Radiophobia

Radiophobia, a portmanteau of “radiation” and “phobia”, refers to fear of ionizing radiation exceeding the actuarial risk, leading to overestimating the health risks of radiation compared to other risks. However, when comparing the fear of radiation that is commonly encountered with the clinical criteria (e.g. in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), it is clear that radiophobia fundamentally is a misnomer. Lindberg & Archer (2022) defines "radiophobia" as “the socio-psychological and cultural relationship between individuals and ionising radiation, characterised by a clear disparity between the actual and perceived risks and health effects of radiation exposure”.