Could You Have Samhainophobia or the Fear of Halloween?

It's not a trick or a treat, this phobia is very real!

Halloween pumpkin

Anton Petrus / Getty Images 

Halloween is often intentionally scary, and it can feel downright overwhelming for those with samhainophobia, or the fear of Halloween.

Defined as a persistent, abnormal, and unwarranted fear of Halloween, samhainophobia is a term rooted in ancient pagan traditions, particularly those of the Celtic Druids. The festival of Samhain was celebrated as early as 2,000 years ago to mark the night before the Celtic New Year. October 31, the last day of the Celtic year, was seen as a time when the veil between the living and the dead was thin, and ghosts could walk among the living for both good and evil. The Samhain festival was centered around massive bonfires, ritual sacrifices to the gods, and fortune-telling. Participants generally wore costumes made from animal skins.

What Causes Samhainophobia?

While samhainophobia is not a distinct diagnosis in the DSM-5, the fear of Halloween may meet the diagnostic criteria for a specific phobia. Specific phobias involve an irrational and excessive fear that is related to a specific object or situation. The causes samhainophobia may, therefore, be similar to the causes of other kinds of specific phobias. The exact causes of specific phobias are not known but previous frightening experiences, genetics, and brain chemistry may play a contributing role.﻿﻿ 

The holiday's pagan roots and traditional association with ghosts and witchcraft may contribute to the fear of Halloween. For others, modern Halloween traditions may be a source of fear. Some people genuinely do not enjoy the feeling of being startled or scared, yet modern Halloween traditions rely on scares as a major portion of the evening's entertainment. Even if you skip the haunted attractions, ghost stories, and other obviously-frightening events, people may try to startle you at costume parties and other Halloween get-togethers.

For some people, the fear of Halloween is based on other specific phobias. Ghosts, witches, vampires, zombies, blood, gore, darkness, lightning, masks, animatronics, tombstones, clowns, and loud noises are just a few of the basic Halloween staples. If you have a phobia of these or other relatively common elements, you may be triggered even by small children who are trick-or-treating in costumes and makeup.

Overcoming the Fear of Halloween

Working through the fear of Halloween is important, as it is one of the biggest holidays in the United States. Those who fear the holiday may have difficulty at work or school events as well as social activities. But how to cope with the fear depends on a variety of factors, including the nature of your phobia, its severity, and your personal triggers.

If your fear is relatively mild, you may be able to combat it with basic coping techniques. These may include:

  • Visualizing yourself successfully making it through a feared event
  • Breathing purposefully or mindfully to calm your nerves
  • Attending Halloween festivities with a supportive friend or relative to lower anxiety levels

If your fear is more severe, however, professional assistance may be required. Your therapist will help you determine exactly what you're afraid of, and create a treatment plan to work through your fears. Therapeutic approaches such as systematic desensitization are generally very effective in treating specific phobias.

Those with severe religion-based phobias might do well to seek spiritual counseling from a trusted religious leader—either instead of, or in addition to, professional therapy.

The good news: Although the fear of Halloween can feel isolating and overwhelming, the phobia generally responds well to therapeutic techniques.

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Article Sources
  1. Samra CK, Abdijadid S. Specific Phobia. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing. Updated January 29, 2020.

Additional Reading
  • History of Halloween. Retrieved October 19, 2012.