Fears and phobias
A Phobia is:
"an external symbolic interpretation of an internal anxiety."
What does that mean? When a person finds themselves in a situation that creates intense emotions, the persons 'psyche' has the ability to repress/hide/disavow those emotions. Once those emotions have been bottled up, the psyche will create a phobia - to warn the person not to get into that (or any similar) situation again.
Makes sense doesn't it? You get bitten by a dog......... you (can) develop a fear of dogs. The fear stops you going anywhere near dogs, and hence prevents you from getting bitten again..
What's the difference between a fear and a phobia? The main difference is in the severity of the emotional reaction: a strong dislike of flying is a fear, whereas a pathological fear (an intense, uncontrollable, unendurable, physical fear) is considered to be a phobia.
Phobias - Symbolic
Although some Phobias seem to serve an obvious purpose (fear of fire, drowning etc.) some appear to make no sense at all! - rest assured though, all Phobias serve a purpose. In therapy, we can find the originating cause (the unconscious conflict) of the Phobia and release it - and when the emotions are released, the phobia disappears. Most Phobias are not directly related to the cause of the emotion, they are symbolic of it. The most obvious example is the fear of flying: how many people do you know who have lived through a plane crash? None? well where do the UK's 12 million aviatophobics come from then? They (mostly) don't have a fear of flying (or dying, or crashing, or being blown up), they have a fear of being out of control - which their brain symbolises and the projects onto flying.
Questions and answers
Can I do anything myself to help control the Phobia? The best way to live with a phobia, is to ignore it. I know that is easier said than done, but the more you think about (say) your fear of being sick - the more fear and anxiety you create, the worse your phobia will become.
Is it not a good idea to read books about my Phobia then? In the short-term you will feel a little bit better (because you understand a little about yourself - and this gives you a sense of control) but in the long term, all you are doing is spending more and more time thinking about your phobia - and hence dragging up more emotion.
How come different therapies have different success rates in tackling Phobias? Some forms of therapy attempt to 'get around' the phobia, or make the sufferer feel better about 'living with it'. Others try to understand intellectually what may be causing it. Analytical Hypnotherapy can find the cause of the problem, and when it does, the phobia disappears - because there is nothing driving it anymore.
Why is Hypnoanalysis so successful in treating fears and phobias (as well as anxiety/depression etc.) Phobias are almost always formed in the childhood (though the symptoms may not appear for many years) and are caused by the sufferer bottling up some strong emotions, and those emotions being projected onto an object/situation. (bitten by a dog = fear of dogs) The only way to CURE a phobia (to get rid of it completely, so that it no longer effects the person) is to release the bottled up emotions that are causing it. Sounds easy?
The only difficulty is........most of the time, the bottled up emotions are completely locked away (hidden) in the depths of the persons subconscious mind. (some people call the process repression, or denial, or disavowal or even dissociation...but the effect is the same - the sufferer has no conscious awareness of the emotions or experiences that are bottled up)
Most other types of therapy cannot gain access to these 'locked away' emotions &amp; experiences, whereas hypnoanalysis can - sometimes quite easily.
The process of Hypnoanalysis (sometimes referred to as analytical hypnotherapy) requires a strong bond of trust and rapport being created between the therapist, and the client. Over a period of about eight sessions, at weekly intervals, we slowly link thoughts and memories back through time (by talking about them) until we come to the bottled up emotions. When we get to these emotions, we talk them through until they are resolved.
It doesn't take long to resolve a childhood hear of, say, Dr Who and the Daleks...........when you are a fifty year old company executive!
Hypnoanalysis usually takes 8 sessions (though it can take up to 12) at weekly intervals. The sessions cost £65 each.
Common phobias
The following are some of the more common Phobias that I have been consulted for:
Arachnophobia (spiders), Aviatopophobia (flying), Hydrophobia (water), Acrophobia (heights), Claustrophobia (enclosed spaces), Agorophobia (open spaces), Demophobia (crowds), Nyctophobia (darkness), Odontophobia (dentists), Glossophobia (speaking in public), Aichmophobia (needles), Thanatophobia (death or dying).
The above Phobias are almost always indirect - this means that they are usually indirectly linked to an unresolved emotional conflict.
(All the other Phobias in this 'common phobia' section, are usually 'direct Phobias').
I've grouped the phobias above together, because they usually symbolise a situation where the sufferer feels 'out of control'. If you think about it, there are very few situations in life that could symbolise more a feeling of being 'out of control'...... ...flying in a tin can at 400 miles an hour, two miles up in the sky ...lying on a dentists couch, with him about to stick a needle in you ...in a completely dark room, can't even see your own hand in front of you ...caught up in a large crowd of people, being dragged along with them ......you get the picture!
EMETOPHOBIA or EMETEPHOBIA - a fear of being sick Aka: phagophobia, vomitophobia, vomit phobia, sickness phobia.
Associated fears; gagging, seeing others being sick, choking on food, pregnancy (due to possibility of morning sickness), drowning, and 'social Phobia'.
I have treated well over two hundred people with Emetophobia - so it must be a very common Phobia indeed!. This Phobia seems to effect more women than men, and tends to have a very disabling effect on the sufferer; quite often the person has to avoid all places where there is a possibility of themselves (or others) being sick; pubs, restaurants, clubbing, eating in front of others etc. Because of the link between eating and being sick, the sufferer tends to be a little obsessive about what and where they will eat. A lot of sufferers tend to view being sick as 'horrible, dirty, yukky' etc, and so it is quite common for emetophobics to also have fears of other situations where they might feel the same way; going to the toilet (number twos), or the inability to urinate in front of others (shy bladder), or even just being a little bit sweaty. Nearly all the sufferers I have helped, have also had 'Social Phobia' (see below) (Sometimes called emetophobia, emetephobia, sick phobia, sickness phobia, vomiting phobia, fear of vomiting, fear of gagging, fear of swallowing, fear of choking, globus hystericus)
COPROPHOBIA or CORPOROPHOBIA - fear of going to the loo (passing faeces) Aka: toilet phobia
A fear of anything related to shit/shitting, toilets, public toilets, being heard going to the toilet, feeling unclean or dirty generally. Another fairly common Phobia. Typically the sufferer would find it difficult (if not impossible) to use a public loo. A lot of the time the fear is specifically of losing bowel control - in public. Quite often the sufferer has very precise routines they have to adhere to - in order to be able to go to the loo.
Sometimes people with coprophobia/coporophobia use laxatives to avoid the feeling of going to the loo, and sometimes they might even 'auto-disempact' - which I hope is self explanitory!
SOCIAL PHOBIA (SCOPOPHOBIA)- a fear of embarassing, or humiliating 'on the spot' type situations (in public) Aka: social anxiety, social anxiety disorder, fear of being judged
SOCIAL PHOBIA is probably the most common phobia there is; a pervasive fear of any situation where the sufferer is likely to feel 'on the spot', embarassed, humiliated or judged - for example; dinner parties, public speaking, interviews, appearing in court, singing, stuttering etc Associated symptoms: sensitivity to criticism, neagtive self image, fear of rejection, difficulty in being assertive and feelings of inferiority . On a more general level, the social phobic worries continuously about how others 'see' them, and what others may think about them - it is not surprising then that the sufferer usually spends a lot of time creating the image they want others to see. Usually the social phobic is quite adept at concealing their anxiety from others, although there is quite often a difficulty in maintaining eye contact.
In a clinical setting (in the U.S.A.) somewhere between 3 and 13% of people had social phobia. Social phobia generally starts in the mid -teens (although it often follows on from just being 'shy') or can be triggered off by a particularly embarassing event. As with all phobias, stress (or the lack of it) will have a significant effect on the 'strength' of the anxiety created. In the D.S.M.4 (the Mental Health 'Bible') the main criteria for social phobia is listed as; A marked and persistent fear of one or more social or performance situations in which the person is exposed to unfamiliar people or to possible scrutiny by others. The individual fears that he/she will act in a way that will be humiliating or embarassing .
