Mycophobia is the aversion that some people have to fungi. Those who suffer from this phobia are unable to eat mushrooms or even taste any food that contains them. It is very likely that this type of phobia has existed for many years, in fact there are some animals that avoid eating them, since there are mushrooms that are poisonous and animals instinctively do not eat it, possibly that is where the phobia lies, from that false assumption that all mushrooms are toxic.
The mycophogous (name given to those who suffer from this phobia) do not dare to consume, much less touch the fungi for fear of being poisoned, Specialists believe that mycophobia may be caused by traumatic experiences that the person has lived during his childhood, perhaps because he suffered from some poisoning after consuming mushrooms or that he has seen that a relative has died from eating the wrong mushrooms. People who suffer from this phobia can suffer from panic attacks, chills, sweating, shortness of breath, vomiting, stomach disorders.
And it is not only the clinical trauma, also culturally, mycophobia has existed, especially in the religious part, Western Europe is characterized by being a mycophogous region, the European Catholic Church has prohibited the consumption of mushrooms or mushrooms as they are also called. This is originally due to the time of the conquest when the missionaries came to the American continent and came into contact with the indigenous culture, they observed that some indigenous people consumed mushrooms that made them enter into communication with their gods through rituals, immediately the church associated the consumption of mushrooms with the devil, with witchcraft, hence they dedicated themselves to persecute and condemn its consumption.
