Chemophobia

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Chemophobia (or chemophobia, or chemonoia ) is an aversion or prejudice to chemicals or chemistry . The phenomenon is attributed to both a well-founded concern about the possible negative effects of synthetic chemicals and an irrational fear of these substances based on misconceptions about their potential for harm, in particular the possibility that certain exposures to certain synthetic chemicals could increase the risk of cancer Increase individual. Consumer products labeled "natural" and "chemical-free" (the latter is an oxymoron if you take it literally since all matter is made up of chemicals) appeal to chemophobic sensations by offering consumers a seemingly safer alternative.

definition

There are different opinions about the correct use of the word "chemophobia". The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) defines chemophobia as an “irrational fear of chemicals”. According to the American Council on Science and Health, chemophobia is a fear of synthetic substances created by “scare stories” and exaggerated claims in the media about their dangers.

Although the suffix phobia is included, the majority of written papers that focus on the treatment of chemophobia describe chemophobia as phobia in the sense of non-clinical aversion or prejudice, rather than phobia in the standard medical definition .

According to a study by ETH Zurich , 39 percent of Europeans have chemophobia.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ D. Ropeik: On the roots of, and solutions to, the persistent battle between "chemonoia" and rationalist denialism of the subjective nature of human cognition . In: Human & Experimental Toxicology . 34, No. 12, 2015, pp. 1272–1278. doi : 10.1177 / 0960327115603592 . PMID 26614815 .
  2. ↑ Chemonoia: the fear blinding our minds to real dangers . In: BBC News , February 25, 2016. 
  3. ↑ IUPAC glossary of terms used in toxicology (2nd edition) . International_Union_of_Pure_and_Applied_Chemistry . Retrieved October 20, 2016.
  4. ↑ Jon Entine: Fear of Death: How Chemophobia Threats Public Health . American Council on Science and Health , Jan. 18, 2011.
  5. ↑ "Chemophobia" Today: Consumers' Knowledge and Perceptions of Chemicals .