A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder defined by a persistent and excessive fear of an object or situation. The phobia typically results in a rapid onset of fear and is present for more than six months.
The impact of a phobia can range from annoying to severely disabling. People with phobias often realize their fear is irrational, but they’re unable to do anything about it. Such fears can interfere with work, school, and personal relationships.
The American Psychiatric Association identifies three different categories of phobias: social phobias, agoraphobia, and specific phobias. When people talk about having a phobia of a specific object such as snakes, spiders or needles, they are referring to a specific phobia.
What are phobia symptoms and signs?
Side effects of fears frequently include having a fit of anxiety – in that they incorporate sentiments of exceptional dread, fear, or dread, in spite of understanding that those emotions are messed up with regards to any genuine danger – notwithstanding physical manifestations like quakes, perspiring, “mind going clear,” queasiness, quick heartbeat, inconvenience breathing, and a staggering want to pull back from the circumstance that is causing the phobic response. Likewise, outrageous measures are in some cases, taken to forestall or leave the circumstance.
While listing all of the phobias that may exist is not possible, it can be helpful to look through a list of some of the more commonly described phobias. As you can see by looking at this list, almost any object or situation can become the source of fear.
A
- Ablutophobia – Fear of bathing, cleaning or washing
- Acarophobia – Fear of itching or tiny insects that cause itching
- Achluophobia – Fear of darkness
- Acrophobia – Fear of sourness
- Acousticophobia – Fear of noise
- Acrophobia – Fear of heights
- Algophobia – Fear of pain
- Agrizoophobia – Fear of wild animals
- Agyrophobia – Fear of crossing roads
- Amychophobia – Fear of being scratched
- Ambulophobia – Fear of walking
- Ailurophobia – Fear of cats
- Aerophobia – Fear of flying, drafts
- Aichmophobia – Fear of pointed objects
- Alektorophobia – Fear of chickens
- Albuminurophobia – Fear of kidney disease
- Alliumphobia – Fear of garlic
- Allodoxaphobia – Fear of opinions
- Amathophobia – Fear of dust
- Anthrophobia – Fear of flowers
- Anablephobia – Fear of looking up
- Androphobia – Fear of men
- Anemophobia – Fear of wind or drafts
- Anglophobia – Fear of England or Britain
- Anginophobia – Fear of choking
- Antlophobia – Fear of floods
- Anuptaphobia – Fear of staying single
- Apeirophobia – Fear of infinity
- Aphenphosmphobia – Fear of intimacy
- Aquaphobia – Fear of water
- Arachnophobia – Fear of spiders
- Aviophobia – Fear of flying
- Asthenophobia – Fear of fainting
- Astraphobia – Fear of thunder and lightning
- Astrophobia – Fear of celestial space
- Ataxophobia – Fear of disorder or untidiness
- Atelophobia – Fear of imperfection
- Autophobia – Fear of being alone
- Arithmophobia – Fear of numbers
- Athazagoraphobia – Fear of being forgotten
- Atychiphobia – Fear of failure
- Anthropophobia – Fear of people or society
- Aurophobia – Fear of gold
- Automysophobia – Fear of being dirty
B
- Bacteriophobia – Fear of bacteria
- Batrachophobia – Fear of amphibians
- Bromidrosiphobia – Fear of body smells
- Ballistophobia – Fear of missiles or bullets
- Barophobia – Fear of gravity
- Botanophobia – Fear of plants
- Basophobia – Fear of falling
- Bathmophobia – Fear of steep inclines, slopes
- Belonephobia – Fear of pins and needles
- Bogyphobia – Fear of the bogeyman
