Are you scared of numbers? When asked this question, what comes to your mind first? In science, “arithmophobia” or “numerophobia” are terms used to describe this fear. It is an irrational anxiety surrounding numerical figures and mathematical concepts.

People with this fear express it in many different ways. This fear can have a big impact on the a person’s daily life, leading them to avoid situations that require numerical reasoning such as handling money, measuring quantities, or even reading dates and phone numbers. The fear is often linked to past traumatic experiences, negative associations with numbers, or underlying anxiety disorders. This phobia can become extreme in some cases, leaving those suffering with it unable to look at numbers on a clock, calendar, or phone.

However, arithmophobia isn’t entirely about math or calculations to me. It is more about struggling in life, with numbers creating a visual representation of a person’s struggles, making the problems seem much bigger than they actually are. “What was your score on that test?” “How much do you weigh?” “You need 8 hours of sleep!” “I need a million dollars!” “I lost by 0.5 points!” These statements and questions seem normal, but to a person who is already frustrated with their own life, it may put more pressure on them for a certain outcome.

In the past, I myself have struggled with this. However, as time goes on I have learned to overcome my fear. I understand that people care for me, so they may say certain statements with good intentions behind them. Yes, numbers were controlling me, but I got over it by knowing that numbers will always be part of my life. You can’t hide from it, so it’s important to learn to live with it.

I also try to remind myself of things I cannot quantify by numbers. For example, love is unquantifiable. How nice a person is does not depend on how many people they have helped. Instead, it depends on how much love they put into being kind to each person that they meet.