Mythophobia- Fear of myths or stories or false statements
When we are children most of us are taught that the truth is one of the most important things. Lies and lying is considered to be a bad thing and usually ends up in some form of punishment. There are very few among us who have not suffered at the hands of a false statement made against us. This experience can make a person feel far less able to trust others and can lead to a myriad of other difficulties like social anxiety as well as finding it difficult to make and maintain personal and professional connections.
A similar strand to mythophobia, which is the fear of myths or false statements, is the myth component. Because myths are by their very nature untrue, it allows for the teller of the tale the flexibility to embellish the story as they see fit. This embellishment can cause discomfort for sufferers of mythophobia, especially if they tend to see the world in a black and white way in that there are only truths and lies and myths are lies.
In therapy there is a need to help the client to recognise the grey of life and that the intention of the myth or statement is important to take into consideration. This can help the client to become more balanced when it comes to myths and stories.