Some symptoms that may appear alongside (or be caused by) social phobia or social anxiety are..... A fear of public speaking A fear of talking on the telephone A fear of writing in front of someone (even signing a cheque!) Blushing, or a fear of blushing Stuttering or stammering A lack of confidence Working too hard (to please others) Setting unachieveably high standards (and feeling bad when they are not met) A preoccupation with how you look: perfecting an image you want others to see (NOT vanity - this is about trying to 'blend in') Certain twiches or 'tics' Shy bladder (men) not being able to pee, when on the spot Certain sexual inhibitions - due to 'performance anxiety' Repeated failure of driving test - due to 'performance anxiety' A persistant fear of failure, or 'not making the grade'
Basically any situation in life where you might feel embarrassed, on the spot, judged, silly out of control etc.
SHY BLADDER - the inability to urinate in front of others Aka: paruresis, stage fright, toilet anxiety, toilet phobia
Shy bladder is one of the most common symptoms that men consult me for. Men with shy bladder (and it is usually only men who get shy bladder - for obvious reasons) have a great difficulty peeing in front of other people, or in a place that they are unfamiliar with. As with all phobias, the severity of the symptoms can change from person to person, and also fluctuate depending on the persons stress level. i.e. some men find it a little difficult to pee in a crowded toilet, some can only pee in their own toilet (causing great difficulties - because the person has to come home from work, just to have a pee). Due to the embarassing nature of the symptom, it is rare that a man would consult his G.P. with the problem - and because of this, there is very little written on the subject.
A Abuse: sexual - Contreltophobia Accidents - Dystychiphobia Air - Anemophobia Air swallowing - Aerophobia Airborne noxious substances - Aerophobia Airsickness - Aeronausiphobia Alcohol - Methyphobia or Potophobia Alone, being - Autophobia or Monophobia Alone, being or solitude - Isolophobia Amnesia - Amnesiphobia Anger - Cholerophobia Angina - Anginophobia Animals - Zoophobia Animals, skins of or fur - Doraphobia Animals, wild - Agrizoophobia Ants - Myrmecophobia Anything new - Neophobia Asymmetrical things - Asymmetriphobia Atomic Explosions - Atomosophobia Automobile, being in a moving - Ochophobia Automobiles- Motorphobia
B Bacteria - Bacteriophobia Bald people - Peladophobia Bald, becoming - Phalacrophobia Bathing - Ablutophobia Beards - Pogonophobia Beaten by a rod or instrument of punishment, or of being severely criticized - Rhabdophobia Beautiful women - Caligynephobia Beds or going to bed - Clinophobia Bees - Apiphobia or Melissophobia Bicycles - Cyclophobia Birds - Ornithophobia Black - Melanophobia Blindness in a visual field - Scotomaphobia Blood - Hemophobia, Hemaphobia or Hematophobia Blushing or the color red - Erythrophobia, Erytophobia or Ereuthophobia Body odors - Osmophobia or Osphresiophobia Body, things to the left side of the body - Levophobia Body, things to the right side of the body - Dextrophobia Bogeyman or bogies - Bogyphobia Bolsheviks - Bolshephobia Books - Bibliophobia Bound or tied up - Merinthophobia Bowel movements: painful - Defecaloesiophobia Brain disease - Meningitophobia Bridges or of crossing them - Gephyrophobia Buildings: being close to high buildings - Batophobia Bullets - Ballistophobia Bulls - Taurophobia Bums or beggars - Hobophobia Burglars, or being harmed by wicked persons - Scelerophobia Buried alive, being or cemeteries - Taphephobia or Taphophobia
