Cherophobia is the fear of being happy – here are the signs that you might have it

You know that feeling when something seems too good to be true – when it looks like a lot has happened in your favour recently, so it's suspicious?

Some people can't get over this feeling, and their good fortune takes a sinister turn in their mind.

People who have an irrational aversion to being happy suffer from something called "cherophobia." It comes from the Greek word "chairo," which means "I rejoice." It basically means that they are afraid to participate in anything fun.

We’ll tell you what’s true. You can form your own view. From 15p €0.18 $0.18 USD 0.27 a day, more exclusives, analysis and extras.

It's not the activities that are scary, it's the fear that if you let go, and are happy and carefree, then something terrible will happen.

Cherophobia isn't widely-used or well-defined, and isn't in the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), which is the main resource for diagnosing mental health conditions. But according to Healthline, some medical experts classify cherophobia as a form of anxiety.

Someone who has cherophobia probably isn't sad all the time, they simply avoid events and activities that could bring them happiness. Some symptoms of the disorder, according to Healthline, are:

Anxiety when you're invited to a social gathering.

Passing on opportunities that could lead to positive life changes due to the fear something bad will happen.

Refusing to participate in "fun" activities.

Thinking being happy will mean something bad will happen.

Thinking happiness makes you a bad or worse person.

Believing that showing happiness is bad for you or your friends or family.

Thinking that trying to be happy is a waste of time and effort.

In a blog post on Psychology Today, psychiatrist Carrie Barron discusses some possible reasons for people developing cherophobia, or "hedonophobia," which is defined as the fear of pleasure.

"There is so much talk about the pursuit of happiness these days," she wrote. "It might seem unusual for someone to fear this positive emotion. If it is due to a happiness/punishment link in childhood, it could be more common than we think."

For example, it could stem from the fear of conflict with a loved one, or a bad experience you associate with a certain event. If you're used to something bad happening straight after a happy event, you might resist going again.

"If you are pleasure averse, it may be because somewhere along the way, wrath, punishment, humiliation or theft – you earned it and they had to have it – killed your joy," Barron added. "Now you are afraid to feel it because the bubble burst/brutality is coming."

In an interview with The Metro news site, blogger Stephanie Yeboah described what it's like to live with cherophobia.

"Ultimately, it's a feeling of complete hopelessness, which leads to feeling anxious or wary of taking part in, or actively doing things, that promote happiness as you feel that it will not last," she said.

"A fear of happiness doesn't necessarily mean that one is constantly living in sadness. In my case, my cherophobia was exacerbated/triggered by traumatic events. Even things such as celebrating a campaign win, completing a difficult task or winning a client make me feel uneasy."

Treating cherophobia can sometimes be mistaken for treating feelings of depression, which Yeboah said isn't particularly helpful.

