Philia is an ancient Greek term which translates as ‘brotherly love’ and sometimes ‘friendship’ or ‘affection’ however, it can be more than just that, you might call it an ‘obsessive love.’ The complete opposite, an irrational fear of something, is known as a phobia.
A person under the spell of a ‘philia’ is known as a -phile e.g bibliophile, chocophile or zoophile. You can create the adjective by using -philic e.g bibliophilic, chocophilic or zoophilic and the adjectives can be converted into adverbs with -ly.
People have some weird philias. Here’s the Bulldogz pick of philias strange enough to give you philiaphobia.
Arachibutyrophilia – clack, clack...know that sensation when peanut butter sticks in your mouth? If it gives you pleasure beyond the taste, perhaps you’re an arachibutyrophile. These philes get quite excited by the sensation of substances sticking to the roof of their mouths, specifically peanut butter.
Didaskaleinophilia – have you ever dreamt that you're in school, naked? If the best part of that dream is that you’re in school, perhaps this is your philia. Didaskaleinophiles are obsessed with school. The uniforms, the learning, the smell of the books, the wedgies, simply heaven.
Eptroctophilia – some people are possessed by paraphilias, a philia that causes sexual arousal. Eptroctophiles are aroused by flatulence...we're not here to judge. These philes will pay for celebrities to fill jars with their gas, as was the case with the influencer Belle Delphine who made a small fortune.
Forniphilia – another paraphilia, this one could have you scanning the room for suspicious looking lamps. Forniphiles are obsessed with the idea of becoming human furniture and derive pleasure from being ‘inanimate.’ These philes will spend hours immitating a chair or table and prefer to have guests so they can be ignored.
Allodoxaphilia – perhaps you know someone that will always hold an opinion contrary to your own, regardless of the topic. If you’re still friends with them despite this irritating habit, you could well be an Allodoxaphile, meaning you are obsessed with and actively seek out alternative or contradictory opinions. This could well apply to the entire online community.
Gynotikolobomassophilia – not a Greek restaurant, although it does involve nibbling. These philes are obsessed with having a nibble on female ear lobes, a condition apparently common enough to require a label.
Nebulophilia – mostly found in Industrial London, modern day China and period crime novels. These philes are hard to spot, for they are obsessed with fog and being engulfed in its milky embrace.
Pupaphilia – not a love of small dogs. Although they also feature as the demonically possessed in many a horror film, puppets are the object of this philia’s desires. Many of these philes have vast collections of these creepy dolls and even enter into relationships with them.
Sesquipedalophilia – Try dropping this into a conversation and see if you get anybody’s number. You could well catch yourself a sesquipedalophile, philes obsessed with long words, although most will think you’re spouting a load of taradiddle
Siderodromophilia – I choo choo choose you. The love of riding trains, not just your average trainspotter or basher these philes enjoy the vibrations, the smell of the interiors and the sounds and sights of the complete train riding experience.
Novercaphilia – surely this is the strangest one of them all, it goes against nature. These philes are obsessed or overly affectionate towards...stepmothers.
Ergophilia – we might say 'hardworking' or 'determined' but these don't quite cut it, an ergophile is obsessed with work. These philes simply cannot stop doing something and find it impossible to relax.
Thanatophilia - and finally, the most terminal on the list. Nowadays, we often call it morbid curiosity or label them Goths but the technical term for this philia relates to the love of, or obsession with, death.
Memento mori.
