What Are Phobias?
Phobias are intense, irrational fears of specific objects, situations, or activities. They are a type of anxiety disorder that can significantly impact daily life. While it's normal to have some fears, phobias involve an exaggerated response that goes beyond reasonable concern.
Common Phobias
Achluophobia
Achluophobia is the fear of darkness. This phobia can make people anxious in dark rooms, at night, or in poorly lit environments.
Learn More →Acrophobia
Acrophobia is the fear of heights. People with this phobia experience dizziness, shortness of breath, and panic when at elevated locations or even thinking about heights.
Learn More →Aerophobia
Aerophobia, also known as aviophobia, is the fear of flying. This phobia can prevent people from traveling by air and often stems from anxiety about plane crashes.
Learn More →Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is the fear of open or public spaces. People with this condition often avoid crowded places, public transportation, and situations where escape might be difficult.
Learn More →Ailurophobia
Ailurophobia is the fear of cats. This phobia may develop from negative experiences with cats or cultural beliefs about feline behavior.
Learn More →Alektorophobia
Alektorophobia is the fear of chickens. This phobia can extend to other poultry and may stem from traumatic experiences or cultural associations with chickens.
Learn More →Algophobia
Algophobia is the fear of pain. This phobia can cause avoidance of medical procedures, dental work, or any situation that might involve physical discomfort.
Learn More →Androphobia
Androphobia is the fear of men. This can include anxiety around men in general or specific fears related to male authority figures.
Learn More →Aphenphosmphobia
Aphenphosmphobia is the fear of being touched. This can manifest as extreme discomfort or panic when others make physical contact, even accidentally.
Learn More →Apiphobia
Apiphobia is the fear of bees and wasps. This phobia can cause extreme anxiety when seeing or hearing these insects, often due to fear of being stung.
Learn More →Aquaphobia
Aquaphobia is the fear of water. This can include fear of swimming, being near water, or even drinking water in some cases.
Learn More →Arachnophobia
Arachnophobia is the fear of spiders and other arachnids. It is one of the most common phobias and can cause intense anxiety when encountering these creatures.
Learn More →Astraphobia
Astraphobia is the fear of thunder and lightning. People with this phobia may become extremely anxious during storms and take precautions to avoid them.
Learn More →Aurophobia
Aurophobia is the fear of gold or golden objects. This rare phobia can be related to the fear of wealth, status symbols, or the color gold itself.
Learn More →Barophobia
Barophobia is the fear of gravity or falling due to gravity. People with this phobia may experience anxiety in high places or when thinking about gravitational forces.
Learn More →Basophobia
Basophobia is the fear of falling or stumbling. This phobia can make walking on uneven surfaces, climbing stairs, or even standing on chairs extremely anxiety-inducing.
Learn More →Bibliophobia
Bibliophobia is the fear of books. This unusual phobia may stem from anxiety about the knowledge contained in books or fear of being judged for reading habits.
Learn More →Cacophobia
Cacophobia is the fear of ugliness or becoming ugly. People with this phobia may obsessively worry about their appearance and avoid situations where they might be judged.
Learn More →Carcinophobia
Carcinophobia is the fear of cancer or developing cancer. This phobia can cause excessive worry about health and may lead to avoidance of medical check-ups.
Learn More →Catoptrophobia
Catoptrophobia is the fear of mirrors. This can include anxiety about seeing one's reflection or the idea of being watched through reflective surfaces.
Learn More →Cheimaphobia
Cheimaphobia is the fear of cold or winter. People with this phobia may experience anxiety during cold weather, winter seasons, or when thinking about freezing temperatures.
Learn More →Chionophobia
Chionophobia is the fear of snow or cold weather. People with this phobia may experience anxiety during winter months or when encountering snow and ice.
Learn More →Chorophobia
Chorophobia is the fear of dancing. This phobia can make social events, weddings, or any situation requiring dancing extremely stressful or avoided altogether.
Learn More →Chronomentrophobia
Chronomentrophobia is the fear of clocks. This can include anxiety about time passing, clock mechanisms, or the concept of time itself.
