Situational Phobias

Fear of enclosed spaces, flying, driving, heights, and other situational triggers. These phobias often develop after a traumatic event and respond well to exposure therapy.

Situational

Claustrophobia

The fear of enclosed or confined spaces. People with claustrophobia may panic in elevators, MRI machines, crowded rooms, or any space that feels inescapable.

Prevalence: ~12%

Situational

Aerophobia

The fear of flying. One of the most economically impactful phobias, aerophobia prevents millions from traveling by air and can severely limit career and personal opportunities.

Prevalence: ~25%

Situational

Agoraphobia

Fear of situations where escape might be difficult or help unavailable during a panic attack. Often mischaracterized as 'fear of open spaces,' it is more accurately a fear of being trapped without help.

Prevalence: ~2%

Situational

Iatrophobia

The fear of doctors or medical environments. A medically dangerous phobia — it causes people to delay or avoid seeking care, sometimes with fatal consequences.

Prevalence: ~3%

Situational

Elevatophobia

The specific fear of elevators — a subset of claustrophobia. Many people who are otherwise fine in enclosed spaces experience intense panic specifically in elevators due to the combination of confinement, height, and mechanical dependence.

Prevalence: ~6%

Situational

Aichmophobia

Fear of needles or pointed objects.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Agyrophobia

Fear of crossing streets.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Ambulophobia

Fear of walking.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Anthophobia

Fear of flowers.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Apeirophobia

Fear of infinity.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Arithmophobia

Fear of numbers.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Atelophobia

Fear of imperfection.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Athazagoraphobia

Fear of being forgotten.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Automatonophobia

Fear of humanoid figures (mannequins, robots).

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Aviatophobia

Fear of flying.

Prevalence: Very Common

Situational

Barophobia

Fear of gravity.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Basiphobia

Fear of falling.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Bathmophobia

Fear of stairs.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Bathophobia

Fear of depth.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Bibliophobia

Fear of books.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Botanophobia

Fear of plants.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Cacophobia

Fear of ugliness.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Carnophobia

Fear of meat.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Cathisophobia

Fear of sitting.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Cenophobia

Fear of empty spaces.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Ceraunophobia

Fear of thunder and lightning.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Chaetophobia

Fear of hair.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Chrometophobia

Fear of money.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Chromophobia

Fear of colors.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Chronophobia

Fear of time passing.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Cleithrophobia

Fear of being enclosed.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Climacophobia

Fear of climbing stairs.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Clinophobia

Fear of going to bed.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Coimetrophobia

Fear of cemeteries.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Coulrophobia

Fear of clowns.

Prevalence: Very Common

Situational

Cremnophobia

Fear of precipices.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Cyberphobia

Fear of computers.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Daemonophobia

Fear of demons.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Deipnophobia

Fear of dinner conversations.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Dementophobia

Fear of insanity.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Demophobia

Fear of crowds.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Didaskaleinophobia

Fear of school.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Dinophobia

Fear of dizziness.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Domatophobia

Fear of houses.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Doraphobia

Fear of fur.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Ecclesiophobia

Fear of church.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Eisoptrophobia

Fear of mirrors.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Electrophobia

Fear of electricity.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Enochlophobia

Fear of crowds.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Ereuthrophobia

Fear of blushing.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Erythrophobia

Fear of blushing or the color red.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Genuphobia

Fear of knees.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Geumaphobia

Fear of taste.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Graphophobia

Fear of writing.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Gymnophobia

Fear of nudity.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Hagiophobia

Fear of holy things.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Hamartophobia

Fear of sinning.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Harpaxophobia

Fear of being robbed.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Hedonophobia

Fear of pleasure.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia

Fear of the number 666.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Hierophobia

Fear of sacred objects.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia

Fear of long words.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Hodophobia

Fear of road travel.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Hoplophobia

Fear of firearms.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Hylophobia

Fear of forests.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Hypengyophobia

Fear of responsibility.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Hypsiphobia

Fear of heights (variant).

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Ideophobia

Fear of ideas.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Illyngophobia

Fear of vertigo.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Isolophobia

Fear of solitude.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Isopterophobia

Fear of termites.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Kakorrhaphiophobia

Fear of failure.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Kenophobia

Fear of voids.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Kinetophobia

Fear of movement.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Lachanophobia

Fear of vegetables.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Laliophobia

Fear of speaking (variant).

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Leukophobia

Fear of the color white.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Levophobia

Fear of objects on the left side.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Ligyrophobia

Fear of loud noises.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Linonophobia

Fear of string.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Liticaphobia

Fear of lawsuits.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Logophobia

Fear of words.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Lygophobia

Fear of darkness.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Macrophobia

Fear of long waits.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Mageirocophobia

Fear of cooking.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Mastigophobia

Fear of punishment.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Mechanophobia

Fear of machines.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Megalophobia

Fear of large things.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Melanophobia

Fear of the color black.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Melophobia

Fear of music.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Menophobia

Fear of menstruation.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Merinthophobia

Fear of being bound.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Metallophobia

Fear of metal.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Metathesiophobia

Fear of changes.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Methyphobia

Fear of alcohol.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Microphobia

Fear of small things.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Misophobia

Fear of contamination.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Mnemophobia

Fear of memories.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Motorphobia

Fear of automobiles.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Myctophobia

Fear of darkness (variant).

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Mythophobia

Fear of myths.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Neophobia

Fear of new things.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Nomatophobia

Fear of names.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Numerophobia

Fear of numbers.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Ochlophobia

Fear of mobs.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Octophobia

Fear of the number 8.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Odynophobia

Fear of pain.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Oikophobia

Fear of home surroundings.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Ombrophobia

Fear of rain.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Ommetaphobia

Fear of eyes.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Oneirophobia

Fear of dreams.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Onomatophobia

Fear of hearing certain words.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Optophobia

Fear of opening one's eyes.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Ouranophobia

Fear of heaven.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Panophobia

Fear of everything.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Papaphobia

Fear of the Pope.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Papyrophobia

Fear of paper.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Parthenophobia

Fear of virgins.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Peccatophobia

Fear of sinning.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Peladophobia

Fear of bald people.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Phasmophobia

Fear of ghosts.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Philemaphobia

Fear of kissing.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Phobophobia

Fear of phobias.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Placophobia

Fear of tombstones.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Plutophobia

Fear of wealth.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Pnigophobia

Fear of choking.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Pocrescophobia

Fear of gaining weight.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Porphyrophobia

Fear of the color purple.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Psellismophobia

Fear of stuttering.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Psychophobia

Fear of the mind.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Pteromerhanophobia

Fear of flying (variant).

Prevalence: Very Common

Situational

Pteronophobia

Fear of being tickled by feathers.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Pupaphobia

Fear of puppets.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Rhabdophobia

Fear of being severely criticized.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Russophobia

Fear of Russia.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Samhainophobia

Fear of Halloween.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Satanophobia

Fear of Satan.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Scelerophobia

Fear of burglars.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Sciophobia

Fear of shadows.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Scolionophobia

Fear of school.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Scotophobia

Fear of darkness.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Scriptophobia

Fear of writing in public.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Seplophobia

Fear of decaying matter.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Sesquipedalophobia

Fear of long words.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Siderodromophobia

Fear of trains.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Sinistrophobia

Fear of left-handedness.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Sitiophobia

Fear of food.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Soceraphobia

Fear of parents-in-law.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Somniphobia

Fear of sleep.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Spacephobia

Fear of outer space.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Spectrophobia

Fear of mirrors.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Stasibasiphobia

Fear of standing.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Staurophobia

Fear of crosses.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Stenophobia

Fear of narrow places.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Stygiophobia

Fear of hell.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Suriphobia

Fear of mice.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Symbolophobia

Fear of symbolism.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Symmetrophobia

Fear of symmetry.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Tachophobia

Fear of speed.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Taeniophobia

Fear of tapeworms.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Taphephobia

Fear of being buried alive.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Taurophobia

Fear of bulls.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Technophobia

Fear of technology.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Terdekaphobia

Fear of the number 13.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Tetraphobia

Fear of the number 4 (East Asian cultures).

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Theatrophobia

Fear of theaters.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Theophobia

Fear of God.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Topophobia

Fear of certain places.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Tremophobia

Fear of trembling.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Triskaidekaphobia

Fear of the number 13.

Prevalence: Very Common

Situational

Tropophobia

Fear of moving or making changes.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Tuberculophobia

Fear of tuberculosis.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Tyrannophobia

Fear of tyrants.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Uranophobia

Fear of heaven.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Venustraphobia

Fear of beautiful women.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Verbophobia

Fear of words.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Vestiphobia

Fear of clothing.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Vitricophobia

Fear of stepfather.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Wiccaphobia

Fear of witches and witchcraft.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Xanthophobia

Fear of the color yellow.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Xerophobia

Fear of dryness.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Xylophobia

Fear of wooden objects.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Zelophobia

Fear of jealousy.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Zeusophobia

Fear of God or gods.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Zemmiphobia

Fear of the great mole rat.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Anemophobia

Fear of air drafts.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Epistemophobia

Fear of knowledge.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Kainophobia

Fear of new things or novelty.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Eremophobia

Fear of being alone.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Ergasiophobia

Fear of work or functioning.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Euphobia

Fear of good news.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Eurotophobia

Fear of female genitalia.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Frigophobia

Fear of cold.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Geniophobia

Fear of chins.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Gephydrophobia

Fear of crossing bridges over water.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Geliophobia

Fear of laughter.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Gynephobia

Fear of women (variant).

