Monday, February 3, 2025

Question: What are you afraid of if you have “alexinomia”?

Answer: You have a fear of using people’s names in conversations with them, despite knowing their names and even wanting to use them. In severe cases, you may be unable to say the names or nicknames even of close friends and loved ones for fear of bringing on a panic attack. Researchers aren’t sure what causes this odd phenomenon, but they believe it’s related to early life attachment anxieties.