Phobia Success Stories

Sharnie Christie has a fear of people in fancy dress and in particular Pantomime Horses. She has struggled for ten years and seeing a mascot brings her to tears.

A fear of costumed characters is known as masklophobia. When it’s the festive season and pantomimes become more popular (such as Christmas) for sufferers such as Becky Haddock, their fear becomes much more exaggerated and intense.

Some people with masklophobia (such as Jessica) have a more generalized phobia that might even extend beyond masks to costumed characters as well. Common symptoms include, but are not limited to, sweating, shaking, crying, and heart palpitations.

Masklophobia (sometimes referred to as maskaphobia) is a specific phobia used to classify a general - and in some cases an irrational - fear of masks, but also people in costumed clothing and mascots, which is common among toddlers and young children such as Molly.

Masklophobia is a fear of masks. Hilary Freeman’s fear of masks exacerbated over the COVID pandemic when face masks became mandatory, creating a sense of sheer panic and anxiety within her.