Shape Created with Sketch. UK news in pictures Show all 50 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. UK news in pictures 1/50 30 August 2019 One of the iconic 'Girl with Balloon' artworks by anonymous street artist Banksy is carried near one of the original locations the artwork appeared at on the Southbank in London AP 2/50 29 August 2019 The sun rises over the sculpture "The Couple" by artist Sean Henry, at Newbiggin-by-the-sea in Northumberland PA 3/50 28 August 2019 A person wearing a Boris Johnson 'head' digs a grave at the foot of a tombstone during a protest organised by Avaaz and Best for Britain, outside Downing Street in London PA 4/50 27 August 2019 Nat Lofthouse statue is covered in flags at the University of Bolton Stadium, Bolton Action Images via Reuters 5/50 26 August 2019 Performers take part in Notting Hill Carnival. Nearly one million people were expected to attend Sunday and Monday's carnival to celebrate Caribbean culture. AFP/Getty 6/50 25 August 2019 A competitor swims in the World Bog Snorkelling Championships in Llanwryd Wells, Powys. Reuters 7/50 24 August 2019 People flock to Bournemouth beach as a heatwave spells potentially record high temperatures for the bank holiday weekend. PA 8/50 23 August 2019 Fans of Bury FC deliver a symbolic coffin to the club's home at Gigg Lane as the continuation of their membership to the football league lies in doubt. The club will lose their membership at midnight if they don't find a buyer or prove that they have the means to pay off their debts. PA 9/50 22 August 2019 Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn and Shadow DEFRA Secretary Sue Hayman during a visit to Rakefoot Farm, Castlerigg, Keswick where they are highlighting the danger of a No Deal Brexit to sheep farmers. PA 10/50 21 August 2019 Festival goers walk along the towpath of the River Thames as they arrive for the Reading Festival at Richfield Avenue. PA 11/50 20 August 2019 Police officers gather to pay their respects at the scene near Ufton Lane, where Thames Valley Police officer PC Andrew Harper, 28, died on Thursday. Jed Foster, 20, has appeared at Reading Magristrates' Court where denied any involvement with the murder. PA 12/50 19 August 2019 A fire that broke out at the site of Village Bakery on Coed Aben Road, Wrexham Industrial Estate in Wales. Jord_wxm29/Twitter/PA 13/50 18 August 2019 England fielders crowd Pat Cummins as he see's out the final over during day five of the second Ashes Test match against Australia at Lord's Cricket Ground. The test ended in a draw. Getty 14/50 17 August 2019 Glew (centre) and Monroe Adams (right) pose for a selfie with a member of the public outside DragWorld London 2019, Europe's largest drag convention, featuring drag stars from the US and UK during a two-day event at Olympia, London. PA 15/50 16 August 2019 A grey seal with fishing net tangled around its neck amongst the colony on the beach at Horsey in Norfolk, as RSPCA data show the number of animals affected by plastic litter is at an all-time high, with incidents increasing by 22% in just four years. PA 16/50 15 August 2019 A flock of sheep are herded past government buildings in London by members of Farmers for a People's Vote, a campaign group. PA 17/50 14 August 2019 Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg speaks during a press conference at the Mayflower Marina in Plymouth, southwest England, on August 14, 2019, ahead of her journey across the Atlantic to New York, aboard the Malizia II IMOCA class sailing yacht, where she will attend the UN Climate Action Summit next month. - A year after her school strike made her a figurehead for climate activists, Greta Thunberg believes her uncompromising message about global warming is getting through -- even if action remains thin on the ground. The 16-year-old Swede, who sets sail for New York this week to take her message to the United States, has been a target for abuse but sees that as proof she is having an effect. AFP/Getty Images 18/50 12 August 2019 A hare runs on a moor near Ripon, North Yorkshire. PA 19/50 11 August 2019 Britain’s Jamie Chadwick wins first-ever W Series title. She pocketed a prize of £410,000 and, having been signed as a development driver for Williams, she keeps up her hopes of making it into Formula One. Getty 20/50 10 August 2019 People gather on the beach as a raft carrying people dressed as clowns heads to shore during the annual Whitby Regatta in Whitby, England. At over 170 years old, the Whitby Regatta is thought to be the oldest sea regatta on the northeast coast of England and draws thousands of visitors each year. Getty 21/50 9 August 2019 Burryman Andrew Taylor, gets a nip of whisky using a straw, from resident Mary Hamblin, 82, as he parades through the town of South Queensferry, near Edinburgh, encased in burrs. The parade takes place on the second Friday of August each year and although the exact meaning of this tradition has been lost through the years it is thought to have begun in the 17th Century. The tradition is believed to bring good luck to the towns people if they give him whisky offered through a straw or a donation of