Fear of frog and toads is both a specific phobia, known simply as frog phobia or ranidaphobia (from ranidae, the most widespread family of frogs), and a superstition common to the folkways of many cultures. Psychiatric speciality literature uses the simple term “fear of frog” rather than any specialized term
Causes of Ranidaphobia
- There are many associations and stories related to frogs in folklore and fairy tales. Frogs have been deemed ugly, but princesses still need to kiss them for ‘regaining’ their handsome princes.
- Frog urine (or skin contact with the creature) supposedly causes warts on the skin (similar to those on a witch’s face). In some cultures, it is believed that sighting a frog is bad omen.
- Then, modern TV shows on science have shown that many species of frogs are poisonous/allergy inducing. Hence, children develop a phobia of frogs after reading about them or watching such shows.
Symptoms
Those who truly possess an excessive fear of having an accident will often exhibit some of the following symptoms:
- Anxiety
- Breathlessness
- Excessive sweating
- Dry mouth
- Shaking
- Being overly cautious
- Heart palpitations
- Inability to speak
- Becoming angry
- A feeling of detachment from reality
- Uncontrollable shaking
- Feelings of unsteadiness
