Dendrophobia is a fear of trees. People with this specific phobia feel anxious when they think about or see a tree. Many people with tree phobia have had negative experiences with trees. You can overcome a phobia of trees with exposure therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy and other treatments.
People with dendrophobia have a fear of trees. The word “dendron” is Greek for tree, and “phobos” is Greek for fear.
Someone with dendrophobia may have extreme fear or anxiety when thinking about or seeing trees. They may stop walking outside or driving just to avoid trees. In severe cases, people may stop leaving their houses altogether.
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Phobias are a kind of anxiety disorder. They involve extreme fear of an event or situation that isn’t necessarily harmful in reality.
Dendrophobia is a type of specific phobia disorder. A particular object (trees) leads to a fearful response.
It’s hard knowing exactly how many people have a specific phobia, like dendrophobia (fear of trees). Many people may keep this fear to themselves or may not recognize they have it. We do know that about 1 in 10 American adults and 1 in 5 teenagers will deal with a specific phobia disorder at some point in their lives, though.
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Someone with dendrophobia may be afraid of:
You’re more likely to develop dendrophobia or a different type of specific phobia disorder if you already have:
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Other phobias linked to dendrophobia include:
Possible causes of dendrophobia include:
Anything related to trees may bring on dendrophobia. Dendrophobia triggers include seeing or thinking about trees:
Dendrophobia symptoms can range from mild to extreme. The most common symptoms are extreme anxiety when around trees and when thinking about trees. Other symptoms include:
Healthcare providers use a mental health evaluation to diagnose dendrophobia. There isn’t a specific test to diagnose dendrophobia. though. Your healthcare provider will ask you about your symptoms, mental health history and whether you have other phobias. They may refer you to a mental health professional who specializes in phobias and anxiety disorders.
Exposure therapy is one of the main treatments for dendrophobia. During exposure therapy, your mental health professional exposes you to situations and images that may trigger your symptoms. They gradually help you manage your response. As many as 9 in 10 people with specific phobias see their symptoms improve after getting this type of psychotherapy (talk therapy).
During exposure therapy, you:
Other techniques to overcome dendrophobia include:
Severe dendrophobia can impact your quality of life. You may not want to go for walks outside or even drive your car. Just the thought of meeting friends or family at a park or outdoor social event can cause extreme anxiety. Since trees are nearly everywhere, you may stop wanting to leave your house at all.
Some people with dendrophobia have panic attacks. These attacks can lead to noncardiac chest pain, racing heart rate and heart attack symptoms. Constant worries about having panic attacks can lead to a panic disorder. This condition may require long-term use of anti-anxiety medications.
You should call your healthcare provider if you have:
You may want to ask your healthcare provider:
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Phobias like dendrophobia can impact your quality of life. You might spend less time with family and friends, skip outdoor social events or become afraid to leave your house. Healthcare providers can help you overcome your fear of trees. Talk to your healthcare provider about treatments such as exposure therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy. These treatments can help increase your comfort with going outside.
Last reviewed on 03/22/2022.
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy