A British woman, suffering from mortuusequusphobia, a fear of ketchup, claimed that her condition is frequently dismissed by people.

Leigh Woodman said that she cannot even “look at a bottle of ketchup”. Reason? It gives her “a panic attack”, reported the New York Post.

Such is her fear that Ms Woodman even avoids keeping ketchup at home and throws away any dish or crockery that comes in contact with the sauce.

Ms Woodman confessed that she was aware of “how dramatic” her phobia might seem to others. 

She said, “I’ve always been embarrassed by it. If someone were to hold me at gunpoint, I’d freeze and panic and that’s exactly how I’d feel if someone shoved ketchup in my face.”

Ms Woodman, who feels sick due to its smell, also spoke about her biggest fear — ketchup in a dishwasher. “I would never be able to use that or any of my plates or cutlery again. It makes me feel panicky,” she revealed. 

Ms Woodman clarified that unlike people who are frightened by the condiment because it resembles the colour of blood, her fear lacks a proper explanation. 

Leigh Woodman added that her mortuusequusphobia developed unexpectedly. 

“I’ve no idea how this all began. I just remember being absolutely petrified of it and I’ve just never been able to even look at it. I know [if there’s ketchup in the room] to not even look at it or pay any attention to it,’ she said.