- Bovinophobia – Fear of cows or cattle
- Bufonophobia – Fear of toads
- Bibliophobia – Fear of books
C
- Cacophobia – Fear of ugliness
- Cainophobia – Fear of newness or novelty
- Chrometophobia – Fear of money
- Caligynephobia – Fear of beautiful women
- Carcinophobia – Feat of developing cancer
- Cardiophobia – Fear of getting heart disease
- Carnophobia – Fear of meat
- Cherophobia – Fear of happiness
- Catagelophobia – Fear of being ridiculed
- Catapedaphobia – Fear of jumping
- Cathisophobia – Fear of sitting
- Chronomentrophobia – Fear of clocks
- Chemophobia – Fear of chemicals or chemistry
- Catoptrophobia – Fear of mirrors
- Ceraunophobia – Fear of thunder
- Cetaphobia – Fear of whales
- Chaetophobia – Fear of hair
- Chionophobia – Fear of snow
- Chiraptophobia – Fear of being touched
- Chirophobia – Fear of hands
- Chiroptophobia – Fear of bats
- Chorophobia – Fear of dancing
- Chromophobia – Fear of colors
- Cibophobia – Fear of food
- Contreltophobia – Fear of sexual abuse
- Chloephobia – Fear of newspapers
- Chronophobia – Fear of Time
- Cryophobia – Fear of extreme cold
- Claustrophobia – Fear of confined spaces
- Coulrophobia – Fear of clowns
- Cynophobia – Fear of dogs
- Climacophobia – Fear of climbing, especially stairs
- Cyberphobia – Fear of computers
- Clinophobia – Fear of beds
- Crystallophobia – Fear of crystals or glass
- Coimetrophobia – Fear of cemeteries
- Cremnophobia – Fear of steep cliffs
- Coprastasophobia – Fear of constipation
- Coprophobia – Fear of feces or defecation
- Cyclophobia – Fear of bicycles
D
- Decidophobia – Fear of making decisions
- Defecaloesiophobia – Fear of painful bowel movements
- Deipnophobia – Fear of dining with others
- Didaskaleinophobia – Fear of going to school
- Dementophobia – Fear of going insane
- Demonophobia – Fear of demons
- Dendrophobia – Fear of trees
- Dentophobia – Fear of dentists
- Dromophobia – Fear of crossing streets
- Dikephobia – Fear of justice
- Dinophobia – Fear of dizziness
- Diplophobia – Fear of double vision
- Dipsophobia – Fear of drinking alcohol
- Dermatophobia – Fear of skin lesions
- Domatophobia – Fear of houses
- Dystychiphobia – Fear of accidents
- Dysmorphophobia – Fear of deformity
E
- Ebulliophobia – Fear of bubbles
- Ecclesiophobia – Fear of church
- Ecophobia – Fear of one’s home
- Epistemophobia – Fear of knowledge
- Eisoptrophobia – Fear of mirrors
- Eurotophobia – fear of female genitalia
- Electrophobia – Fear of electricity
- Euphobia – Fear of hearing good news
- Eleutherophobia – Fear of freedom
- Emetophobia – Fear of vomiting
- Eremophobia – Fear of being oneself
- Ereuthrophobia – Fear of blushing
- Eosophobia – Fear of dawn or daylight
- Erotophobia – Fear of sex
- Ephebiphobia – Fear of adolescents or youth
- Epistaxiophobia – Fear of nosebleeds
- Equinophobia – Fear of horses
- Ergophobia – Fear of work
F
- Febriphobia – Fear of fever
- Frigophobia – Fear of becoming too cold
- Francophobia – Fear of France
G
- Gamophobia – Fear of marriage
- Geliophobia – Fear of laughter
- Geniophobia – Fear of chins
- Glossophobia – Fear of public speaking
- Genuphobia – Fear of knees
- Gerascophobia – Fear of growing old
- Globophobia – Fear of balloons
- Gynophobia – Fear of women
- Gymnophobia – Fear of nudity
H
- Hylophobia – Fear of forests
- Harpaxophobia – Fear of being robbed
- Homophobia – Fear of homosexuality
- Hedonophobia – Fear of feeling pleasure
- Heliophobia – Fear of the sun
- Hemophobia – Fear of blood
- Herpetophobia – Fear of reptiles
- Heterophobia – Fear of heterosexuals
- Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia – Fear of long words