money. PA 22/50 8 August 2019 A mosque is seen amongst residential housing from the air during a mass take off at the annual Bristol hot air balloon festival in Bristol. Reuters 23/50 7 August 2019 An Asiatic lioness eats meat during feeding time ahead of World Lion Day at London Zoo. Reuters 24/50 6 August 2019 Beer enthusiasts taste beer and ale during The Great British Beer Festival at Kensington Olympia in west London. The Great British Beer Festival, organised by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), brings hundreds of real ales, international beers and real ciders and perries under one roof. AFP/Getty Images 25/50 5 August 2019 Australia's Nathan Lyon celebrates after taking the wicket of England's Joe Root during day five of the first Ashes test at Edgbaston. The hosts were on the end of a thumping, as Australia won the first test by 251 runs. Getty 26/50 4 August 2019 Franky Zapata stands on his jet-powered "flyboard" prior to landing on St. Margaret's Bay in Dover, during his attempt to fly across the 35-kilometre (22-mile) Channel crossing. The Frenchman achieved his aim today, on his second attempt, after having spent years developing the jet-powered hoverboard. AFP/Getty 27/50 3 August 2019 A Cricket fan wears a Donald Trump inflatable, during day three of the first Ashes test cricket match between England and Australia at Edgbaston in Birmingham. AP 28/50 2 August 2019 An RAF Chinook helicopter flies in sandbags to help repair the dam at Toddbrook Reservoir which was damaged in heavy rainfall. PA 29/50 1 August 2019 Stuart Broad celebrates after taking the wicket of David Warner during day one of the first Ashes test between England and Australia at Edgbaston. England fans celebrated the loss of David Warner and Cameron Bancroft dismissals by waving sandpaper after they both faced bans for their roles in the Sandpaper scandal last year. Australia were all out for 284 after Steve Smith frustrated the hosts with a total of 144. He helped drag his side from 122-8. Getty 30/50 31 July 2019 A collapsed bridge near Grinton, North Yorkshire, after parts of the region had up to 82.2mm of rain in 24 hours on Tuesday. PA 31/50 30 July 2019 Acrobats Beren d'Amico, Louis Gift and Charlie Wheeller, from Barely Methodical Troupe perform a routine on Calton Hill in Edinburgh as they bring their debut show Bromance to the Edinburgh Fringe. PA 32/50 29 July 2019 Theresa the robotic waitress at The Tea Terrace's Cobham branch in Surrey. Theresa represents the 6th Generation of robotic waitresses which were first launched in Japan a few years ago. The robot comes with autonomous navigation; automatic obstacle avoidance, voice conversation, and automatic dish delivery. It integrates core technologies in automatic control, multi-sensor perceptual collision avoidance and route planning. PA 33/50 28 July 2019 Competitors during the World Stinging Nettle Eating Championship at The Bottle Inn in Marshwood. Competitors are served 2-foot long stalks of stinging nettles from which they pluck and eat as many leaves as possible. Getty 34/50 27 July 2019 A woman in character as La Muerte from film The Book of Life, during the MCM Manchester Comic Con which see thousands of sci-fi fans, gamers, comic collectors, movie buffs and anime enthusiasts visit Manchester Central. PA 35/50 26 July 2019 England's Jonny Bairstow takes the catch to dismiss Ireland's William Porterfield during their test march at Lord's. Ireland were bowled out for 38 in their second innings in just 15.4 overs - the second lowest total in Test match history. Action Images via Reuters 36/50 25 July 2019 Hamza and Haris splash in the water feature beside the National Football Museum in central Manchester, as the UK braces itself to encounter the hottest July day on record. PA 37/50 24 July 2019 Boris Johnson waves as he enters 10 Downing Street following his appointment as Prime Minster by the Queen. The former London mayor and foreign secretary won his leadership bid by beating Jeremy Hunt in the Tory race the day before. Theresa May stepped down following her resignation as Conservative Party leader on 7 June. EPA 38/50 23 July 2019 Swimmers have fun in the sea on a giant inflatable Flamingo, South Beach,Tenby, Pembrokeshire. Reuters 39/50 22 July 2019 New Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson addresses the audience onstage after she was named as Sir Vince Cable's successor. Swinson beat fellow candidate Ed Davey by 47,997 votes to 28,021 votes. Getty 40/50 21 July 2019 Adam Peaty broke his own world record in the men's 100 metre breaststroke at the World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea. The 24-year-old smashed the previous record of 57.10 seconds he set at last year's European Championships to win in 56.88. In doing so, the Britain achieved one of his career goals of becoming the first man to break the 57-second barrier in the event. Reuters 41/50 20 July 2019 London artist Helen Marshall's People's Moon project, a giant photographic mosaic shown at the exact hour 50 years ago that Apollo 11 landed the first people on the Moon, at Piccadilly Circus, London. PA 42/50 19 July 2019 