Tokophobia and Anxiety Disorders: Understanding the Roots with Phobia Specialist Chris

On this candid episode of Tik-Tokophobia, JJ and Alexia sit down with renowned phobia specialist Christopher Paul Jones (Harley Street, “Face Your Fears” author) for an eye-opening deep dive into what really differentiates fear, phobia, and anxiety — especially when it comes to tokophobia, the often-misunderstood and rarely named terror of pregnancy and childbirth.

Together, they break down the myths, name the hidden patterns, and shine a light on why the ‘fear of the fear’ might be the real root so many professionals (and sufferers) overlook.

Christopher brings years of clinical and practical insight—plus a healthy scepticism — to questions that women with tokophobia are often too ashamed or confused to ask out loud.

If you’ve ever wondered why your anxiety feels “different”, why so many phobia treatments fall flat, or whether you’re secretly harbouring a birth-related fear you can barely name, this episode will feel like a lifeline.

What’s covered in this episode:

• The real difference between fear, phobia, and anxiety (and why tokophobia is so much more than “just a fear”)

• How anxiety, trauma, and reproductive experiences like puberty, pregnancy, and birth weave together to shape our deepest anxieties

• Why so many people don’t realise they have tokophobia until they’re staring at a pregnancy test — and how society helps keep it invisible

• The “roots” of these fears: is it one big event, or a whole cluster of experiences? Why looking for a single ‘root cause’ may keep you stuck

• The overlap between reproductive anxiety and bite-sized phobias (emetephobia, fear of medical settings, fear of losing control)

• The hidden shame, guilt, and self-judgement that keep women (and men) silent about reproductive fears—and why naming them changes everything

• Breakthrough approaches for long-held anxiety: why “if it can be learnt in a split second, it can shift quickly too”

• Chris’s expert take on “phobophobia” — the fear of fear itself — and what to do if you’re terrified of your own reactions

• The bigger message: why naming, voicing, and finding community around tokophobia can be transformative

This episode is for you if…

• You struggle with the fear of pregnancy, childbirth, or anything around the idea of becoming a parent — no matter how “irrational” it feels

• You’ve experienced major anxiety or panic when confronted with pregnancy, hospitals, birth stories, or even the pressure of the “biological clock”

• You’re a birthworker, therapist, or health professional wanting real insights into reproductive anxiety and how to talk to clients who feel shut down by fear

• You’re desperate for answers about why therapy hasn’t worked, why you “can’t get to the root”, and what actually helps heal these patterns for good

You’re not weird, and you’re not alone. Join us for a powerfully honest conversation that could finally help you name your fear, understand your story, and take the next brave step towards healing.

Find more resources at TikTokophobia.com, and check out our white papers (“Fear Sells (But It Doesn’t Serve)” and “The Case for Reproductive Anxiety Disorder”) if you want a deeper dive into the research behind these discussions.