C Cancer - Cancerophobia, Carcinophobia Car or vehicle, riding in - Amaxophobia Cats - Aclurophobia, Ailurophobia, Elurophobia, Felinophobia, Galeophobia, or Gatophobia Celestial spaces - Astrophobia Cemeteries - Coimetrophobia Cemeteries or being buried alive - Taphephobia or Taphophobia Ceremonies, religious - Teleophobia Changes, making; moving - Tropophobia or Metathesiophobia Chickens - Alektorophobia Child, bearing a deformed; deformed people - Teratophobia Childbirth - Maleusiophobia, Tocophobia, Parturiphobia, or Lockiophobia Children - Pedophobia Chinese or Chinese culture - Sinophobia Chins - Geniophobia Choking or being smothered - Pnigophobia or Pnigerophobia Choking - Anginophobia Cholera - Chorophobia Church - Ecclesiophobia Clocks - Chronomentrophobia Clocks or time - Chronophobia Clothing - Vestiphobia Clouds - Nephophobia Clowns - Coulrophobia Coitus - Coitophobia Cold or cold things - Frigophobia Cold: extreme, ice or frost - Cryophobia Cold - Cheimaphobia, Cheimatophobia, Psychrophobia or Psychropophobia Color purple - Porphyrophobia Color red or blushing - Erythrophobia, Erytophobia or Ereuthophobia Color yellow - Xanthophobia Color white - Leukophobia Colors - Chromophobia or Chromatophobia Comets - Cometophobia Computers or working on computers - Cyberphobia Confined spaces - Claustrophobia Constipation - Coprastasophobia Contamination, dirt or infection - Molysmophobia or Molysomophobia Contamination with dirt or germs - Misophobia or Mysophobia Cooking - Mageirocophobia Corpses - Necrophobia Cosmic Phenomenon - Kosmikophobia Creepy, crawly things - Herpetophobia Criticized severely, or beaten by rod or instrument of punishment - Rhabdophobia Criticism - Enissophobia Crosses or the crucifix - Staurophobia Crossing streets - Agyrophobia or Dromophobia Crowded public places like markets - Agoraphobia Crowds or mobs - Enochlophobia, Demophobia or Ochlophobia Crucifix, the or crosses - Staurophobia Crystals or glass - Crystallohobia
D Dampness, moisture or liquids - Hygrophobia Dancing - Chorophobia Dark or night - Nyctophobia Dark place, being in - Lygophobia Darkness - Achluophobia or Myctophobia, or Scotophobia Dawn or daylight - Eosophobia Daylight or sunshine - Phengophobia Death or dying - Thanatophobia Death or dead things - Necrophobia Decaying matter - Seplophobia Decisions: making decisions - Decidophobia Defeat - Kakorrhaphiophobia Deformed people or bearing a deformed child - Teratophobia Deformity or unattractive body image - Dysmorphophobia Demons - Demonophobia or Daemonophobia Dental surgery - Odontophobia Dentists - Dentophobia Dependence on others - Soteriophobia Depth - Bathophobia Diabetes - Diabetophobia Dining or dinner conservations - Delpnophobia Dirt, contamination or infection - Molysmophobia or Molysomophobia Dirt or germs, being contaminated with - Misophobia or mysophobia Dirt or filth - Rhypophobia or Rupophobia Dirty, being dirty or personal filth - Automysophobia Disease - Nosophobia, Nosemaphobia or Pathophobia Disease and suffering - Panthophobia Disease, a definite - Monopathophobia Disease, brain - Meningitophobia Disease: kidney - Albuminurophobia Disease, rectal - Rectophobia Dizziness or vertigo when looking down - Illyngophobia Dizziness or whirlpools - Dinophobia Doctor, going to the - Iatrophobia Doctrine, challeges to or radical deviation from official - Heresyphobia or Hereiophobia Dogs or rabies - Cynophobia Dolls - Pediophobia Double vision - Diplophobia Drafts - Aerophobia or Anemophobia Dreams, wet - Oneirogmophobia Dreams - Oneirophobia Drinking - Dipsophobia Drugs, new - Neopharmaphobia Drugs or taking medicine - Pharmacophobia Dryness- Xerophobia Dust- Amathophobia or Koniophobia Duty or responsibility, neglecting - Paralipophobia Dying or death - Thanatophobia
E Eating or swallowing - Phagophobia Eating or food - Sitophobia or Sitiophobia Eating or swallowing or of being eaten - Phagophobia Eight, the number - Octophobia Electricity - Electrophobia Englishness - Anglophobia Erect penis - Medorthophobia Erection, losing an - Medomalacuphobia Everything - Panophobia, Panphobia, Pamphobia, or Pantophobia Eyes - Ommetaphobia or Ommatophobia Eyes, opening one's - Optophobia