- Hodophobia – Fear of travel
- Homichlophobia – Fear of fog or humidity
- Homilophobia – Fear of sermons
- Hoplophobia – Fear of firearms
- Hydrophobia – Fear of water
- Hypegiaphobia – Fear of responsibility
- Hadephobia – Fear of hell
- Hypochondria – Fear of illness
I
- Iatrophobia – Fear of doctors
- Ichthyophobia – Fear of fish
- Iophobia – Fear of poison
- Ideophobia – Fear of new ideas
- Illyngophobia – Fear of vertigo
- Ithyphallophobia – Fear of an erection
- Insectophobia – Fear of insects
- Isolophobia – Fear of isolation
J
- Judeophobia – Fear of Jews
- Japanophobia – Fear of Japanese people
K
- Kainolophobia – Fear of novelty
- Kakorrhaphiophobia – Fear of failure
- Katagelophobia – Fear of ridicule
- Kinemortophobia – Fear of zombies
- Kathisophobia – Fear of sitting down
- Kenophobia – Fear of empty spaces
- Kinetophobia – Fear of motion
- Kleptophobia – Fear of theft
- Koniophobia – Fear of dust
- Kopophobia – Fear of fatigue
L
- Lachanophobia – Fear of vegetables
- Leprophobia – Fear of leprosy
- Leukophobia – Fear of the color white
- Liticaphobia – Fear of lawsuits
- Ligyrophobia – Fear of loud noises
- Lilapsophobia – Fear of tornadoes and hurricanes
- Limnophobia – Fear of lakes
- Linonophobia – Fear of string
- Lockiophobia – Fear of childbirth
- Logophobia – Fear of words
- Lygophobia – Fear of darkness
- Luiphobia – Fear of syphilis
- Lutraphobia – Fear of otters
M
- Mageirocophobia – Fear of cooking
- Malaxophobia – Fear of love play
- Mastigophobia – Fear of punishment
- Menophobia – Fear of menstruation
- Mechanophobia – Fear of machines
- Megalophobia – Fear of large things
- Melanophobia – Fear of the color black
- Melophobia – Fear of music
- Merinthophobia – Fear of being tied up
- Metathesiophobia – Fear of changes
- Methyphobia – Fear of drinking alcohol
- Metrophobia – Fear of poetry
- Myrmecophobia – Fear of ants
- Mysophobia – Fear of dirt and germs
- Microphobia – Fear of small things
- Mnemophobia – Fear of memories
- Motorphobia – Fear of automobiles
- Musophobia – Fear of mice
- Mycophobia – Fear of mushrooms
N
- Necrophobia – Fear of death, dying
- Nyctophobia – Fear of the dark
- Nomophobia – Fear of losing
- Neopharmaphobia – Fear of new drugs
- Numerophobia – Fear of numbers
- Neophobia – Fear of anything new
- Nostophobia – Fear of returning home
- Nephophobia – Fear of clouds
- Noctiphobia – Fear of the night
- Nomatophobia – Fear of names
- Nosocomephobia – Fear of hospitals
- Novercaphobia – Fear of stepmothers
O
- Obesophobia – Fear of gaining weight
- Ochophobia – Fear of vehicles
- Octophobia – Fear of the number 8
- Odontophobia – Fear of dental surgery
- Opiophobia – Fear of opioids
- Odynophobia – Fear of pain
- Oenophobia – Fear of wines
- Oikophobia – Fear of home
- Olfactophobia – Fear of odors
- Ombrophobia – Fear of rain
- Optophobia – Fear of opening one’s eyes
- Ommetaphobia – Fear of eyes
- Onomatophobia – Fear of certain words
- Ornithophobia – Fear of birds
- Ophidiophobia – Fear of snakes
- Ophthalmophobia – Fear of being stared at
- Osphresiophobia – Fear of smells
- Ostraconophobia – Fear of shellfish
- Ouranophobia – Fear of heaven
P
- Pagophobia – Fear of ice or frost
- Panophobia – Fear of an unknown evil
- Papaphobia – Fear of the Pope
- Papyrophobia – Fear of paper
- Parasitophobia – Fear of parasites
- Podophobia – Fear of feet
- Pathophobia – Fear of disease
- Peccatophobia – Fear of sinning
- Pediophobia – Fear of dolls
- Pedophobia – Fear of children
- Pentheraphobia – Fear of your mother-in-law
- Phalacrophobia – Fear of going bald
