So, there I was, spending an hour on the internet instead of getting work done (I mean, I was totally working. I was "researching.") That was when I discovered it: Wyomingphobia. I blinked. I laughed. What? Wyoming is a phobia?

Most of what I know about phobias comes from Psychology 101 in college, and the TV show Fear Factor. The big ones were always fear of spiders (arachnophobia), fear of heights (acrophobia), and entomophobia (fear of bugs). I, for one, hate heights and bugs, so Fear Factor always gave me the willies. So, I was familiar with the idea of phobias, but Wyoming being a phobia? Now, that threw me for a loop.

But it's totally true! According to FearOf.org and Phobia.Fandom.Com, Wyomingphobia is 100% a real thing. And yes, the word means exactly what you think it does.

FearOf.org describes Wyomingphobia as "Wyomingphobia is the fear of Wyoming (branch of americanophobia)." (In case you're wondering, americanophobia is a fear of Americans.)

Now, after finding the phobia entry for Wyoming, I had to do more research. Is Wyomingphobia common? Based on the results from Google - which came to zero articles or references on the condition - no, it's not a common phobia, at least not a reported one. But I'm pretty sure there's a case for arguing that the rivalry between Wyoming and Colorado may be a form of Coloradophobia on Wyoming's part and Wyomingphobia on Colorado's.

But anyways, back to Wyomingphobia. After finding out what Wyomingphobia existed, I started thinking - what about Wyoming would give someone the heebie-jeebies? Is it the wind? Is it that we have bears, mountain lions, and wolves? Or is the sheer lack of people and SO much open space?

Why do you think someone may have a phobia about Wyoming? Share your thoughts in the app - I'd love to know.

Get our free mobile app

10+ "Scary" Things About Wyoming

Just a list of things that might scare a visitor to Wyoming...but the locals are used to them, of course.

More From KOWB 1290