Has anyone ever quit golf because of a fear of irons?

My driver is decent—I don't lose many balls and my distance isn't bad—but I've been taking a break from golf for about two years because of a sort of "condition" where my body freezes up whenever I pick up an iron due to fear of shanks.
Lately, more and more people around me have been asking to play golf, and because of the nature of my work, it would be beneficial in many ways to hit the field occasionally, but I'm afraid to start again.
Since I don't have this fear with my 9-iron or pitching wedge, I'm thinking about getting more hybrids or woods to cover the mid-to-late 100-meter range and starting golf again. What do you think?
My total experience is about 5 years, but since I've taken many breaks due to stress, my actual playing experience is more like 2.5 years.
During my playing time, I've taken lessons from about four different pros and practiced quite a bit whenever I had the chance.
Should I skip the 5, 6, 7, and 8 irons entirely and set up my bag with woods or hybrids to cover those distances instead?
I would love to hear the wise opinions of senior golfers.