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40 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Fears can be the most powerful things in the world. Almost every single human being suffers from at least one, in not a multitude. There are the occasional fearless souls out there, but they're in a different realm of reality, where books are written about all their adventures. But for the rest of us hovering in the ether of normality, fears are quite commonplace, and can really affect your day-to-day life.

As anyone with claustrophobia will know, the elevator is never an option, no matter how many floors up you're going. Agoraphobics tend to choose not to leave their homes for weeks, even months on end. It turns out they're not alone. Here are 40 random and in some cases, amusing phobias out there, some of which you may actually encounter!

 

1. Arithmophobia - Fear of numbers

Arithmophobia, Fear of numbers, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

I think I had this particular problem through the entirety of my childhood. 

 

2. Ephebiphobia - Fear of youths

Ephebiphobia, Fear of youths, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

Now, this is a fear that grows stronger every year! They’re increasing in numbers. I can't hold back a shudder.  

 

3. Selenophobia - Fear of moons

Selenophobia, Fear of moons, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

Every werewolf ever has suffered from this ailment.

 

4. Anuptaphobia - Fear of being single

Anuptaphobia , Fear of being single, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

Well, to be fair, I think most people have this fear for a while. Ages 16 to 30 especially.

 

5. Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia - Fear of the number 666

Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia, Fear of the number 666, Devil, Demon, Satan, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

Is there a word that means “fear of the word that means fear of the number 666”? Because I think I have that now. 

 

6. Venustraphobia - Fear of beautiful women

Venustraphobia, Fear of beautiful women, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

There is a good percentage of the male and female population that have this one. It’s also known as “Caligynephobia” and “Gynephobia”.

 

7. Spectrophobia - Fear of one’s own reflection

Spectrophobia, Fear of one’s own reflection, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

Somehow, I feel like everyone can relate to this one. So many mirrors are just so unkind! Not to mention every horror movie ever has that one mirror scene that haunts you forever. 

 

8. Genuphobia - Fear of knees

Genuphobia, Fear of knees, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

Here’s another fear I’m pretty sure I have, which may also be the reason why I refuse to own any shorts. 

 

9. Ablutophobia - Fear of bathing

Ablutophobia, Fear of bathing, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

This seems like a perfectly valid fear, but also a major contributor to mass BO (body odor) problems. 

 

10. Allodoxaphobia - Fear of opinions

Allodoxaphobia, Fear of opinions, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

If you’re an opinionated person, you probably have a lot of friends with this problem! 

 

11. Sesquipedalophobia - Fear of long words

Sesquipedalophobia, Fear of long words, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

Oh. The cruel irony. 

 

12. Arachibutyrophobia - Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth

Arachibutyrophobia, Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

I fully understand and appreciate this fear. Why would they create something so delicious yet so sticky! 

 

13. Koumpounophobia – Fear of buttons

Koumpounophobia, Fear of buttons, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

Clothes with buttons are strictly to be avoided. It’s time to move on to the age of velcro! 

 

14. Globophobia - Fear of balloons 

Globophobia, Fear of balloons, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

To be fair, this is everyone’s worst nightmare at birthday parties with small children.

 

15. Athazagoraphobia - Fear of being forgotten or ignored, and fear of forgetting

Athazagoraphobia, Fear of being forgotten or ignored and fear of forgetting, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

The latter is genuine fear, yet a blessing sometimes, I feel. As for the former, I heard a phrase recently that sums it up pretty well: FOMO - Fear Of Missing Out. Missing out on what, you ask? Everything!   

 

16. Taphophobia - Fear of being buried alive 

Taphophobia, Fear of being buried alive, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

The horror story “The Premature Burial”, by Edgar Allen Poe was about a person with this fear, because it was an extremely common fear in the mid 1800’s. 

 

17. Nomophobia - Fear of not having access to cellphones 

Nomophobia, Fear of not having access to cellphones, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

This is a fear common to basically every millennial ever. 

 

18. Phagophobia - Fear of swallowing 

Phagophobia, Fear of swallowing, Pills, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

This is not to be confused with “Dysphagia” which is a fear of swallowing pills!