F Fabrics, certain - Textophobia Failure - Atychiphobia or Kakorrhaphiophobia Fainting - Asthenophobia Fatigue - Kopophobia Fearful situations: being preferred by a phobic - Counterphobia Feathers or being tickled by feathers - Pteronophobia Fecal matter, feces - Coprophobia or Scatophobia Female genitals - Kolpophobia Female genitalia - Eurotophobia Fever - Febriphobia, Fibriphobia, Fidriophobia or Pyrexiophobia Filth or dirt - Rhypophobia Fire - Arsonphobia or Pyrophobia Firearms - Hoplophobia Fish - Ichthyophobia Flogging or punishment - Mastigophobia Floods - Antlophobia Flowers - Anthrophobia or Anthophobia Flutes - Aulophobia Flying - Aviophobia or Aviatophobia or Pteromerhanophobia Fog - Homichlophobia or Nebulaphobia Food or eating - Sitophobia or Sitiophobia Food - Cibophobia Foreigners or strangers - Xenophobia Forests or wooden objects - Xylophobia Forests - Hylophobia Forests, dark wooded area, of at night - Nyctohylophobia Forgetting or being forgotten - Athazagoraphobia France or French culture - Francophobia, Gallophobia or Galiphobia Freedom - Eleutherophobia Friday the 13th - Paraskavedekatriaphobia Frogs - Batrachophobia Frost, ice or extreme cold - Cryophobia Frost or ice - Pagophobia Functioning or work: surgeon's fear of operating - Ergasiophobia Fur or skins of animals - Doraphobia
G Gaiety - Cherophobia Garlic - Alliumphobia Genitals, particularly female - Kolpophobia Genitalia, female - Eurotophobia Germans or German culture - Germanophobia or Teutophobia Germs or dirt, being contaminated with - Misophobia or mysophobia Germs - Verminophobia Ghosts or specters - Spectrophobia Ghosts - Phasmophobia Girls, young or virgins - Parthenophobia Glass or crystals - Crystallophobia Glass - Hyelophobia, Hyalophobia or Nelophobia Gloomy place, being in - Lygophobia God or gods - Zeusophobia Gods or religion - Theophobia Gold - Aurophobia Good news, hearing good news - Euphobia Gravity - Barophobia Greek or Greek culture - Hellophobia Greek terms - Hellenologophobia
H Hair - Chaetophobia, Trichopathophobia, Trichophobia, or Hypertrichophobia Halloween - Samhainophobia Handwriting - Graphophobia Harmed by wicked persons; bad men or burglars - Scelerophobia Heart - Cardiophobia Heat - Thermophobia Heaven - Ouranophobia or Uranophobia Heights - Acrophobia, Altophobia, Batophobia, Hypsiphobia or Hyposophobia Hell - Hadephobia, Stygiophobia or Stigiophobia Heredity - Patroiophobia Holy things - Hagiophobia Home - Ecophobia Home surroundings or a house - Oikophobia Home, returning - Nostophobia Home surroundings - Eicophobia Homosexuality or of becoming homosexual - Homophobia Horses - Equinophobia or Hippophobia Hospitals - Nosocomephobia House or home surroundings - Oikophobia Houses or being in a house - Domatophobia Hurricanes and tornadoes - Lilapsophobia Hypnotized, being or of sleep - Hypnophobia
I Ice or frost - Pagophobia Ice, frost or extreme cold - Cryophobia Ideas - Ideophobia Ignored, being - Athazagoraphobia Imperfection - Atelophobia Inability to stand - Basiphobia or Basophobia Infection, contamination or dirt - Molysmophobia or Molysomophobia Infinity - Apeirophobia Injections - Trypanophobia Injury - Traumatophobia Insanity, dealing with - Lyssophobia Insanity - Dementophobia or Maniaphobia Insects - Acarophobia or Entomophobia or Insectophobia Insects that eat wood - Isopterophobia Insects that cause itching - Acarophobia Itching - Acarophobia
J Japanese or Japanese culture - Japanophobia Jealousy - Zelophobia Jews - Judeophobia Joint immobility - Ankylophobia Jumping from high and low places - Catapedaphobia Justice - Dikephobia
K Kidney disease - Albuminurophobia Kissing - Philemaphobia or Philematophobia Knees - Genuphobia Knowledge - Gnosiophobia or Epistemophobia
