Why Do People Have A Fear Of Clowns? Plus Helpful Tips To Cure Your Fear.

I hate the fuzzy texture of peaches. It makes me feel like I want to run away.

Clowns never scared me. I think the people dressing up as clowns probably are doing it for fun and attention. Maybe they really are invested in being clowns? I am scared of peach skin, not clowns.

Very informative hub, Nell. I had never heard about the people who phobia or fear with clowns. Very well explanation. Thanks for sharing. Voted up!

Prasetio

I met an angry possibly drunk and drugged up clown when I was small. He didn't hurt anyone but yelled, cursed and threatened and drove around causing a lot of property damage at an outdoor birthday party I was attending. I remember at the time I was expecting him to run someone over. He did come close. He and later John Wayne Gacy kind of firmed up an opinion of clowns. I wouldn't say I was deeply afraid, but I do find guys dressed up as circus clowns more than a bit creepy and sort have an instinctual aversion. Male circus clowns are like cats apparently. You know how cats can sense the one person in a room who is allergic and walk over and jump up on his lap? Whenever there is a clown within 100 feet of me he will walk over and try to give me flower or pick a coin out of my ear or try to get me to squeeze his squeaky nose. It just never fails. Rodeo clowns, harlequins, mimes, and female circus clowns- none of them bother me a bit.

Interesting subject! I have never had this phobia myself, but I know someone who does. Great job!

Great hub here Nell, Fear and phobias can keep people from progressing. Thank you for sharing!

Came back to read again, great hub!

Great and comprehensive hub Nell. I have never been frightened of clowns..until now..lol. You gave me a lot of reasons to fear them as well as ways to get over it :)

Seriously, this was a very interesting read. Voted up.

LOL..what a great Hub to post! I love that you posted right around the time of year that I love the most. Great Hub!

Hi Nell: I love this hub! I don't have a fear of clowns but I know some people that do. It is a serious fear too. I have also found that the lyoung generation, especially some of my atydents had a real fear of clowns. I think it comes from scary/ horror movies with clowns in them that frightens them. I always found clowns to be fun, happy and goofy when I went to circuses. Your tips on how to get over a fear of clowns are good ones! I loved all the photos in this hub also. Thanks for an entertaining piece.

As a child I loved clowns, but as an adult I now think they are creepy! I think it is because of some scary movies I have watched over the years.

Very cool article Nell! I didn't know there was a name for this!

The inability to know what their real emotional state is. That's probably enough to creep me out.

Hi Nell, great hub and it helped me discover why I've always been terrified of clowns! All though I still think it's that psychotic killer looking smile that's painted on their face. I especially hate black and white clowns.

Oh ok. lol. thanks for clarifying that. Anytime. you too:)

same here Nell. lol. I thought it was a fear of planets. Is that planet still around? I think I read that they had replaced it with another one. yeah, clowns are funny looking. I dressed up as one a few yrs ago for Halloween. Have a nice Sunday.

Hi Nell, I can understand small children being scared of clowns.I''ve been to a couple of clown birthday parties and seen kids crying whenever a clown gets too close. now for adult to be scared of clowns sounds a little weird to me. lol but you're right there are some interesting phobias out there.I remember writing an article for other site I used to write for on phobias. There's even a phobia listed for those people scared of water AKA plutophobia. voted up!

I know quite a few people who have a fear of clowns. Personally I used to have a phobia of moths and butterflies but I managed to overcome it using NLP!

Nell you outdo yourself! This is excellent covering so many points. Its hard to understand how someone could be afraid of clowns but I'm sure there are people who can't understand why I'm afraid of bees!

Your descriptions were beginning to send chills up my spine. Well done my friend.

Voted up, useful, awesome, and interesting.

I'm totally terrified of clowns, but I think your article helped me a lot. Thanks!!!!

Clowns are great fun and I love watching them. I guess each one have their own phobias. Great hub.