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Hadephobia

Fear of hell.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Hominophobia

Fear of men.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Homophobia

Fear of sameness or homosexuality.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Hormephobia

Fear of shock.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Hyelophobia

Fear of glass.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Hygrophobia

Fear of liquids.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Hylephobia

Fear of materialism.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Japanophobia

Fear of Japan or Japanese culture.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Judeophobia

Fear of Jewish people.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Katagelophobia

Fear of ridicule.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Kathisophobia

Fear of sitting down.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Keraunothnetophobia

Fear of falling man-made satellites.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Kleptophobia

Fear of stealing.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Kolpophobia

Fear of genitals.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Kopophobia

Fear of fatigue.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Kymophobia

Fear of waves.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Kynophobia

Fear of rabies.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Logizomechanophobia

Fear of computers.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Luiphobia

Fear of syphilis.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Maieusiophobia

Fear of childbirth.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Medomalacuphobia

Fear of losing an erection.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Meningitophobia

Fear of meningitis.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Metrophobia

Fear of poetry.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Molysomophobia

Fear of infection.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Neopharmaphobia

Fear of new drugs.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Nosocomephobia (variant)

Fear of hospitals (variant).

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Odinophobia

Fear of pain during childbirth.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Olfactophobia

Fear of smells.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Ophthalmophobia (variant)

Fear of being stared at (variant).

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Paralipophobia

Fear of neglecting duty.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Paraphobia

Fear of sexual perversion.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Parasitophobia

Fear of parasites.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Pathophobia (variant)

Fear of disease (variant).

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Phengophobia

Fear of daylight.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Philosophobia

Fear of philosophy.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Photoaugliaphobia

Fear of glaring lights.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Phronemophobia

Fear of thinking.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Pneumatiphobia

Fear of spirits.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Proctophobia

Fear of rectal disease.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Prosophobia

Fear of progress.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Pyrexiophobia

Fear of fever.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Rectophobia

Fear of rectal disease (variant).

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Rhypophobia

Fear of defecation.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Rupophobia

Fear of dirt.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Samhainophobia (variant)

Fear of Halloween (variant).

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Sarmassophobia

Fear of love play.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Scabiophobia

Fear of scabies.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Scotomaphobia

Fear of blindness.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Selaphobia

Fear of light flashes.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Seplophobia (variant)

Fear of decaying matter (variant).

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Sexophobia

Fear of the opposite sex.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Sinophobia

Fear of China or Chinese culture.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Snakephobia

Fear of snakes (informal term).

Prevalence: Very Common

Situational

Sophophobia

Fear of learning.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Soteriophobia

Fear of dependence on others.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Spermatophobia

Fear of germs.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Syphilophobia

Fear of syphilis.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Tapinophobia

Fear of being contagious.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Teleophobia

Fear of religious ceremonies.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Textophobia

Fear of certain fabrics.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Tocophobia (variant)

Fear of childbirth (variant).

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Tomophobia (variant)

Fear of surgery (variant).

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Toxiphobia (variant)

Fear of poison (variant).

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Traumatophobia (variant)

Fear of injury (variant).

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Trichinophobia

Fear of trichinosis.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Trichopathophobia

Fear of hair.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Venereophobia

Fear of sexually transmitted diseases.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Virginitiphobia

Fear of rape.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Vomitophobia

Fear of vomiting (variant).

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Wiccaphobia (variant)

Fear of witches (variant).

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Xylophobia (variant)

Fear of wooden objects (variant).

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Zelophobia (variant)

Fear of jealousy (variant).

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Zoophobia (variant)

Fear of animals (variant).

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Achluophobia

Fear of darkness.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Acousticophobia

Fear of noise.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Open Agoraphobia

Fear of open spaces.

Prevalence: Common

Situational

Aurophobia

Fear of gold.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Aulophobia

Fear of flutes.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Bibliophobia (variant)

Fear of books (variant).

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Carnophobia (variant)

Fear of meat (variant).

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Chromophobia (variant)

Fear of colors (variant).

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Crystallophobia

Fear of crystals or glass.

Prevalence: Rare

Situational

Cleptophobia

Fear of stealing.

Prevalence: Uncommon

Situational

Demonophobia

Fear of demons (variant).

Prevalence: Common