Phobias are not uncommon. In the United States, 19 million people are estimated to have a phobia of some kind. Throughout their lives, 12.5% of people will experience a specific phobia and 12.1% will experience a social phobia sometimes in their lives. These phobias, or irrational and persistent fears regarding an object, animal, person, environment or situation, can range from spiders to the fear of specific numbers to needles or airplanes. While phobias can be common, some phobias are so niche that you probably haven’t even heard of them, or even thought they existed…

See Also: 10 Famous People and their Unexpected Phobias

10 Oikophobia

The feeling of being in home is usually paired with a feeling of safety and security, a sort of comfort that eases away some of the stress of daily life. However, for those who experience oikophobia, one’s home can instead cause anxiety and stress. Oikophobia has traditionally been defined as the fear of the surroundings in one’s home. For those who experience oikophobia, anything from their appliances, home furnishings, decor, to household common items can cause them to have a feeling of fear and unpleasantness.

Like most phobias, oikophobia is possibly rooted in previous negative experiences or traumatic events which have occurred in one’s life. Adverse reactions which can occur with those experiencing oikophobia are the shakes, excessive sweating, dry mouth, blurred vision, nausea, and even anxiety/panic attacks may occur.

Oikophobia is also one of the few phobias which term has become altered and changed as society has. The term oikophobia started to be used around 2004 to describe the fear of “the familiar,” or as a better way to the fear of the familiar customs, culture and institutions of one’s country, culture, or place of birth (almost as an opposite of xenophobia, the fear of strangers/foreigners). The change in definition began to catch on in 2016 during the presidential election and has remained prominent ever since.

While it seems that both interpretations of oikophobia are acceptable, it is probably best to clarify with anyone you meet who has oikophobia to avoid any awkward situations.^[1]

9 Erythrophobia

Erythrophobia, or the fear of blushing, is a complex phobia. Blushing is a physiological response to a fight or flight response that is involuntary. An estimated 7% of the population may suffer from this phobia and it is important for those who do to seek treatment as it can cause increased anxiety and depression. In 2012, 20-year-old Brandon Thomas committed suicide due to his phobia of blushing which had begun to impact his daily life, even with the prescription drugs he had been prescribed to help aid his anxiety and impair his blushing abilities. Unfortunately, the helplessness which occurs with erythrophobia left Brandon in a state of turmoil. His final letter pleaded for more research and awareness for those like him who suffered from erythrophobia.

Erythrophobia is categorized as a social phobia, and can be impacted by other social phobias as well, and is a main symptom for those who have social anxiety disorder (SAD). For those who have erythrophobia, there are behavior options available as well as recent FDA approved drugs that have been created to treat the occurrence of facial blushing.^[2]

8 Doraphobia

Doraphobia is known as the fear of fur, whether it be dog, cat, rabbit, or any sort of animal fur. The phobia itself does not have to do with the fear of animals, or a dislike of animals, but rather their fur. Whether it is the appearance, the texture, or even the smell of fur itself depends on the individual with the phobia.

The phobia can be linked to specific traumas, such as being attacked by a furry animal, or impacted by other phobias, or caused due to this dislike of specific textures. Those who have doraphobia do not have to touch the fur to have an adverse reaction, just the sight of the fur itself can cause adverse reactions. Research has found that animal related fears are more likely to occur in women rather than men.^[3]

7 Scopophobia

While agoraphobia, the fear of open or crowded places, is a more widely known phobia, scopophobia can be impacted by such phobia. Scopophobia is the fear of people looking at you or the fear of being stared at by others. Scopophobia can range from fear of someone staring at you for a long period of time or the fear of even making eye contact with another, stranger or friend. This phobia is, like agoraphobia, a social phobia. It occurs when people believe they are being observed and evaluated by others.

Scopophobia is found to develop in those who have neurological conditions, such as epilepsy or Tourette’s syndrome, or in people who are suffering from physical disabilities or injuries which may attract attention. Scopophobia can also develop as a symptom of someone who is suffering from social anxiety disorder (SAD) and can be treated through medications and behavioral therapy.^[4]

6 Radiophobia

An estimated 96% of a person’s radiation exposure comes from medical procedures, including x-rays and CT scans. Most of these procedures are necessary to confirm or rule out medical diagnosis. If you are someone who is suffering from radiophobia, having these medical procedures done will nearly, or sometimes completely, impossible. Radiophobia is defined as the fear of ionizing radiation. Having an awareness of the negative effects radiation can cause is important, due to its numerous health related risks. Radiophobia was most widely experienced after the Chernobyl incident, where radiation poisoning was a real fear for many to face, and has also been linked to more recent fears of nuclear weapons and attacks.

For those who expereince radiophobia, their fear disallows them from interacting with anything which may involve radiation, in some cases this also includes specific foods (bananas, raw lima beans, brazil nuts, and white potato’s are known to have some minimal amount of radiation. Radiophobia can be treated through medication and behavioral cognitive therapy (BCT) and if left untreated can lead to serious complications, especially those with radiophobia refuse to receive necessary medical treatment due to their phobia.^[5]

5 Kathisophobia

Many phobias can cause negative impacts on a person’s life, ranging from anxiety attacks to complete avoidance of specific people, places, or things. The negative impact those with kathisophobia can be quite severe to one’s health. Kathisophobia is described as the fear of sitting down. The development of this fear may stem from the fear of being idle or still for too long, known as thaasophobia. However, kathisophobia is localized simply on the act of sitting down itself.