Learn More →Chronophobia
Chronophobia is the fear of time or the passage of time. People with this phobia may experience anxiety about aging, deadlines, or the irreversibility of time.
Learn More →Cibophobia
Cibophobia is the fear of food. This can include fear of specific foods, eating in general, or choking on food, often leading to restrictive eating habits.
Learn More →Claustrophobia
Claustrophobia is the fear of confined spaces. Individuals may experience anxiety in elevators, small rooms, or crowded areas where escape seems difficult.
Learn More →Coulrophobia
Coulrophobia is the fear of clowns. This modern phobia often stems from the uncanny appearance and unpredictable behavior associated with clowns.
Learn More →Cyberphobia
Cyberphobia is the fear of computers or technology. This phobia can make using computers, smartphones, or any digital technology extremely stressful.
Learn More →Cynophobia
Cynophobia is the fear of dogs. While some people may have been bitten by dogs, others develop this phobia without any negative experiences.
Learn More →Decidophobia
Decidophobia is the fear of making decisions. This can lead to procrastination, anxiety about choices, or difficulty in everyday decision-making.
Learn More →Dentophobia
Dentophobia is the fear of dentists or dental procedures. This common phobia can prevent people from seeking necessary dental care.
Learn More →Eisoptrophobia
Eisoptrophobia is the fear of mirrors or one's reflection. This can cause anxiety about seeing oneself in mirrors or reflective surfaces.
Learn More →Electrophobia
Electrophobia is the fear of electricity or electrical devices. This phobia can cause anxiety around power outlets, electrical appliances, or thunderstorms.
Learn More →Emetophobia
Emetophobia is the fear of vomiting. This phobia can lead to restrictive eating habits and anxiety around food or illness.
Learn More →Entomophobia
Entomophobia is the fear of insects. This broad phobia encompasses fear of various insects and can cause panic when encountering bugs.
Learn More →Eosophobia
Eosophobia is the fear of dawn or daybreak. This phobia can cause anxiety about the coming of morning light or the transition from night to day.
Learn More →Ergophobia
Ergophobia is the fear of work or functioning. People with this phobia may experience anxiety about work responsibilities, job interviews, or any work-related activities.
Learn More →Euphobia
Euphobia is the fear of good news. This paradoxical phobia causes anxiety when receiving positive news or hearing about good fortune.
Learn More →Gamophobia
Gamophobia is the fear of marriage or commitment. People with this phobia may avoid serious relationships or long-term commitments due to anxiety about marriage.
Learn More →Gephyrophobia
Gephyrophobia is the fear of bridges and crossing them. This phobia is often related to the fear of heights or the fear of falling, and can make travel difficult.
Learn More →Germaphobia
Germaphobia, also known as mysophobia, is the fear of germs or contamination. People with this phobia may engage in excessive cleaning and avoid touching objects they perceive as dirty.
Learn More →Globophobia
Globophobia is the fear of balloons. This phobia can be triggered by the popping sound, the texture, or the fear of balloons floating away uncontrollably.
Learn More →Glossophobia
Glossophobia is the fear of public speaking. Many people experience some anxiety when speaking in front of groups, but this phobia can be debilitating.
Learn More →Gymnophobia
Gymnophobia is the fear of nudity or seeing naked bodies. This phobia can make changing rooms, beaches, or medical examinations extremely stressful.
Learn More →Gynophobia
Gynophobia is the fear of women. This can include anxiety around women in general or specific fears related to female authority figures.
Learn More →Heights Phobia
Heights phobia, or acrophobia, is the fear of heights. People with this phobia experience dizziness, shortness of breath, and panic when at elevated locations.
Learn More →Heliophobia
Heliophobia is the fear of the sun or sunlight. People with this phobia may avoid going outside during sunny days or experience anxiety about sun exposure.
Learn More →Hemophobia
Hemophobia, or hematophobia, is the fear of blood. People with this phobia may faint at the sight of blood or even medical procedures involving blood.
Learn More →Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is the fear of long words. Ironically, the name of this phobia is intentionally long to represent what sufferers fear most.