L Lakes - Limnophobia Large things - Megalophobia Laughter - Geliophobia Lawsuits - Liticaphobia Learning - Sophophobia Left-handed; objects at the left side of the body - Sinistrophobia Leprosy - Leprophobia or Lepraphobia Lice - Pediculophobia or Phthiriophobia Light - Photophobia Light flashes - Selaphobia Lightning and thunder - Brontophobia or Karaunophobia Lights, glaring - Photoaugliaphobia Liquids, dampness or moisture - Hygrophobia Locked in an enclosed place - Cleithrophobia, Cleisiophobia, or Clithrophobia Lockjaw or tetanus - Tetanophobia Loneliness or of being oneself - Eremophobia or Eremiphobia Looking up - Anablephobia or Anablepophobia Loud noises - Ligyrophobia Love, sexual love - Erotophobia Love play - Malaxophobia or Sarmassophobia Love, falling or being in - Philophobia
M Machines - Mechanophobia Mad, becoming - Lyssophobia Many things - Polyphobia Marriage - Gamophobia Materialism - Hylephobia Matter, decaying - Seplophobia Meat - Carnophobia Medicine, taking; or drugs - Pharmacophobia Medicines, mercurial - Hydrargyophobia Memories- Mnemophobia Men, bad or burglars or being harmed by wicked persons - Scelerophobia Men - Androphobia or Arrhenphobia or Hominophobia Menstruation - Menophobia Mercurial medicines - Hydrargyophobia Metal - Metallophobia Meteors - Meteorophobia Mice - Musophobia, Murophobia or Suriphobia Microbes - Bacillophobia or Microbiophobia Mind - Psychophobia Mirrors or seeing oneself in a mirror - Eisoptrophobia Mirrors - Catoptrophobia Missles - Ballistophobia Mobs or crowds - Demophobia, Enochlophobia or Ochlophobia Moisture, dampness or liquids - Hygrophobia Money - Chrometophobia or Chrematophobia Moon - Selenophobia Mother-in-law - Pentheraphobia Moths - Mottephobia Motion or movement - Kinetophobia or Kinesophobia Moving or making changes - Tropophobia Moving automobile or vehicle, being in - Ochophobia Muscular incoordination (Ataxia) - Ataxiophobia Mushrooms - Mycophobia Music - Melophobia Myths or stories or false statements - Mythophobia
N Names or hearing a certain name - Onomatophobia Names - Nomatophobia Narrow things or places - Stenophobia Narrowness - Anginophobia Needles - Aichmophobia or Belonephobia New, anything or novel - Kainophobia, Kainolophobia, Cenophobia, Centophobia, or Neophobia Newness - Cainophobia, Cenophobia, Centophobia, or Cainotophobia News: hearing good news - Euphobia Night or dark - Nyctophobia Night - Noctiphobia Noise - Acousticophobia Noises, loud - Ligyrophobia Noises or voices, speaking aloud, or telephones - Phonophobia Northern lights - Auroraphobia Nosebleeds - Epistaxiophobia Novelty or anything new - Kainophobia or Kainolophobia Novelty - Cainophobia or Cainotophobia Nuclear weapons - Nucleomituphobia Nudity - Gymnophobia or Nudophobia Number 8 - Octophobia Number 13 - Triskadekaphobia Numbers - Arithmophobia or Numerophobia
O Objects, small - Tapinophobia Ocean or sea - Thalassophobia Odor, personal - Bromidrosiphobia, Bromidrophobia, Osmophobia or Osphresiophobia Odor, that one has a vile odor - Autodysomophobia Odors or smells - Olfactophobia Official doctrine, challeges to or radical deviation from - Heresyphobia or Hereiophobia Old people - Gerontophobia Old, growing - Gerascophobia or Gerontophobia Open spaces - Agoraphobia Open high places - Aeroacrophobia Operation, surgical - Tomophobia Opinions - Allodoxaphobia Others, dependence on - Soteriophobia Otters - Lutraphobia Outer space - Spacephobia