Nice post, Nell! I'm a circus artist, and have had the pleasure of working with some really awesome clowns and I can't even count the number of times we've talked to audience members who are terrified to watch a clown act or meet a clown. One of the shows I perform for decided that none of the clowns would wear any make-up other than basic stage make-up (foundation and a bit of eyeliner) so that the audience could enjoy their comedy without having to face their phobia. Most of the clowns I've worked with think that for at least some kids, the fear of clowns starts when their parents force them to interact with clowns at a young age. If they are working some sort of event, many parents think "here's a spot where my kid can have a good time and not get into trouble and I can go and talk with other adults for a few minutes" then they either leave the child in the care of the clown; sometimes even thrusting the kid into the clowns arms. Because they're sure the kid will find the clown funny. It seems to work right alongside your theory of how it can create a psychological rift when the people who are supposed to protect you the most are laughing and forcing you to interact with something that is frightening to you.

Heya, Nell. I was never afraid of clowns until my clown doll used to rock in my rocking chair at night when I was about 6. Not a fan. Mom would tell me it was my imagination, but she wouldn't put it in her room, either. :) Voted up and more!

Voted Up!! Thanks for the excellent Hub clowns are supposed to entertain people not for one to be afraid them

Sure, clowns are a bit creepy, but I never realized that people can have such a violent reaction to them like the lady in the video. Wow. I guess there is probably a phobia out there for just about anything. Thanks for this hub. It was very interesting and entertaining!

I know some adults who still have a fear of clowns. They had an early exposure to them and not in the best approach. It's something parents do not consider when they throw a child's party, they assume all children (and adults) love clowns. Great post, Nell. Voted up.

I'm not afraid of clowns, but have known someone that was.

Wonderful and Interesting Nell. I do fear clowns, but I cannot say it's really a phobia. I just dont want to be near them because im just scared.. I dont know why but maybe i fear them because i cannot see what's the true aura behind the painted face..

okay...I admit. I used to have this fear from funny people(strange huh!)

I saw this weird movie as a kid where funny people were the villains and since then thought such people are BAD...lol

Thus, could not trust clowns or anyone laughing. I think age and maturity set in and realized that fiction can be possible in movies..lol

beautiful writeup, Nell. Voted up and sharing it across

I remember reading Stephen King's IT when I as at school and it freaked me out. I ma not scared of clowns but I am wary of them- far too many times i nfiction clowns have been used as criminals or villains! they should protest.

thanks for this highly informative, picturesque and interesting hub, Nell.

It's those fake, painted on smiles. That is what makes clowns look so evil. I don't think anyone really enjoys clowns. It is all a myth! Clown dolls are pretty nasty, too. I can do without all of them! Great hub and voted up!

Hi, Nell. Great subject that you cover in depth. Interesting - I have only ever heard of the fear of clowns once before and that was in a British TV programme. It's a while ago so not sure but it could have been Midsomer Murders - or maybe Frost? I never really realised the fear could be real until I read your Hub. I thought it was maybe just a fabrication on the part of the TV producers! I've never seen the movie of Stephen King's, "It," but I remember reading the book when it came out. Hope neither you nor your son still have nightmares! :)

What a Wonderful, Fantastic Hub Nell. Am I afraid of a Clown, Mmmm...Maybe, behind that Makeup, who is it really?

It was Fun, as well as Interesting watching that young Girl turn into a Clown. But to watch that woman suffer because of her Fear of Clowns was Pathetic . Very Educational my Friend.

Hi Nell. I recently read a similar article, but this one steals the show (no pun intended)!

I'm not clownaphobic (or coulrophobic) but those clowns you've featured here are pretty scary, even the young girl! All that make-up and the painted on smiles can make you feel like you're being fooled by a maniac. Come to think of it, I never laughed at the clowns at the circus. I preferred watching their little dogs with ruffs and a hat. Cheers!

Hi Nell, I have never been scared of clowns, but I don't much like them either!

I have seen the film 'IT' and read the book - it's scary!

A very interesting and useful article, thank you and voted up.

