User:SFO Guy/sandbox

Sciurophobia (noun) is the fear of squirrels.

As with other phobias, physical symptoms of sciurphobia may include sweating, trembling, hot flushes or chills, choking sensation, rapid heartbeat (tachycardia), pain or tightness in the chest, stomach upset/nausea, headaches/dizziness, feeling faint, numbness, dry mouth a need to urinate or defecate, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), confusion or disorientation ^[1].

Sciurophobia affects more than 250,000 people in the United States. The cause of this phobia is still being researched. Some scientists claim there may be an evolutionary component. It is also possible that psychological trauma linked to squirrels may be a cause. ^[2].