Masklophobia

Masklophobia, sometimes called maskaphobia, is a specific phobia: a general and in some cases irrational fear of masks, of people in costumed clothing and of mascots. It is described as common among toddlers and young children, with symptoms typically seen in the early years of development, between birth and about eight years of age. Reported signs include sweating, screaming, shaking, crying, hiding, running away from the masked or costumed person and heart palpitations, which can be part of a larger panic attack when the costumed figure is near and may worsen as the figure comes closer. The fear can show up at events such as Halloween, and some children and adults have also reported fear of strangers in face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. No widely accepted cause is known. Proposed explanations include a young child's developing mind having trouble telling reality from fantasy when meeting a human-size character, the teaching not to talk to strangers, and a life-size costumed character being unfamiliar against a child's expectation of a human face. Coulrophobia, the fear of clowns, is sometimes associated with it. Treatment is commonly based on exposure therapy, in which the person confronts masked and costumed figures to ease the anxiety. This entry records what is described and is not medical advice.