Phobias

Arachnophobia is one of the best-known specific animal phobias.

Ophidiophobia is a specific fear of snakes; the word comes from Greek roots for snake and fear.

Cynophobia is a specific animal phobia involving dogs.

Ailurophobia is a specific fear of cats, also called elurophobia.

Entomophobia is a broad fear of insects; fears of particular insects have their own names.

Mysophobia can involve fear of dirt, germs or contamination and may overlap with obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

Hemophobia means fear of blood and belongs within the broader blood-injection-injury grouping.

Trypanophobia is a specific fear of medical needles or injections.

Nosophobia is persistent fear of developing a serious illness.

Odontophobia can lead people to avoid dental care even when treatment is needed.

Emetophobia can involve fear of vomiting, seeing it or feeling nauseated.

Thanatophobia describes an intense fear of death or the process of dying.

Somniphobia is intense fear of falling asleep or of what may happen during sleep.

Taphophobia is fear of being buried alive, a fear with a long history in medical culture.

Acrophobia is an intense fear of heights; ordinary caution around a drop is not automatically a phobia.

Claustrophobia can make elevators, tunnels or crowded enclosed rooms especially difficult.

Agoraphobia can involve fear of public places, crowds, travel or being outside alone.

Gephyrophobia is a specific fear of bridges or crossing them.

Autophobia is persistent fear of being alone or isolated.

Glossophobia is fear of speaking before an audience and is a common social-performance fear.

Social anxiety disorder is the clinical term; social phobia is a common synonym.

Atychiphobia can cause avoidance of challenges because failure feels intolerable.

Coulrophobia is a specific fear of clowns, not simply a dislike of clown costumes.

Pediophobia is a specific fear of dolls or doll-like figures.

Aichmophobia concerns sharp objects such as needles, knives or pins.

Eisoptrophobia is a specific fear of mirrors or of seeing oneself in a mirror.

Trypophobia is a strong aversion or distress response to clustered holes or patterns; its clinical status is debated.

Triskaidekaphobia is the traditional name for fear of the number 13.

Chronophobia is persistent fear or distress related to time passing.

Aerophobia is fear of flying and may involve both the aircraft and the experience of travel.

Amaxophobia is a specific fear of driving or riding in motor vehicles.

Nomophobia is a modern term for distress linked to losing phone access or connectivity.

Nyctophobia is intense fear of darkness or nighttime, beyond ordinary discomfort.

Astraphobia is a specific fear of thunderstorms and may be especially strong in children.

Thalassophobia concerns the sea or deep bodies of water, including what may be hidden beneath the surface.

Pyrophobia is an intense fear of fire rather than ordinary respect for its danger.