 

19. Hylophobia - Fear of trees

Hylophobia, Fear of trees, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

This fear actually directly translates to a fear of Forests or woods (both “Hylo” and “Phobia” are derived from Greek words”, and is based on a fear of being attacked in a forest. 

 

20. Trypophobia - Fear of holes

Trypophobia, Fear of holes, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

To be more specific, this is actually a fear of cluster of holes forming irregular patterns. It’s an oddly specific phobia.

 

21. Domatophobia - Fear of houses

Domatophobia, Fear of houses, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

This word means both fear of houses and fear of being in houses. I had this for a while after watching the movie Monster House (2006). It is also known as Oikophobia. 

 

22. Megalophobia - Fear of large things

Megalophobia, Fear of large things, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

Someone with this fear would never be able to go to Texas. Or enjoy a Jules Verne novel. 

 

23. Euphobia - Fear of hearing or breaking good news 

Euphobia, Fear of hearing or breaking good news, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

I think this fear may also be accompanied by a heavy fear of bad news.  

 

24. Mythophobia - Fear of Myths or stories or false statements 

Mythophobia, Fear of Myths or stories or false statements, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

Anyone suffering from this would be drastically missing out on some incredibly fun stories from Greek Mythology.

 

25. Uranophobia - Fear of heaven 

Uranophobia, Fear of heaven, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

I can see how going to the land of giant winged and haloed people can be scary. But to be honest, I’m more afraid of not getting in! 

 

26. Dextrophobia - Fear of having objects to your right 

Dextrophobia, Fear of having objects to your right, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

Though this word applies to having anything on your right and even the right side of the body, I can appreciate this sentiment most when I’m driving.

 

27. Geliophobia - Fear of laughter 

Geliophobia, Fear of laughter, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

This fear scares me. Imagine being afraid of laughter. You could never switch on the television again. 

 

28. Chaetophobia - Fear of hair 

Chaetophobia, Fear of hair, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

This seems perfectly rational. It gets everywhere. It clogs up the drain pipes. And it just refuses to stay neat. 

 

29. Octophobia - Fear of the number 8

Octophobia, Fear of the number 8, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

I don’t even… I mean… What? 

 

30. Kathisophobia - Fear of sitting down 

Kathisophobia, Fear of sitting down, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

My god. Would you just be standing all day? Or lying down? The second one doesn’t sound half bad. 

 

31. Neophobia - Fear of new things and experiences 

Neophobia, Fear of new things and experiences, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

I am 100% sure I have this along with 85% of the rest of the world. New things are absolutely terrifying.

 

32. Aulophobia - Fear of flutes 

Aulophobia, Fear of flutes, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

Why flutes specifically? Do all other woodwind instruments get a pass? 

 

33. Peladophobia - Fear of bald people 

Peladophobia, Fear of bald people, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

This fear is probably a justified reaction to a bad Bruce Willis movie. 

 

34. Somniphobia - Fear of falling asleep

Somniphobia, Fear of falling asleep, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

Imagine if your waking nightmare was falling asleep. What would your actual nightmares be? 

 

35. Turophobia - Fear of cheese 

Turophobia, Fear of cheese, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

I could never live with this fear. How can you be afraid of something so delicious? 

 

36. Gephyrophobia - Fear of Bridges

Gephyrophobia, Fear of Bridges, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

This is an absolutely legitimate fear. Especially if you combine it with the fear of being pushed off a bridge. 

 

37. Ebulliophobia - Fear of bubbles

Ebulliophobia, Fear of bubbles, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

Who could be scared of bubbles? I mean. The soap could get in your eyes and burn. But that's the worst case scenario and bubbles are so fun! 

 

38. Balenephobia - Fear of pins and needles

Balenephobia, Fear of pins and needles, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

I suppose a strong dislike wouldn’t amount to a fear, but I can still understand and appreciate this one. 

 

39. Barophobia - Fear of gravity 

Barophobia, Fear of gravity, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

I like to believe that this fear stems from a burning desire to fly or at least float. Or maybe the 2013 Sandra Bullock movie "Gravity" didn’t sit well with someone.   

 

40. Heliophobia - Fear of sunlight

Heliophobia, Fear of sunlight, Fears, Phobias, Claustrophobia, Anxiety, Mental Health

Fun fact for all fantasy-fiction fans out there: All vampires are heliophobics.

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