- Pharmacophobia – Fear of medicines
- Phasmophobia – Fear of ghosts
- Philemaphobia – Fear of kissing
- Philophobia – Fear of love
- Phobophobia – Fear of phobias
- Phonophobia – Fear of loud noises
- Photophobia – Fear of light
- Phthisiophobia – Fear of tuberculosis
- Placophobia – Fear of tombstones
- Plutophobia – Fear of money or wealth
- Pogonophobia – Fear of beards
- Poinephobia – Fear of punishment
- Porphyrophobia – Fear of the color purple
- Pupaphobia – Fear of puppets
- Proctophobia – Fear of rectums
- Pteridophobia – Fear of ferns
- Pteromerhanophobia – Fear of flying
- Pyrophobia – Fear of fire
Q
- Quadriplegiaphobia – Fearing becoming a quadriplegic
- Quadraphobia – Fearing the number four
- Quintaphobia – Fearing the number five
R
- Rupophobia – Fear of dirt
- Rhytiphobia – Fear of getting wrinkles
- Radiophobia – Fear of radiation, X rays
- Ranidaphobia – Fear of frogs
- Rhabdophobia – Fear of being beaten
- Rhypophobia – Fear of defecation
- Russophobia – Fear of Russians
S
- Samhainophobia – Fear of Halloween
- Sarmassophobia – Fear of love play
- Satanophobia – Fear of Satan
- Spheksophobia – Fear of wasps
- Scabiophobia – Fear of scabies
- Scelerophobia – Fear of bad men, burglars
- Sciophobia – Fear of shadows
- Scoleciphobia – Fear of worms
- Scolionophobia – Fear of school
- Scotomaphobia – Fear of blindness
- Somniphobia – Fear of sleep
- Scriptophobia – Fear of writing in public
- Selenophobia – Fear of the moon
- Seplophobia – Fear of decaying matter
- Sesquipedalophobia – Fear of long words
- Siderodromophobia – Fear of trains
- Syngenesophobia – Fear of relatives
- Siderophobia – Fear of stars
- Sinistrophobia – Fear of left-handedness
- Symbolophobia – Fear of symbolism
- Spectrophobia – Fear of mirrors or the undead
- Social Phobia – Fear of social evaluation
- Staurophobia – Fear of the crucifix
- Stenophobia – Fear of narrow places
- Symmetrophobia – Fear of symmetry
- Syphilophobia – Fear of syphilis
T
- Tachophobia – Fear of speed
- Taphephobia – Fear of being buried alive
- Tapinophobia – Fear of being contagious
- Taurophobia – Fear of bulls
- Technophobia – Fear of technology
- Teleophobia – Fear of definite plans
- Testophobia – Fear of taking tests
- Thalassophobia – Fear of the sea
- Thanatophobia – Fear of death or dying
- Theatrophobia – Fear of theaters
- Thermophobia – Fear of heat
- Tocophobia – Fear of childbirth
- Tonitrophobia – Fear of thunder
- Toxiphobia – Fear of poison
- Traumatophobia – Fear of injury
- Tremophobia – Fear of trembling
- Trichopathophobia – Fear of hair disease
- Trichophobia – Fear of loose hair
- Triskaidekaphobia – Fear of the number 13
- Trypanophobia – Fear of needles or injections
- Turophobia – Fear of cheese
U
- Uranophobia – Fear of heaven
- Urophobia – Fear of urine or urinating
V
- Vaccinophobia – Fear of vaccinations
- Venustraphobia – Fear of beautiful women
- Verbophobia – Fear of words
- Verminophobia – Fear of germs
- Vestiphobia – Fear of clothing
- Virginitiphobia – Fear of rape
- Vitricophobia – Fear of stepfathers
W
- Walloonophobia – Fear of the Walloons, an ethnic group native to Belgium
- Wiccaphobia – Fear of witches and witchcraft
X
- Xenophobia – Fear of strangers or foreigners
- Xanthophobia – Fear of the color yellow
- Xenophobia – Fear of strangers
- Xerophobia – Fear of dryness
- Xylophobia – Fear of forests
Y
- Ymophobia – Fear of being contrary or contrariety in general
Z
- Zelophobia – Fear of jealousy
- Zemmiphobia – Fear of the great mole rat
- Zeusophobia – Fear of God or gods
- Zoophobia – Fear of animals
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