Learn More →Hodophobia
Hodophobia is the fear of travel. This can manifest as anxiety about traveling by any means, including cars, planes, trains, or even walking long distances.
Learn More →Hydrophobia
Hydrophobia is the fear of water. While often associated with rabies, it can also refer to the fear of drowning or being in large bodies of water.
Learn More →Iatrophobia
Iatrophobia is the fear of doctors or going to the doctor. This phobia can prevent people from seeking necessary medical care, often due to fear of bad news or procedures.
Learn More →Katagelophobia
Katagelophobia is the fear of ridicule or being laughed at. This can cause extreme anxiety in social situations where one might be mocked or embarrassed.
Learn More →Katsaridaphobia
Katsaridaphobia is the fear of cockroaches. This common phobia can cause extreme reactions to these insects, even in controlled environments.
Learn More →Lachanophobia
Lachanophobia is the fear of vegetables. This phobia can make eating vegetables or being around them extremely difficult, often developing in childhood.
Learn More →Ligyrophobia
Ligyrophobia is the fear of loud noises. This phobia can be triggered by sudden loud sounds, fireworks, or any unexpected noise that causes a startle response.
Learn More →Logophobia
Logophobia is the fear of words. This can include fear of speaking, reading, or hearing certain words, often related to specific phobias like fear of certain letters or sounds.
Learn More →Mageirocophobia
Mageirocophobia is the fear of cooking. People with this phobia may avoid kitchens, cooking utensils, or any situation involving food preparation.
Learn More →Metathesiophobia
Metathesiophobia is the fear of change. This can manifest as anxiety about any kind of change, whether positive or negative, in one's life or environment.
Learn More →Metrophobia
Metrophobia is the fear of poetry. People with this phobia may experience anxiety when encountering poems, poetic language, or anything related to poetry.
Learn More →Microphobia
Microphobia is the fear of small things. This can include anxiety about small objects, microorganisms, or anything that seems disproportionately small.
Learn More →Monophobia
Monophobia is the fear of being alone or isolated. People with this phobia experience intense anxiety when left alone, even for short periods.
Learn More →Mysophobia
Mysophobia is the fear of germs or contamination. People with this phobia may engage in excessive cleaning and avoid touching objects they perceive as dirty.
Learn More →Necrophobia
Necrophobia is the fear of death or dead things. This existential phobia can cause anxiety about dying, death, and anything associated with mortality.
Learn More →Neophobia
Neophobia is the fear of new things or experiences. This can include fear of trying new foods, meeting new people, or encountering unfamiliar situations.
Learn More →Nomophobia
Nomophobia is the fear of being without a mobile phone. In our connected world, this modern phobia causes anxiety when separated from one's phone.
Learn More →Nosophobia
Nosophobia is the fear of contracting diseases. Also known as disease phobia, it can cause obsessive worry about becoming ill or developing serious health conditions.
Learn More →Numerophobia
Numerophobia is the fear of numbers. This can include fear of specific numbers, mathematical equations, or even seeing numbers in general.
Learn More →Nyctophobia
Nyctophobia is the fear of darkness. Children commonly experience this, but it can persist into adulthood and cause anxiety in dark environments.
Learn More →Ombrophobia
Ombrophobia is the fear of rain. This phobia can be related to the fear of getting wet, thunder and lightning that often accompany rain, or cultural associations with rain.
Learn More →Ophidiophobia
Ophidiophobia is the fear of snakes. This ancient phobia may stem from evolutionary survival instincts and can cause extreme reactions when encountering serpents.
Learn More →Pediophobia
Pediophobia is the fear of dolls. This phobia can extend to mannequins, ventriloquist dummies, or any humanoid figures that appear lifelike.
Learn More →Philophobia
Philophobia is the fear of love or falling in love. This can include fear of emotional intimacy, commitment, or romantic relationships.
Learn More →Phonophobia
Phonophobia is the fear of loud sounds or noises. This can include fear of sirens, fireworks, loud music, or any sudden loud noise that causes a startle response.
Learn More →Pnigophobia
Pnigophobia is the fear of choking or being smothered. This can cause anxiety around food, small spaces, or anything that might restrict breathing.
