I remember this stuffed clown doll named Cookie that my grandmother made me. Cookie the clown kind of looked like this clown doll only without the creepy porcelain face.

I thought my doll looked happy and jovial. My sister, however, did not. Every night my sister would try to fling clothes over Cookie’s head. Finally, I asked her why she was so creeped out and she explained that she thought that Cookie looked like the clown from Stephen King’s It. Even though I hadn’t seen the movie at the time, all I could think of was that clown staring at me all night from across the room.

I’ve always been confused about how a clown—who is supposed to bring joy and laughter to all—could cause such extreme fear. As I’ve grown older, I’ve met more and more adults who completely flip out about clowns.

Coulrophobia is an abnormal or exaggerated fear of clowns. Common among children, coulrophobia can also be found in teens and adults. The degree of fear is different from person to person.

Coulrophobia Theories

There are many theories about how a fear of clowns may develop. Sometimes coulrophobics have had a bad experience with clowns (circus, birthday party, etc.). Another theory is that the way clowns are portrayed in the media can cause fear in children and adults alike. Let us not forget the fright over serial killer John Wayne Gacy, known as The Killer Clown, who dressed as “Pogo the clown” at block parties to entertain children and was convicted for the rape and murder of 33 boys and young men.

Another theory comes from Kathryn Cillick at Phobialist:

I have a theory about the reason for fearing clowns that I thought I would suggest to you. Because clowns have permanent, exaggerated expressions painted on their faces - usually of joy but not always, it renders the observer impotent in measuring facial expression as a precursor of action and for those who are vigilant about their environment, possibly because of past traumatic events, they are unable to interpret and therefore predict what this creature may do to them. This is heightened when we observe the “happy” clown performing some aggressive behavior - it becomes too much to take - creating intense confusion and fear. I don’t know if this is the reason - simply my first thoughts on a very intriguing subject.

Well you don’t need to feel like you’re alone because there are many Hollywood icons who are anti-clown including P. Diddy (he actually had a “No Clowns” clause in his contract), Johnny Depp (he had clown nightmares as a child) and Anthony Bourdain. Let us not forget Bart Simpson’s weary utterance, “Can’t sleep, clown will eat me” as he fears his clown bed will come to life and destroy him.

Treatment for Fear of Clowns

• Consider why you are afraid of clowns and write down your reasons.
• Examine your thoughts and think about whether they are rational.
• Try to find a clown who will help you step-by-step showing you the process he/she takes to put on clown makeup. You may also want to try dressing as a clown to see if you can overcome your fear.

Try different methods work for different people. Only try methods you are comfortable with. If you still have this fear, you may want to consult a health care professional to delve deeper into the root of your fear and overcome it.

–Nolan

Do you have any remedies for a phobia? Comment and tell us about it!

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