Melanophobia is the worst of all Cypher illnesses because it is the most irrelevant and abstract. Melanophobia is a dreaded anxiety perpetrated by all modern industrialized societies. It is the literal fear of boredom. The higher the anxiety; the more acute the boredom. It is a downward spiral (see Spiromancy.)

SYMPTOMS

The only external symptoms displayed are "incessant complaining" with "frequent sighing","staring into blank space", followed by inexplicable "thrillseeking". The most common side-effect in 99% of a double-blind study was sudden death.

PRESCRIPTION & CURE

There is no known cure for Melanophobia. Like most Cypher-diagnosed illnesses, it is completely psychosomatic and, thus, incurable. Boredom is a chosen state of mind brought on by laziness and the firm belief that others are in charge of the supposedly afflicted person's own entertainment. We repeat: this is a terminal illness. Being terminally bored is most pronounced in the artist and the philosopher who fear boredom practically every second of their life.

There was a rumor a breakthrough cure was found in the Amazon jungle. But this rare plant remedy was unwittingly destroyed while building the world's largest racketball court (see Macromancy.)

PRECAUTIONS

Being bored to death is a common complaint. And that is usually the end result.

Reading the graphic novel, Cypher, is only a distraction from the inevitable.