Phobias are one of the most common types of anxiety disorders. In fact, NHS Inform estimates that approximately 10 million people in the UK are currently living with a phobia.
Although society tends to throw around labels related to phobias ("I'm claustrophobic, Darren"), they can be extremely debilitating to live with, particularly if they stop you carrying out day-to-day activities such as getting public transport, or leaving the house.
In the UK, phobias are generally split into two categories: simple and complex phobias. According to NHS Inform, simple phobias are “fears about specific objects, animals, situations or activities,” whereas complex phobias “tend to be more disabling than simple phobias because they are often associated with a deep-rooted fear or anxiety about a particular circumstance or situation.”
If you want to learn more about phobias, here's a good place to start as we've compiled a list of all the most common phobias, from agoraphobia to zoophobia.
A is for Agoraphobia
The NHS define agoraphobia as “a fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult or that help wouldn't be available if things go wrong.” Although the common perception of agoraphobia is that's a ‘fear of open spaces', it's actually way more complex than that, and can manifest as a fear of visiting a shopping centre, taking a bus, or other scenarios that involve leaving the house.
According to the NHS, “In the UK, up to 2 people in 100 have panic disorder. It's thought around a third will go on to develop agoraphobia.” It's thought to be twice as common in women as it is in men.
Achluophobia: Fear of darkness
Aerophobia: Fear of flying
Arachnophobia: Fear of spiders
Atychiphobia: Fear of failure
B is for Bacteriophobia
Bacteriophobia (or germaphobia, depending on who you ask) is a persistent fear of any germs or bacteria that is perceived as being able to cause infections or diseases. While many of us have heightened anxieties about the transmission of germs since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, someone with bacteriophobia may find they are unable to live a normal life due to excessive cleanliness rituals or fear of being too close to other people.
C is for Claustrophobia
The NHS defines claustrophobia as an “irrational fear of confined spaces,” adding that, “people affected by claustrophobia will often go out of their way to avoid confined spaces, such as lifts, tunnels, tube trains and public toilets,” and that “avoiding these places may reinforce [their] fear.”
Catagelophobia: Fear of being ridiculed
Catoptrophobia: Fear of mirrors
Coulrophobia: Fear of clowns
Cynophobia: Fear of dogs
D is for Dentophobia
Dentophobia is the fear of going to the dentist. While this is an extremely relatable phobia, those with dentophobia are often more vulnerable to complications from untreated orthodontic and gum problems.
E is for Ephebiphobia
Ephebiphobia is the irrational fear of teenagers. This can manifest as anxiety and/or panic attacks when being around teenagers or even just thinking about being around them. It can be an extremely isolating disorder as teenagers are, well, everywhere.
F is for Frigophobia
Frigophobia is the fear of becoming too cold. Sufferers may be prone to wearing excessive amounts of clothes and blankets, regardless of the actual temperature.
G is for Glossophobia
Glossophobia is the fear of public speaking, which can manifest as a symptom of social anxiety.
H is for Hypochondria
Hypochondria (also known as health anxiety) is "when you spend so much time worrying you're ill, or about getting ill, that it starts to take over your life, according to the NHS. The symptoms of health anxiety include excessive worrying about your health; frequently checking your body for signs of illness; obsessively researching illnesses; and always seeking reassurance that you're not unwell.
Hemophobia: Fear of blood
Hydrophobia: Fear of water
I is for Iatrophobia
Iatrophobia is the fear of going to the doctors. Similar to dentaphobia, it can cause people to miss appointments meaning that vital health check-ups are more likely to be missed. While we can all be a bit guilty of dreading the doctors sometimes, people who have iatrophobia are more likely to regularly cancel appointments, and obsessively worry about getting poorly.
The current health headlines are not helping.
K is for Koinoniphobia
Koinoniphobia is the fear of rooms. According to the Psych Times, “Someone suffering from this condition can expect to experience a very high amount of anxiety from merely thinking of rooms, let alone actually being inside of one.”
L is for Lockiophobia
Lockiophobia (also known as tokophobia) is the fear of childbirth. It can affect anyone regardless of their gender, whether they're pregnant, and whether they've already given birth. Many pregnant people who have lockiophobia may insist on having a Caesarean operation, rather than a vaginal birth.
M is for Megalophobia
Megalophobia is the fear of large objects, such as large buildings, statues, animals and vehicles.
Mageirocophobia: Fear of cooking
Microphobia: Fear of small things
N is for Nyctophobia
Nyctophobia is the fear of the dark, which many of us experience first in childhood. It can manifest in adults as panic attacks when in dark rooms (such as cinemas), sleep disruption as a result of not being able to turn the lights off, and avoiding engaging in social activities if they take place in the dark, such as a night club.
O is for Obesophobia
Obesophobia, or pocrescophobia, is the fear of gaining weight. While many people may feel concerned about their weight and body image, people with obesophobia tend to experience an intense form of anxiety when thinking about weight gain. It's a risk factor for developing an eating disorder and can also be a symptom of an existing one. For more information about diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders, check out Beat or contact your local GP.
Hospital admissions and waiting times for treatment have soared during the pandemic.
P is for Philophobia
Philophobia is the fear of falling in love, which can manifest as avoiding forming romantic relationships. This can result in the sufferer feeling very isolated and lonely.
Q is for Quadraphobia
Quadraphobia is the fear of the number four.
R is for Rhytiphobia
Rhytiphobia is the fear of getting wrinkles. As we age, it's normal to feel some anxieties about the ageing process (including wrinkles!) but for people with rhytiphobia, the anxiety is more likely to have a detrimental impact on their ability to complete day-to-day activities. They're also more likely to have a distorted body image and/or seek out cosmetic procedures.
S is for Somniphobia
Somniphobia is the fear of falling asleep. It's an anxiety disorder, which separates it from insomnia, a chronic sleep disorder. Sufferers may be afraid of falling asleep for many reasons, including fear of dying, fear of nightmares, and worrying about nighttime behaviours such as sleepwalking.
Scoptophobia: Fear of being stared at
Selenophobia: Fear of the moon
T is for Tyrophobia
Tyrophobia refers to the fear of tightly-packed holes, such as those found in honeycomb, strawberry flesh and coral. Research on the condition disagrees on whether tyrophobia should be classed as a phobia, with one study suggesting that the fear is an evolutionary response as sufferers associate holes with dangerous organisms.
U is for Urophobia
Urophobia is the fear of urinating.
V is for Verminophobia
Verminophobia is another word for the fear of germs.
W is for Wiccaphobia
Wiccaphobia refers to the fear of witches and witchcraft.
X is for Xylophobia
Xylophobia us the fear of forests.
Y is for Ymophobia
Ymophobia is the fear of contrariety.
Z is for Zoophobia
Zoophobia is a fear of animals.
If you think you may be affected by any of the phobias listed, it's recommended to get in touch with your GP to discuss diagnosis and treatment. You can find your local GP here.
For more from Glamour UK's Lucy Morgan, follow her on Instagram @lucyalexxandra.
