Is anyone afraid of Airports? is this a phobia?

Question

My friend...okay i am... afraid of airports because its one of the only places in the civilized world where your civil liberties can taken away.

IE a ticket taker will think you drunk and not allow you onto the airplane. You cant fight back nor can you ask to have a breathalyzer test. In reality your speech was slurred because you have a tongue pierced.

Is it a phobia (irrational fear) or is it rational to be afraid of not having rights?

Answer 1

It does not appear that there is a specific phobia relating to airports, although many people are afraid of airports - for multiple reasons, including what you have mentioned. I do believe that fear is never rational and is exacerbated by avoidance. The more exposure you get - based on several research studies - the more likely it is that you will recover from this fear.

In fact, there is no specific phobia relating to loss of rights. The closest phobias I could locate that would even be remotely related to airports or the situation you bring up include:

Aviophobia or Aviatophobia- Fear of flying.
Agoraphobia- Fear of open spaces or of being in crowded, public places like markets. Fear of leaving a safe place.
Anthropophobia- Fear of people or society.
Demophobia- Fear of crowds. (Agoraphobia)
Enosiophobia or Enissophobia- Fear of having committed an unpardonable sin or of criticism.
Enochlophobia- Fear of crowds.
Katagelophobia- Fear of ridicule.
Macrophobia- Fear of long waits.
Nostophobia- Fear of returning home.
Ochlophobia- Fear of crowds or mobs.
Panophobia or Pantophobia- Fear of everything.
Polyphobia- Fear of many things.
Poinephobia- Fear of punishment.
Scopophobia or Scoptophobia- Fear of being seen or stared at.
Social Phobia- Fear of being evaluated negatively in social situations.
Sociophobia- Fear of society or people in general.

And last but not least:

Topophobia- Fear of certain places or situations, such as stage fright. (THIS MIGHT BE THE CLOSEST TO WHAT YOU ARE ASKING)

Answer 2

I am afraid of airports, but it has gotten better since I retired from the military. I think it stemmed from having to travel in uniform and being in airports in other countries. Even in the US we would run into crazy people who would challenge your position on war etc. I have never been attacked, but was challenged once, ironically that was at the SF greyhound station, not an airport. I am fine once I am on the aircraft.

I suffered nausea and sometimes even vomited. Another ironic, I was an aircraft structural craftsman in the Air Force.

Answer 3

I think you have 2 different questions here: one is "are you afraid of airports" and second "are you afraid of not having your rights."
For me personally, I am afraid of airports, but not because not having rights, but because of terrrorism. It's always in the back of my mind that "what if someone blows up the plane?"
Moreover, I'm afraid of not having my rights. I would feel like in jail, if I don't have my rights. Like, who is to say that I can't smoke or drink or take drugs. It's my body, I can do whatever I want with it. I'm not harming anyone else, so why should I feel like I always have to watch what I do or say.

Answer 4

It sounds like a phobia to me, but my initial reaction is that if this is all you have to worry about, you must have an ideal existence.

Answer 5

there are bars in airports mostly full of pilots..and they are testing you? ..BullChit!