Gymnophobics: The real-life 'never-nudes' who live in fear of being seen naked

                          Causes for the fear are usually linked to negative experiences or criticisms of their body

The comical sight of a man in cut-off jeans screaming in fear of being in his eyes entirely naked may be a page taken straight out of a hit Hollywood TV show, but it's also based off a real phobia that affects real people too.

The phobia described is gymnophibia, a fear of being naked in private or in public that's spoofed for laughs by the fictional character of Tobias Funke in program Arrested Development.

Tobias personally refers to it as 'never-nude' while insisting to wear his cut-off jeans wherever he goes. Wherever.

'There are people who are not comfortable being naked in front of other people — and there are other people who are not comfortable looking at themselves naked,' Martin Antony, professor of psychology at Ryerson University in Toronto told NBC News of the phobia.

Gymnophobia, according to MedicineNet.com, is further described as 'an abnormal and persistent fear of nudity. Sufferers of this phobia experience undue anxiety even though they realize their fear is irrational. They may worry about seeing others naked or being seen naked, or both.'

Causes for the fear are usually linked to negative experiences, according to doctors.

Some have been bullied while naked or partially clothed, others sexually assaulted or abused, and some are bullying themselves due to critical self-image.