobia is a generic term for any kind of anxiety disorder that amounts to an unreasonable or irrational fear related to exposure to specific objects or situations...
that involves the fear of touching or of being touched. It is an acute exaggeration of the normal tendencies to protect one's personal space, expressed as a fear of contamination or of the invasion, and extending even to people whom its sufferers know well.
Sometimes the fear is restricted specifically, or predominantly, to being touched by people of the opposite sex. In women, this is often associated with a fear of sexual assault
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
. Dorais reports that many boys who have been the victims of sexual abuse
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
have a fear of being touched, quoting one victim who describes being touched as something that "burns like fire", causing him to freeze up or to lash out.
Portrayal in pop culture
In the 1962 movie David and Lisa, Keir Dullea portrays a teenager committed to a mental hospital for the treatment of aphephobia. While there, he falls in love with Lisa (Janet Margolin), and he begins to realize why he's been institutionalized.In the 2006 Carl Hiaasen novel, Nature Girl
Nature Girl (novel)
-Plot introduction:Honey Santana becomes irritated by telemarketers and invites a particularly obnoxious one to a phony real estate promotion - which she describes as an eco-tour - in the Ten Thousand Islands in order to teach him a lesson...
, the philandering Boyd Shreave feigns aphenphosmphobia to try to hide from his wife the real reason that he won't be intimate with her.
In the 2007 movie Numb
Numb (film)
Numb is a 2007 American drama film written and directed by Harris Goldberg. According to an interview with Goldberg on a bonus feature of the DVD release, he was inspired to write the screenplay by his own experience battling depersonalization disorder and clinical depression.-Plot:When modestly...
, Matthew Perry
Matthew Perry
Matthew Perry is Canadian-American television and film actor.Matthew Perry or Matt Perry may also refer to:*Matthew C. Perry , American naval officer who forcibly opened Japan to trade with the West...
portrays Hudson Millbank, a screenwriter who suffers from depersonalization disorder
Depersonalization disorder
Depersonalization disorder is a dissociative disorder in which the sufferer is affected by persistent or recurrent feelings of depersonalization and/or derealization. Diagnostic criteria include persistent or recurrent experiences of feeling detached from one's mental processes or body...
, clinical depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
, and also a fear of being touched, which causes him to become anxious and twitchy in his leg.
Satellizer L. Bridgette from the 2011 anime Freezing reacts with extremely violent behavior whenever someone is in close proximity to or touches her. Her fear of being touched is attributed to years of constant abuse she suffered in childhood.
Johnny C. from the comic series "Johnny the Homicidal Maniac
Johnny the Homicidal Maniac
Johnny the Homicidal Maniac is the first comic book by Jhonen Vasquez. A black comedy and comedy horror, the series tells the story of a fictional serial killer named Johnny C. as he explores the psychological and possibly supernatural forces which compel him to commit a string of murders...
", is suspected to be afraid of the human touch.
Numbuh 363 from the television series "Codename: Kids Next Door
Codename: Kids Next Door
Codename: Kids Next Door, also known as Kids Next Door or by its acronym KND, is an American animated television series created by Tom Warburton and produced by Curious Pictures in Santa Monica, California.. The series debuted on Cartoon Network on December 6, 2002 and aired its final episode on...
", is suspected to be afraid of the human touch.
Sachiko Ogasawara, from the anime "Maria-sama ga Miteru
Maria-sama ga Miteru
, often shortened to , is a series of Japanese light novels written by Oyuki Konno and illustrated by Reine Hibiki. The series focuses on a group of teenage girls attending Lillian Catholic school for girls in Tokyo, Japan. Its storyline largely revolves around the lives and close relationships of...
", is suspected to be afraid of the opposite sex touching her because of her disdain for men, caused by the many males of her family openly having multiple mistresses, unabashedly dividing their time between home and the women.
Ciel Phantomhive, the thirteen year old protagonist of "Black Butler", is suspected to be afraid of human touch due to his traumatic past.
Christopher Boone, the autistic protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the popular novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a 2003 novel by British writer Mark Haddon. It won the 2003 Whitbread Book of the Year and the 2004 Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best First Book...
, dislikes being touched and will hit and moan if others get too close. Instead of hugging a family member, he will hold his hand and spread his fingers in a fan formation.