Players from Uganda and Malawi during their Netball World Cup match at the M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool. PA 43/50 18 July 2019 Artist Steve Messam poses next to his monumental landscape artwork 'Hush' which hangs in the moors of Teesdale on July 18, 2019 in Barnard Castle, England. The outdoor installation is inspired by the geology, mining history and landscape of the area. The North Pennines AONB Partnership commissioned the installation which hangs over Bales Hush, a deep gauge in the terrain created when miners flushed the area with water to reveal the geological riches below. Hundreds of metres of recyclable saffron yellow fabric blow in the wind. Getty 44/50 17 July 2019 Buckingham Palace staff arrange the dining table, a copy of Queen Victoria's reign dessert table, as part of an exhibition at Buckingham Palace, in London. The exhibition marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Queen Victoria. AP 45/50 16 July 2019 The Inveraray pipe band parades through the town at the start of the Highland Games in Inverarary, Scotland. Getty 46/50 15 July 2019 Extinction Rebellion Activists block roads near the Tron Clock tower in Glasgow. Getty 47/50 14 July 2019 Serbia's Novak Djokovic raises the winner's trophy after beating Switzerland's Roger Federer during their men's singles final on day thirteen of the 2019 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club. AFP/Getty 48/50 13 July 2019 The referee counts Nathan Gorman out as Daniel Dubois looks on during the British Heavyweight Title fight between Daniel Dubois and Nathan Gorman at The O2 Arena in London. Getty 49/50 12 July 2019 Giant Panda, Yang Guang, exploring his new home at Edinburgh Zoo after moving in last week. RZSS/PA 50/50 11 July 2019 England's captain Eoin Morgan, left, celebrates with teammate Joe Root after winning their Cricket World Cup semi-final match against Australia at Edgbaston in Birmingham. The host nation blew away their rivals by 8 wickets with 107 balls remaining. AP 1/50 30 August 2019 One of the iconic 'Girl with Balloon' artworks by anonymous street artist Banksy is carried near one of the original locations the artwork appeared at on the Southbank in London AP 2/50 29 August 2019 The sun rises over the sculpture "The Couple" by artist Sean Henry, at Newbiggin-by-the-sea in Northumberland PA 3/50 28 August 2019 A person wearing a Boris Johnson 'head' digs a grave at the foot of a tombstone during a protest organised by Avaaz and Best for Britain, outside Downing Street in London PA 4/50 27 August 2019 Nat Lofthouse statue is covered in flags at the University of Bolton Stadium, Bolton Action Images via Reuters 5/50 26 August 2019 Performers take part in Notting Hill Carnival. Nearly one million people were expected to attend Sunday and Monday's carnival to celebrate Caribbean culture. AFP/Getty 6/50 25 August 2019 A competitor swims in the World Bog Snorkelling Championships in Llanwryd Wells, Powys. Reuters 7/50 24 August 2019 People flock to Bournemouth beach as a heatwave spells potentially record high temperatures for the bank holiday weekend. PA 8/50 23 August 2019 Fans of Bury FC deliver a symbolic coffin to the club's home at Gigg Lane as the continuation of their membership to the football league lies in doubt. The club will lose their membership at midnight if they don't find a buyer or prove that they have the means to pay off their debts. PA 9/50 22 August 2019 Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn and Shadow DEFRA Secretary Sue Hayman during a visit to Rakefoot Farm, Castlerigg, Keswick where they are highlighting the danger of a No Deal Brexit to sheep farmers. PA 10/50 21 August 2019 Festival goers walk along the towpath of the River Thames as they arrive for the Reading Festival at Richfield Avenue. PA 11/50 20 August 2019 Police officers gather to pay their respects at the scene near Ufton Lane, where Thames Valley Police officer PC Andrew Harper, 28, died on Thursday. Jed Foster, 20, has appeared at Reading Magristrates' Court where denied any involvement with the murder. PA 12/50 19 August 2019 A fire that broke out at the site of Village Bakery on Coed Aben Road, Wrexham Industrial Estate in Wales. Jord_wxm29/Twitter/PA 13/50 18 August 2019 England fielders crowd Pat Cummins as he see's out the final over during day five of the second Ashes Test match against Australia at Lord's Cricket Ground. The test ended in a draw. Getty 14/50 17 August 2019 Glew (centre) and Monroe Adams (right) pose for a selfie with a member of the public outside DragWorld London 2019, Europe's largest drag convention, featuring drag stars from the US and UK during a two-day event at Olympia, London. PA 15/50 16 August 2019 A grey seal with fishing net tangled around its neck amongst the colony on the beach at Horsey in Norfolk, as RSPCA data show the number of animals affected by plastic litter is at an all-time high, with incidents increasing by 22% in just four years. PA 16/50 15 August 2019 A flock of sheep are herded past government buildings in London by members of Farmers for a People's Vote, a campaign group. PA 17/50 14 August 2019 Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg speaks during a press conference at the Mayflower Marina in Plymouth, southwest England, on August 14, 2019, ahead of her journey across the Atlantic to New York, aboard the Malizia II IMOCA class sailing yacht, where she will attend the UN Climate Action Summit next month. - A year after her school strike made her a figurehead for climate activists, Greta Thunberg believes her uncompromising message about global warming is getting through -- even if action remains thin on the ground. The 16-year-old Swede, who sets sail for New York this week to take her message to the United States, has been a target for abuse but sees that as proof she is having an effect. AFP/Getty Images 18/50 12 August 2019 A hare runs on a moor near Ripon, North Yorkshire. PA 19/50 11 August 2019 Britain’s Jamie Chadwick wins first-ever W Series title. She pocketed a prize of £410,000 and, having been signed as a development driver for Williams, she keeps up her hopes of making it into Formula One. Getty 20/50 10 August 2019 People gather on the beach as a raft carrying people dressed as clowns heads to shore during the annual Whitby Regatta in Whitby, England. At over 170 years old, the Whitby Regatta is thought to be the oldest sea regatta on the northeast coast of England and draws thousands of visitors each year. Getty 21/50 9 August 2019 Burryman Andrew Taylor, gets a nip of whisky using a straw, from resident Mary Hamblin, 82, as he parades through the town of South Queensferry, near Edinburgh, encased in burrs. The parade takes place on the second Friday of August each year and although the exact meaning of this tradition has been lost through the years it is thought to have begun in the 17th Century. The tradition is believed to bring good luck to the towns people if they give him whisky offered through a straw or a donation of money. PA 22/50 8 August 2019 A mosque is seen amongst residential housing from the air during a mass take off at the annual Bristol hot air balloon festival in Bristol. Reuters 23/50 7 August 2019 An Asiatic lioness eats meat during feeding time ahead of World Lion Day at London Zoo. Reuters 24/50 6 August 2019 Beer enthusiasts taste beer and ale during The Great British Beer Festival at Kensington Olympia in west London. The Great British Beer Festival, organised by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), brings hundreds of real ales, international beers and real ciders and perries under one roof. AFP/Getty Images 25/50 5 August 2019 Australia's Nathan Lyon celebrates after taking the wicket of England's Joe Root during day five of the first Ashes test at Edgbaston. The hosts were on the end of a thumping, as Australia won the first test by 251 runs. Getty 26/50 4 August 2019 Franky Zapata stands on his jet-powered "flyboard" prior to landing on St. Margaret's Bay in Dover, during his attempt to fly across the 35-kilometre (22-mile) Channel crossing. The Frenchman achieved his aim today, on his second attempt, after having spent years developing the jet-powered hoverboard. AFP/Getty 27/50 3 August 2019 A Cricket fan wears a Donald Trump inflatable, during day three of the first Ashes test cricket match between England and Australia at Edgbaston in Birmingham. AP 28/50 2 August 2019 An RAF Chinook helicopter flies in sandbags to help repair the dam at Toddbrook Reservoir which was damaged in heavy rainfall. PA 29/50 1 August 2019 Stuart Broad celebrates after taking the wicket of David Warner during day one of the first Ashes test between England and Australia at Edgbaston. England fans celebrated the loss of David Warner and Cameron Bancroft dismissals by waving sandpaper after they both faced bans for their roles in the Sandpaper scandal last year. Australia were all out for 284 after Steve Smith frustrated the hosts with a total of 144. He helped drag his side from 122-8. Getty 30/50 31 July 2019 A collapsed bridge near Grinton, North Yorkshire, after parts of the region had up to 82.2mm of rain in 24 hours on Tuesday. PA 31/50 30 July 2019 Acrobats Beren d'Amico, Louis Gift and Charlie Wheeller, from Barely Methodical Troupe perform a routine on Calton Hill in Edinburgh as they bring their debut show Bromance to the Edinburgh Fringe. PA 32/50 29 July 2019 Theresa the robotic waitress at The Tea Terrace's Cobham branch in Surrey. Theresa represents the 6th Generation of robotic waitresses which were first launched in Japan a few years ago. The robot comes with autonomous navigation; automatic obstacle avoidance, voice conversation, and automatic dish delivery. It integrates core technologies in automatic control, multi-sensor perceptual collision avoidance and route planning. PA 33/50 28 July 2019 Competitors during the World Stinging Nettle Eating Championship at The Bottle Inn in Marshwood. Competitors are served 2-foot long stalks of stinging nettles from which they pluck and eat as many leaves as possible. Getty 34/50 27 July 2019 A woman in character as La Muerte from film The Book of Life, during the MCM Manchester Comic Con which see thousands of sci-fi fans, gamers, comic collectors, movie buffs and