P Pain - Algiophobia, Ponophobia, Odynophobia or Odynephobia Paper - Papyrophobia Parasites - Parasitophobia Parents-in-law - Soceraphobia Peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth - Arachibutyrophobia Pellagra - Pellagrophobia Penis, erect - Medorthophobia Penis, esp erect - Phallophobia Penis, erect: seeing, thinking about or having - Ithyphallophobia Penis, losing an erection - Medomalacuphobia People - Anthropophobia People in general or society - Sociophobia People, deformed or bearing a deformed child - Teratophobia Philosophy - Philsosphobia Phobias - Phobophobia Phobic prefering fearful situations - Counterphobia Pins and needles - Belonephobia Pins - Enetophobia Place: locked in an enclosed place - Cleithrophobia, Cleisiophobia, or Clithrophobia Place, being in a dark or gloomy - Lygophobia Places, certain - Topophobia Places, crowded public - Agora[phobia Places, open high - Aeroacrophobia Places or things, narrow - Stenophobia Plants - Botonophobia Pleasure, feeling - Hedonophobia Poetry - Metrophobia Pointed objects - Aichmophobia Poison - Iophobia Poisoned, being - Toxiphobia, Toxophobia, or Toxicophobia Poliomyelitis, contracting - Poliosophobia Politicians - Politicophobia Pope - Papaphobia Poverty - Peniaphobia Precipices - Cremnophobia Priests or sacred things - Hierophobia Progress - Prosophobia Property - Orthophobia Prostitutes or venereal disease - Cypridophobia, Cypriphobia, Cyprianophobia, or Cyprinophobia Punishment or flogging - Mastigophobia Punishment by a rod or other instrument, or of being severely criticized - Rhabdophobia Punishment - Poinephobia Puppets - Pupaphobia Purple, color - Porphyrophobia
R Rabies - Cynophobia, Hydrophobophobia, Hydrophobia, Kynophobia, or Lyssophobia Radiation or x-rays - Radiophobia Railroads or train travel - Siderodromophobia Rain - Ombrophobia or Pluviophobia Rape - Virginitiphobia Rat, great mole - Zemmiphobia Relatives - Syngenesophobia Religion or gods - Theophobia Religious ceremonies - Teleophobia Reptiles - Herpetophobia Responsibility or duty, neglecting - Paralipophobia Responsibility - Hypengyophobia or Hypegiaphobia Ridiculed, being - Catagelophobia or Katagelophobia Rivers - Potamphobia or Potamophobia Road travel or travel - Hodophobia Robbers or being robbed - Harpaxophobia Rooms, empty - Cenophobia or Centophobia Rooms - Koinoniphobia Ruin - Atephobia Running water - Potamophobia Russians - Russophobia
S Sacred things or priests - Hierophobia Satan - Satanophobia Scabies - Scabiophobia School, going to school - Didaskaleinophobia School - Scolionophobia Scientific terminology, complex - Hellenologophobia Scratches or being scratched - Amychophobia Sea or ocean - Thalassophobia Self, seeing oneself in a mirror - Eisoptrophobia Self, personal odor - Bromidrosiphobia or Bromidrophobia Self, being alone - Autophobia, Eremophobia, Eremiphobia or Isolophobia Self, being dirty - Automysophobia Self, being oneself - Autophobia Self, being seen or looked at - Scopophobia or Scoptophobia Self, being touched - Aphenphosmphobia Self, that one has a vile odor - Autodysomophobia Semen - Spermatophobia or Spermophobia Sermons - Homilophobia Sex - Genophobia Sex, opposite - Heterophobia or Sexophobia Sexual abuse - Agraphobia or Contreltophobia Sexual intercourse - Coitophobia Sexual love or sexual questions - Erotophobia Sexual perversion - Paraphobia Shadows - Sciophobia or Sciaphobia Shellfish - Ostraconophobia Shock - Hormephobia Sin or of having committted an unpardonable sin - Enosiophobia or Enissophobia Sin - Hamartophobia Single: staying single - Anuptaphobia Sinning - Peccatophobia Sitting down - Kathisophobia Sitting - Cathisophobia or Thaasophobia Situations, certain - Topophobia Skin disease - Dermatosiophobia Skin lesions - Dermatophobia Skin of animals, fur- Doraphobia Sleep - Somniphobia Sleep or being hypnotized - Hypnophobia Slime - Blennophobia or Myxophobia Small things - Microphobia, Mycrophobia or Tapinophobia Smells or odors - Olfactophobia Smothered, being or choking - Pnigophobia or Pnigerophobia Snakes - Ophidiophobia or Snakephobia Snow - Chionophobia Social (fear of being evaluated negatively in social situations) - Social