Learn More →Podophobia
Podophobia is the fear of feet. This phobia can make wearing sandals, pedicures, or seeing bare feet extremely uncomfortable or anxiety-inducing.
Learn More →Ponophobia
Ponophobia is the fear of overworking or fatigue. This phobia can cause anxiety about exhaustion, burnout, or becoming too tired from work or activities.
Learn More →Porphyrophobia
Porphyrophobia is the fear of the color purple. This rare phobia can cause anxiety when seeing or being exposed to purple objects or environments.
Learn More →Pteromerhanophobia
Pteromerhanophobia is the fear of flying. Similar to aerophobia, this phobia specifically involves anxiety about being in the air or flying objects.
Learn More →Pyrophobia
Pyrophobia is the fear of fire. This phobia can develop from traumatic experiences with fire or from learned associations with danger and destruction.
Learn More →Ranidaphobia
Ranidaphobia is the fear of frogs or toads. This phobia can cause extreme discomfort around amphibians, even in controlled environments.
Learn More →Scoleciphobia
Scoleciphobia is the fear of worms. This phobia can extend to other wriggling creatures and may be related to a fear of parasites or the sensation of things moving under the skin.
Learn More →Scolionophobia
Scolionophobia is the fear of school. This can manifest as anxiety about attending school, schoolwork, or any school-related activities.
Learn More →Selenophobia
Selenophobia is the fear of the moon. This rare phobia can be triggered by the appearance of the moon, lunar eclipses, or cultural associations with lunar myths.
Learn More →Soceraphobia
Soceraphobia is the fear of parents-in-law. This can include anxiety about meeting, interacting with, or living with one's partner's parents.
Learn More →Social Phobia
Social phobia, or social anxiety disorder, is the fear of social situations. Individuals may worry excessively about being judged or embarrassed in social settings.
Learn More →Somniphobia
Somniphobia is the fear of sleep or falling asleep. People with this phobia may stay awake for long periods due to anxiety about sleeping or having nightmares.
Learn More →Spectrophobia
Spectrophobia is the fear of mirrors. This can include fear of seeing one's reflection or being near mirrors, often related to self-image concerns.
Learn More →Tachophobia
Tachophobia is the fear of speed. People with this phobia may avoid fast vehicles, roller coasters, or any situation involving rapid movement.
Learn More →Thalassophobia
Thalassophobia is the fear of the ocean, deep water, or large bodies of water. This phobia can make beaches, boats, or even seeing pictures of the ocean extremely anxiety-inducing.
Learn More →Thanatophobia
Thanatophobia is the fear of death. This existential phobia can cause anxiety about dying, funerals, or the afterlife.
Learn More →Tokophobia
Tokophobia is the fear of pregnancy or childbirth. This phobia can affect women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, often due to fear of the birthing process.
Learn More →Triskaidekaphobia
Triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number 13. This superstition-based phobia is common in Western cultures and can cause anxiety around the number 13.
Learn More →Trypanophobia
Trypanophobia is the fear of needles and injections. This common phobia can make medical procedures extremely difficult and often develops in childhood.
Learn More →Trypophobia
Trypophobia is the fear of irregular patterns or clusters of small holes and bumps. It can cause intense discomfort when seeing things like honeycombs, lotus seed pods, or aerated chocolate.
Learn More →Vestiphobia
Vestiphobia is the fear of clothing. This can manifest as anxiety about wearing certain clothes, being seen in clothing, or even the concept of clothing itself.
Learn More →Xenophobia
Xenophobia is the fear of strangers or foreigners. This social phobia can manifest as prejudice or discrimination against people from different cultures or backgrounds.
Learn More →Zemmiphobia
Zemmiphobia is the fear of the great mole rat. This extremely rare phobia involves intense fear of these burrowing rodents.
Learn More →Zoophobia
Zoophobia is the fear of animals in general. This can include fear of specific animals or all animals, making it difficult to enjoy zoos or nature.
Learn More →When to Seek Help
If a phobia is interfering with your daily life, work, or relationships, it's important to seek professional help. Mental health professionals can provide effective treatments including cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, and medication when appropriate.