anime enthusiasts visit Manchester Central. PA 35/50 26 July 2019 England's Jonny Bairstow takes the catch to dismiss Ireland's William Porterfield during their test march at Lord's. Ireland were bowled out for 38 in their second innings in just 15.4 overs - the second lowest total in Test match history. Action Images via Reuters 36/50 25 July 2019 Hamza and Haris splash in the water feature beside the National Football Museum in central Manchester, as the UK braces itself to encounter the hottest July day on record. PA 37/50 24 July 2019 Boris Johnson waves as he enters 10 Downing Street following his appointment as Prime Minster by the Queen. The former London mayor and foreign secretary won his leadership bid by beating Jeremy Hunt in the Tory race the day before. Theresa May stepped down following her resignation as Conservative Party leader on 7 June. EPA 38/50 23 July 2019 Swimmers have fun in the sea on a giant inflatable Flamingo, South Beach,Tenby, Pembrokeshire. Reuters 39/50 22 July 2019 New Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson addresses the audience onstage after she was named as Sir Vince Cable's successor. Swinson beat fellow candidate Ed Davey by 47,997 votes to 28,021 votes. Getty 40/50 21 July 2019 Adam Peaty broke his own world record in the men's 100 metre breaststroke at the World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea. The 24-year-old smashed the previous record of 57.10 seconds he set at last year's European Championships to win in 56.88. In doing so, the Britain achieved one of his career goals of becoming the first man to break the 57-second barrier in the event. Reuters 41/50 20 July 2019 London artist Helen Marshall's People's Moon project, a giant photographic mosaic shown at the exact hour 50 years ago that Apollo 11 landed the first people on the Moon, at Piccadilly Circus, London. PA 42/50 19 July 2019 Players from Uganda and Malawi during their Netball World Cup match at the M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool. PA 43/50 18 July 2019 Artist Steve Messam poses next to his monumental landscape artwork 'Hush' which hangs in the moors of Teesdale on July 18, 2019 in Barnard Castle, England. The outdoor installation is inspired by the geology, mining history and landscape of the area. The North Pennines AONB Partnership commissioned the installation which hangs over Bales Hush, a deep gauge in the terrain created when miners flushed the area with water to reveal the geological riches below. Hundreds of metres of recyclable saffron yellow fabric blow in the wind. Getty 44/50 17 July 2019 Buckingham Palace staff arrange the dining table, a copy of Queen Victoria's reign dessert table, as part of an exhibition at Buckingham Palace, in London. The exhibition marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Queen Victoria. AP 45/50 16 July 2019 The Inveraray pipe band parades through the town at the start of the Highland Games in Inverarary, Scotland. Getty 46/50 15 July 2019 Extinction Rebellion Activists block roads near the Tron Clock tower in Glasgow. Getty 47/50 14 July 2019 Serbia's Novak Djokovic raises the winner's trophy after beating Switzerland's Roger Federer during their men's singles final on day thirteen of the 2019 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club. AFP/Getty 48/50 13 July 2019 The referee counts Nathan Gorman out as Daniel Dubois looks on during the British Heavyweight Title fight between Daniel Dubois and Nathan Gorman at The O2 Arena in London. Getty 49/50 12 July 2019 Giant Panda, Yang Guang, exploring his new home at Edinburgh Zoo after moving in last week. RZSS/PA 50/50 11 July 2019 England's captain Eoin Morgan, left, celebrates with teammate Joe Root after winning their Cricket World Cup semi-final match against Australia at Edgbaston in Birmingham. The host nation blew away their rivals by 8 wickets with 107 balls remaining. AP

"There's not really much I can do as there aren't many resources that are specific for cherophobia, so I just kind of get on with it and try not to think about it where possible."

Barron said a good place to start is digging into your past, so you can try and learn to have tolerance for wasting time, having fun, and happiness without fearing negative consequences.

In particular, she said treatments like insight-oriented psychotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy are useful for understanding the causes and undoing the negative associations people have between pleasure and pain.

Ultimately, tackling cherophobia is changing the way you think. If you think you may have it, it's likely a defence mechanism that you've put up, that was built because of a past conflict or trauma.

It will take time to work through your problems, but with treatment, you may be able to get past it, enjoy happiness, and start living in the moment.

• How much the best paid workers in 20 professions earn

• Seven outdated men’s style ‘rules’ that you can now ignore

• 16 skills that are hard to learn but will pay off forever

Read the original article on Business Insider UK. © 2016. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.