Phobia Society or people in general - Anthropophobia or Sociophobia Solitude - Monophobia Sounds - Acousticophobia Sourness - Acerophobia Space, closed or locked in an enclosed space - Cleithrophobia, Cleisiophobia, Clithrophobia Space, outer- Spacephobia Spaces, confined - Claustrophobia Spaces, empty - Cenophobia, Centophobia or Kenophobia Spaces, open- Agoraphobia Speak, trying to- Glossophobia Speaking - Laliophobia or Lalophobia Speaking aloud, voices or noises, or telephones - Phonophobia Speaking in public - Glossophobia Specters or ghosts - Spectrophobia Speed - Tachophobia Spiders - Arachnephobia or Arachnophobia Spirits - Pneumatiphobia Stage fright - Topophobia Stairs or climbing stairs - Climacophobia Stand, inability to - Basiphobia or Basophobia Standing upright - Basistasiphobia or Basostasophobia Standing up - Stasiphobia Standing up and walking - Stasibasiphobia Stared at, being - Ophthalmophobia Stars - Siderophobia or Astrophobia Statements, false or myths or stories - Mythophobia Staying single - Anuptaphobia Stealing - Cleptophobia or Kleptophobia Step-father - Vitricophobia Step-mother - Novercaphobia Stings - Cnidophobia or Linonophobia Stooping - Kyphophobia Strangers or foreigners - Xenophobia Streets, crossing streets - Dromophobia Streets - Agyrophobia String - Linonophobia Storm, thunder- Brontophobia Stuttering - Psellismophobia Sun or sunlight - Heliophobia Sunshine or daylight - Phengophobia Surgical operations - Tomophobia Swallowing or eating - Phagophobia Symbolism - Symbolophobia Syphillis (lues) - Luiphobia or Syphilophobia
T Tapeworms - Taeniophobia Taste - Geumaphobia or Geumophobia Technology - Technophobia Teeth - Odontophobia Termites - Isopterophobia Tests, taking - Testophobia Tetanus or lockjaw - Tetanophobia Theaters - Theatrophobia Theology - Theologicophobia Things, many - Polyphobia Things, large - Megalophobia Things or places, narrow - Stenophobia Things, small - Microphobia or Mycrophobia Thinking - Phronemophobia Thunder - Ceraunophobia Thunder and lightning - Astraphobia, Astrapophobia, Brontophobia or Keraunophobia Toads - Bufonophobia Tombstones - Placophobia Tornadoes and hurricanes - Lilapsophobia Touched, being touched - Aphenphosmphobia, Haphephobia or Haptephobia or Chiraptophobia Trains, railroads or train travel - Siderodromophobia Travel or road travel - Hodophobia Trees - Dendrophobia Trembling - Ttremophobia Tricinosis - Trichinophobia Tuberculosis - Phthisiophobia or Tuberculophobia Tyrants - Tyrannophobia
U Ugliness - Cacophobia Undressing in front of someone - Dishabillophobia Urine or urinating - Urophobia
V Vaccination - Vaccinophobia Vegetables - Lachanophobia Venereal disease or prostitutes - Cypridophobia, Cypriphobia, Cyprianophobia, or Cyprinophobia Ventriloquist's dummy - Automatonophobia Vision: double vision - Diplophobia Voices or noises, speaking aloud or telephones - Phonophobia Voids or empty spaces - Kenophobia Vomiting secondary to airsickness - Aeronausiphobia Vomiting - Emetophobia
W Waits, long - Macrophobia Walking - Ambulophobia, Basistasiphobia or Basostasophobia Washing - Abultophobia Wasps - Spheksophobia Water - Hydrophobia Waves or wave like motions - Cymophobia or Kymophobia Wax statues - Automatonophobia Weakness - Asthenophobia Wealth - Plutophobia Weapons, nuclear - Nucleomituphobia Weight, gaining - Obesophobia or Pocrescophobia Wind - Ancraophobia or Anemophobia Wine - Oenophobia Witches and Witchcraft - Wiccaphobia Women - Gynephobia or Gynophobia Wooden objects or forests - Xylophobia Words - Logophobia or Verbophobia Words, long- Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia or Sesquipedalophobia Work - Ergophobia or Ponophobia Worms - Scoleciphobia Worms, being infested with - Helminthophobia Wrinkles, getting - Rhytiphobia Writing - Graphophobia Writing in public - Scriptophobia