Introduction

Beards have been a source of fascination, distrust and fear throughout human history. In ancient times, beards were associated with wisdom and power; modern pop culture often depicts them as signifiers of masculinity or strength. However, some people are terrified of beards – they may even avoid facial hair altogether because they think it’ll make them look scarier! If this sounds like you or someone you know, read on to learn more about pogonophobia (the fear of beards).

Pogonophobia is the fear of beards. Those suffering from pogonophobia often avoid bearded men, and may even avoid casual contact with friends or family members who have beards.

Pogonophobia is the fear of beards. Those suffering from pogonophobia often avoid bearded men, and may even avoid casual contact with friends or family members who have beards.

The root of the word 'pogonophobia' comes from the Greek words pogon meaning beard, and phobos meaning fear. Pogonophobia is also known as barberophobia - which refers to both men's and women's hairstyles that resemble beards (like a goatee).

However, no matter how irrational they may seem, phobias are often difficult to control. A phobia can cause patients to stop socializing altogether, and in many cases, to lose their jobs or drop out of school.

However, no matter how irrational they may seem, phobias are often difficult to control. A phobia can cause patients to stop socializing altogether, and in many cases, to lose their jobs or drop out of school.

In some cases of pogonophobia—the term for the fear of beards—phobics will avoid going out in public at all if they see a bearded man approaching them on the street. If a pogonophobe works in an office that has employees with facial hair, he or she may experience difficulty concentrating on work because of the constant fear of encountering someone with a beard while walking down the hallways or eating lunch in the cafeteria.

Although the fear of beards is an uncommon phobia, it’s still a valid one. If you find yourself avoiding contact with bearded men, and letting this avoidance interfere with your psychological wellbeing, or even your job or family life, it’s probably time to consult a therapist.

Although the fear of beards is an uncommon phobia, it’s still a valid one. If you find yourself avoiding contact with bearded men, and letting this avoidance interfere with your psychological wellbeing, or even your job or family life, it’s probably time to consult a therapist.

Therapy can help you learn how to confront your fear and manage any anxiety that comes along with it. In some cases therapy may also help you discover why you developed this particular phobia in the first place—but even if there isn't an explanation for why you are afraid of beards specifically (or only), most therapists will be able to guide the conversation toward finding out more about yourself in order to support whatever goals they have set out together.

There are two main types of therapy for overcoming phobias such as pogonophobia (the fear of beards).

There are two main types of therapy for overcoming phobias such as pogonophobia (the fear of beards). They are cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy aims to help you change the way you think about and respond to your fears, so that they no longer bother you. It can be done one-on-one with a therapist, or in a group setting with other people who also have the same phobia. Exposure therapy involves gradually exposing yourself to situations that make you uncomfortable until it no longer bothers you; this usually works best when someone else is there with you for support. Treatment may take several weeks or months before seeing results, but it's worth giving it a try if nothing else has worked so far!

The first is called cognitive behavioral therapy (or CBT). During CBT sessions, the therapist will address issues related to anxiety and behavior. The primary goal of CBT is to help you change the way you think about things that make you anxious. Over the course of several sessions with a cognitive behavioral therapist, you’ll learn that there’s nothing about beards in general that makes them scary – even if your own personal experiences with bearded men were frightening or distressing in the past.

The second type of treatment is called systematic desensitization. Through this process, you’ll work with a therapist to create a list of the things that make you anxious about beards. Then, starting with the easiest item on your list and moving toward the most difficult one, you’ll learn how to relax when faced with those specific situations or objects.

Systematic desensitization takes time – often several weeks or even months – but it can be an effective way to overcome your fear if done correctly. During these sessions with a counselor or therapist, they may have you imagine situations where someone has a beard while they talk through their fears and anxieties before actually being exposed to real life situations involving people with facial hair (or fake ones).

Conclusion

The second type of therapy for overcoming phobias such as pogonophobia is called exposure therapy. During exposure therapy sessions, the therapist will help you gradually confront your fears by exposing yourself to situations that trigger them (in this case, bearded men). The idea is to desensitize yourself over time so that you become less reactive when encountering triggers in real life situations.