Common and Unique Phobias Explained
Phobias are an intense fear of something, like heights or certain animals, that causes significant distress. They're typically treated with therapy, medication, or a combination of both.
A phobia is an irrational fear of something that's unlikely to cause harm. The word itself comes from the Greek word'phobos,' which means 'fear' or 'horror.'
Hydrophobia, for example, literally translates to fear of water.
When someone has a phobia, they experience intense fear of a certain object or situation. Phobias are different from regular fears because they cause significant distress, possibly interfering with life at home, work, or school.
People with phobias actively avoid the phobic object or situation, or they endure it with intense fear or anxiety.
In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5), the American Psychiatric Association outlines several of the most common phobias.
Agoraphobia, a fear of places or situations that trigger fear or helplessness, is singled out as a particularly common fear with its own unique diagnosis. Social phobias, which are fears related to social situations, are also singled out with a unique diagnosis.
Phobias come in all shapes and sizes. Because there are an infinite number of objects and situations, the list of specific phobias is quite long.
Types of phobias
According to the DSM-5, specific phobias typically fall within five general categories:
fears related to animals (spiders, dogs, insects)
fears related to the natural environment (heights, thunder, darkness)
fears related to blood, injury, or medical issues (injections, broken bones, falls)
fears related to specific situations (flying, riding an elevator, driving)
other (fear of choking, loud noises, drowning)
These categories encompass an infinite number of specific objects and situations.
There's no official list of phobias beyond what's outlined in the DSM-5, so clinicians and researchers create names for them as the need arises. This is typically done by combining a Greek (or sometimes Latin) prefix that describes the phobia with the – phobia suffix.
For example, a fear of water would be named by combining 'hydro' (water) and 'phobia' (fear).
There's also such a thing as a fear of fears (phobophobia). This is actually more common than you might imagine.
People with anxiety disorders sometimes experience panic attacks when they're in certain situations. These panic attacks can be so uncomfortable that people do everything they can to avoid them in the future.
For example, if you have a panic attack while sailing, you may fear sailing in the future, but you may also fear panic attacks or fear developing hydrophobia.
List of phobias
Studying specific phobias is a complicated process. Most people don't seek treatment for these conditions, so cases largely go unreported.
These phobias also vary based on cultural experiences, gender, and age.
Here's a look at some phobias that have been identified.
A
achluophobia fear of darkness
acrophobia fear of heights
aerophobia fear of flying
agoraphobia fear of public spaces or crowds
aichmophobia fear of needles or pointed objects
ailurophobia fear of cats
alektorophobia fear of chickens
algophobia fear of pain
amaxophobia fear of riding in a car
androphobia fear of men
anginophobia fear of angina or choking
anthophobia fear of flowers
anthropophobia fear of people or society
aphenphosmphobia fear of being touched
arachnophobia fear of spiders
arithmophobia fear of numbers
astraphobia fear of thunder and lightning
ataxophobia fear of disorder or untidiness
atelophobia fear of imperfection
atychiphobia fear of failure
autophobia fear of being alone
B
bacteriophobia fear of bacteria
barophobia fear of gravity
bathmophobia fear of stairs or steep slopes
batrachophobia fear of amphibians
belonephobia fear of pins and needles
bibliophobia fear of books
botanophobia fear of plants
C
cacophobia fear of ugliness
catagelophobia fear of being ridiculed
catoptrophobia fear of mirrors
chionophobia fear of snow
chromophobia fear of colors
chronomentrophobia fear of clocks
cibophobia fear of food
claustrophobia fear of confined spaces
coulrophobia fear of clowns
cyberphobia fear of computers
cynophobia fear of dogs
D
dendrophobia fear of trees
dentophobia fear of dentists
domatophobia fear of houses
dystychiphobia fear of accidents
E
emetophobia fear of vomiting
entomophobia fear of insects
ephebiphobia fear of teenagers
equinophobia fear of horses
G
gamophobia fear of marriage or commitment
genuphobia fear of knees
glossophobia fear of speaking in public
gynophobia fear of women
H
heliophobia fear of the sun
hemophobia fear of blood
herpetophobia fear of reptiles
hydrophobia fear of water
hypochondria fear of illness
I–K
iatrophobia fear of doctors
insectophobia fear of insects
koinoniphobia fear of rooms full of people
L
leukophobia fear of the color white
lilapsophobia fear of tornadoes and hurricanes
lockiophobia fear of childbirth
M
mageirocophobia fear of cooking
megalophobia fear of large things
melanophobia fear of the color black
microphobia fear of small things
mysophobia fear of dirt and germs
N
necrophobia fear of death or dead things
noctiphobia fear of the night
nosocomephobia fear of hospitals
nyctophobia fear of the dark
O
obesophobia fear of gaining weight
octophobia fear of the number 8
ombrophobia fear of rain
ophidiophobia fear of snakes
ornithophobia fear of birds
P
papyrophobia fear of paper
pathophobia fear of disease
pedophobia fear of children
philophobia fear of love
phobophobia fear of phobias
podophobia fear of feet
pogonophobia fear of beards
porphyrophobia fear of the color purple
pteridophobia fear of ferns
pteromerhanophobia fear of flying
pyrophobia fear of fire
Q–S
samhainophobia fear of Halloween
scolionophobia fear of school
selenophobia fear of the moon
sociophobia fear of social evaluation
somniphobia fear of sleep
T
tachophobia fear of speed
technophobia fear of technology
thalassophobia fear of deep water
tonitrophobia fear of thunder
trypanophobia fear of needles or injections
trypophobia fear of clustered patterns of holes
U–Z
venustraphobia fear of beautiful women
verminophobia fear of germs
wiccaphobia fear of witches and witchcraft
zoophobia fear of animals
Treating a phobia
Phobias are typically treated with therapy, medication, or a combination of both:
Exposure therapy. During exposure therapy, which is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy, you work with a psychologist to learn how to desensitize yourself to the object or situation that you fear. The goal is to improve your quality of life so that you're no longer hindered or distressed by your fear.
Anti-anxiety medication. A doctor may recommend certain anxiety-reducing medications that can help you through exposure therapy. While these medications aren't exactly a treatment for phobias, they can help make exposure therapy less distressing.
Other medications. A doctor might also prescribe beta-blockers and benzodiazepines to manage feelings of anxiety or panic.
Takeaway
Phobias are persistent, intense, and unrealistic fears of a certain object or situation. Specific phobias are related to certain objects and situations. They typically involve fears related to animals, natural environments, medical issues, or specific situations.
While phobias can be extremely uncomfortable and challenging, therapy and medication can help. If you think you may have a phobia that's causing a disruption in your life, speak with a doctor for an evaluation and treatment options.
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