What is it the fear of falling in love called?

Philophobia — a fear of love — can negatively affect your ability to have meaningful relationships. A painful breakup, divorce, abandonment or rejection during childhood or adulthood may make you afraid to fall in love. Psychotherapy (talk therapy) can help you overcome this specific phobic disorder.

People who have philophobia have a fear of love. This fear is so intense that they find it difficult, sometimes impossible, to form and maintain loving relationships. “Philos” is the Greek word for loving or beloved. “Phobos” (phobia) is the Greek word for fear.

Some people believe that Queen Elizabeth I of England had philophobia. She never married and became known as the Virgin Queen.

Phobias are one of the more common anxiety disorders. People who have phobias develop extreme fears of things that won’t typically harm them. Philophobia is a specific phobia disorder. You become afraid of a certain situation: falling in love.

It’s hard knowing exactly how many people have a specific phobia, like philophobia. Many people may keep this fear to themselves or may not recognize they have it. We do know that about 1 in 10 American adults and 1 in 5 teenagers will deal with a specific phobia disorder at some point in their lives, though.