This is a very interesting and thought-provoking hub, Nell. I don't have a fear of clowns, but they do occasionally make me feel uneasy. As you say, their heavy makeup acts as a mask and this prevents me from seeing the real person. I do find this a bit disconcerting. Thank you for teaching me a new word - I had never heard of coulrophobia before I read your hub!

I don't have a fear of clowns but have to admit they do look a bit creepy, especially the ones with permanent sad or happy faces. It doesn't quite look natural which may cause unease in others. Voting this Up and Interesting.

So strange to me that my child hates clowns. Well I like clowns but then I also like spiders and other things people find creepy.

I did not actually know there was a name for the fear of clowns - wow! I do not have one but you outline all of the reasoning behind it well. I just connected with you on Twitter by the way as I saw the link in your profile - will be nice to connect there too.

I hate clowns, always have, for as long as I can remember. I think it has something to do with not being able to read their expressions, they are wearing a mask and yet not. If that makes any sense? A friend of mine bought a clown doll for my daughter when she was a baby and I had to hide it in the loft! I believe it is still there - now that's a creepy thought!

Nicely written, on a unique subject matter. Thanks!

It's not something that bothers me, but I am not above some irrational fears. A good creepy film can leave me sleeping with the lights on for weeks.

Hi Nell. Another great hub!

I didn't find clowns to be frightening when I was a child.

I remember going to a Saturday matinee with a friend and his two younger sisters. Their mother drove us, and picked us up later in the afternoon.

The feature film was Dracula. When it got to the scary part, the girls were laughing, as I edged my way to the aisle, in order to escape to the lobby.

For me, some things are intrinsically funny: watermelons and duct tape, to name two. But not clowns.

Nell,

I agree with Lizzy, i have never gave it much thought either. I have never been afraid of clowns, but have friends who have been and are still. This is a very informative and well-written article! The suggestions you have provided are excellent! Great job, keep up the great work! Voted up UAI

Nell, your advice is wonderful. I've never feared clowns, although I was terrified of those big paper mache heads on a pole that they used during the carnival parades in Havana. They were satirical images of local celebrities, but they looked so big and scary!

The only other thing I feared as a child were butterflies. I was in my early twenties and fed up with the fact that the sight of a butterfly would make me shielf my face as if I were about to get eaten. In order for me to put an end to that fear I went ahead and created a butterfly garden with a small bench right in the middle of it. I began by sitting 5 minutes, then 10, then 15 until I got used to it. I can honestly say that gardening has been one of my favorite pastimes, and I always planted native plants and flowers for my little winged friends. I absolutely love them now.

This is a wonderful and very useful hub. And the video of that poor woman crying a the sight of the clown broke my heart. I was never that bad, but she was genuinely anxious and scared. Poor thing!

There was a Frasier about this and it was hilarious. Hard to believe it is real but people are all different.

I am really mad at that magazine over here that did that to Kate. I cannot believe in this day and age someone, and especially a business, would do that. I know that has to hurt. I just hope she knows how very many of us are fuming!

Very informative Hub, Nell. My oldest daughter suffered from this phobia as a child -she'd walked into the room one night when a friend and I were watching Killer Clowns from Outer Space and was terrified. Thankfully she grew out of it over the years and in fact, is now a big fan of Harl E. Quin from the Dark Knight series.

I heard an interesting theory once by a researcher of quantum theory. His speech had deviated into the concept of past lives and this gentleman, who believed souls don't follow linear Time, speculated that phobias may in fact be safeguards against what the soul knows is a potential fatal threat in the specific life time of the individual. One example he gave was of Jim Morrison, who had a lifetime terror of water, and ended up dead in a tub full of water. I don't recall the rest of the examples but it was a provocative thought.

Voting up for the informative Hub.

Interesting observations about clowns. I didn't know about this type of phobia. As a child, I went to the circus a lot. I don't remember being afraid of clowns. I had a few birthday clown parties a a kid too. However, pennywise looks scary. That lady is freaking out! Wow... I never thought adults would have this phobia. I would understand if it was a toddler though. Voted up.