What is Pyrophobia?

The word pyrophobia originates from Greek "pur/pyr," which means fire and "phobos" meaning fear.

People with pyrophobia may feel dizzy or queasy whenever they come in contact with fire. It could be as simple as someone lighting a candle or turning on a gas stove.

Someone with severe pyrophobia may also experience loss of breath, nausea, dry mouth or may faint around a fire. People with intense pyrophobia may need to seek help from a psychotherapist. One common treatment is Exposure Therapy whereby a pyrophobic person is introduced to the fear of fire through illustrations of fires, as well as examples of a real fire, such as a lit match or candle.