What is the name of the phobia of snakes or serpents?
Ophidiophobia or Ophiophobia refers to the fear of snakes. Fear of snakes is sometimes called by a more general term, herpetophobia, fear of reptiles. It is one of the most common phobias, especially under the broader Zoophobia (animal phobias). Care must also be taken to differentiate people who do not like snakes or fear them for their venom or the inherent danger involved. A typical ophidiophobic would not only fear them when in live contact but also dreads to think about them or even see them on TV or in pictures. The word comes from the Greek words “ophis” (ὄ) which refers to snakes and “phobia” () meaning fear. The Freudian school of thought attributes the cause of Ophidiophobia, like most other phobias, to an incident in the person’s childhood or the person’s societal upbringing.[citation needed] Christians view the serpent as an incarnation of evil and it is likely that such a viewpoint might be reinforced through media or any incident witnessed by them.
