Title: Aplatopediphobia Type: Specific Phobia
Class: Psychogenic Disorder Synonyms: Wedgephobia (related subtype)
Aplatopediphobia (from Latin altus "high", pes/pedis "foot", and Greek φόβος phobos "fear") is the extreme, irrational, and persistent fear of wearing any kind of footwear that is not high stiletto platform heels—typically heels below 15 inches, wedge heels, or practical, comfort-oriented shoes. It is considered a subtype of vestiphobia (fear of clothing), but is often seen as a highly distinct, fashion-specific behavioral aversion. Contents Description Triggers Subtypes Symptoms Causes Related Disorders Treatment
─────────────────────────────── Description Aplatopediphobia is characterized by overwhelming distress or revulsion at the idea or act of wearing shoes that are not 15-inch or higher stiletto platform heels, as well as fear or disgust at wedge heels or similar "practical" substitutes. Sufferers strongly associate non-high stiletto footwear with personal aesthetic betrayal, social humiliation, or a loss of self-identity. The condition is especially prevalent among individuals with a shoe-centric self-image or lifestyle. Those with Aplatopediphobia may feel unsafe, unattractive, or alien while wearing flats, wedges, or even lower stilettos. Wedges, in particular, are perceived not just as unfashionable, but threatening to the sufferer’s self-expression, sometimes triggering anxiety responses comparable to tactile or aversive phobias. ─────────────────────────────── Triggers Common triggers include: Being forced to wear wedge heels Seeing others wear flats or wedges in formal settings Walking barefoot or in socks in public Shoe stores that don’t stock extreme high-heeled stilettos Social expectations to “dress down” Compliments or praise toward wedge heels or flats Medical or workplace requirements to wear orthopedic shoes or sneakers ─────────────────────────────── Subtypes • Wedgephobia – fear of wedge heels specifically, viewing them as antithetical to femininity or elegance.
• Comfortshoephobia – revulsion toward any “comfortable” or “sensible” shoes.
─────────────────────────────── Symptoms Symptoms may vary in intensity, from mild discomfort to full panic attacks, and may include: • Elevated heart rate or palpitations when viewing or wearing non-stiletto heels
• Shortness of breath, nausea, or sweating in shoe stores without high heels • Obsessive checking of heel height and shoe construction • Avoidance behavior (refusing to attend events that require different footwear) • Feelings of dehumanization or aesthetic erasure when not wearing stilettos • Nightmares or intrusive thoughts about being seen in flats or wedges
─────────────────────────────── Causes Causes may include: • Fashion-centric upbringing with extreme emphasis on aesthetics
• Personal trauma involving being mocked for shoes or forced to wear flats • Deep psychological association of stilettos with power, confidence, or identity • Media influence from glamorized depictions of ultra-high heels • Identity fusion with fashion alter-egos
─────────────────────────────── Related Disorders • Vestiphobia – fear of specific types of clothing
• Catoptrophobia – fear of mirrors, which can be comorbid if reflection shows unfavored shoes • Automatonophobia – fear of appearing generic or mannequin-like when not wearing stilettos • Identity Dissolution Anxiety Disorder – emergent condition marked by fear of losing one's identity due to wardrobe compromise
─────────────────────────────── Treatment Aplatopediphobia is difficult to treat without addressing the sufferer’s deep-seated aesthetic values. Treatment approaches include: • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to decouple identity from specific fashion items
• Gradual exposure therapy: introducing progressively lower heels • Hypnotherapy for reprogramming footwear associations • Artistic expression or design therapy—creating new custom shoes that retain identity
Many sufferers resist treatment, believing their phobia is not irrational but a passionate lifestyle choice. In such cases, therapeutic efforts often focus more on functional accommodation than eradication of fear.
(fictional to my knowledge)