For those with kathisophobia, the phobia may have developed due to a past painful experience with their hindquarters or a physical disability or injury which has occurred. It can also occur more the elderly than those of a younger age. Treatment for kathisophobia may expand past the usually recommended treatment options for phobias to encompass physical rehab and pain medication.^[6]

4Koumpounophobia

This long-named phobia may not be well-known but is a more common occurrence than one would believe. An estimated 1 out of 75,000 people are said to suffer from koumpounophobia, which is the fear of buttons. This phobia itself is wide-encompassing despite it being classified as a specific phobia in the DSM-V; some may have a fear of the texture of buttons, others may experience fear over the cleanliness of buttons, and some cannot even stand the sight of a button.

Steve Jobs, known for his impact through the Apple brand, supposedly suffered from koumpounophobia, going out of his way to avoid buttons in his daily and professional life. Those who experience koumpounophobia will experience similar adverse reactions which occur in many phobias, however depending on the severity of one’s koumpounophobia, even the sight of a button or the feel of one may cause an instant adverse reaction.^[7]

3Papaphobia

While many fears are rooted in possible past experiences and traumatic events, some phobias appear due to their connection with other phobias. Those who have papaphobia, or fear of the Pope, may experience this fear in conjunction with their other fears, either of priests, nuns, organized religion itself (ecclesiaphobia) or holy or sacred things (hagiophobia). This fear has been linked to negative experiences or feelings in regards to the Roman Catholic Church itself and as the Pope is considered to be the icon and figurehead of the religion, he becomes center of one’s phobia’s focus.

While there are no statistics regarding those who have papaphobia, the occurrence of papaphobia has appeared throughout history. Those who have papaphobia may experience uncomfortably and anxiety regarding mentions of the Pope and may experience more severe adverse reactions if exposed to images or even the presence of the Pope himself.^[8]

2Chromophobia

Life is not just simply black and white, there are different shades of color around us at all times. Depending on the brightness and appearance of color, those who are suffering from chromophobia may wish life was simply filled in greyscale tones. Chromophobia is the fear of or aversion to all colors. Chromophobia is a specific phobia under the DSM-V. It can also develop into fear of different colors, such as porphyrophobia, the fear of the color purple, or erythrophobia, the fear of the color red which is commonly associated with hemophobia, the fear of blood.

People with chromophobia usually develop the phobia due to a conditioned response to a negative stimuli, it can also occur in those who have genetic disorders or have experienced traumatic injuries. For those with chromophobia, they may avoid situations or places where there is known to be vivid colors. Exposure may cause adverse reactions and can induce anxiety attacks. Exposure therapy may have benefits for treatment of chromophobia, as well as treating the adverse anxiety reactions one may experience.^[9]

1Barophobia

Gravity is important part of our life here on earth, as it is an essential part of our atmosphere and allows us to breathe. While it is an important part of what keeps us alive, there are people who experience an intense fear or existential dread over the idea of gravity itself which is known as barophobia. Those with barophobia have an essential fear of gravity itself, though that can also be linked to the feeling of falling associated with gravity. Sometimes barophobia can be confused with spacephobia, the fear of outer space, however those with barophobia have no problem with knowledge or existence of space, just the gravity encompassing it.

The development of barophobia is unknown, though scientists believe it can be caused if those experiencing it may have a genetic disposition or physical impairment which may lead them to fall often. Or it could be linked to one’s belief that it was gravity that caused a traumatic event in their life. Treatment for barophobia can be combination therapy aids, including medication, cognitive behavioral therapy, and slow exposure to gravitational experiences such as anti-gravity chambers.^[10]

Let’s face it, some things are creepy or scary. Someone might become fearful when coming across a venomous snake. That fear is healthy because it tells us to stay away from the snake whose venom could kill us. But what if a rubber snake sends someone into scream-filled terror? Then that person might have a phobia, an irrational fear of something.

The term “phobia” comes from the Greek word phobos (“fear”). Some phobias are common, such as coulrophobia (fear of clowns) or arachnophobia (fear of spiders). Other phobias are so rare or bizarre that you may have never heard of them.

10 Ergophobia

People suffer from workplace anxiety from time to time—for example, when you have that important presentation to give in front of a big audience. However, with ergophobia, the sufferer has an irrational fear of work.

Ergophobia comes from the Greek ergon (“work”). The phobia may include the combined fears of speaking in groups, socializing, and failing at tasks. The anxiety is severe enough to cause the person to leave work early or not be able to go to work at all. This fear persists even if the work or workplace changes.^[1]

One treatment for this condition is exposure therapy, in which the patient is gradually exposed to his frightening work environment until he no longer fears it. Another treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy, where situations are created to teach the correct behavior. To discover more about the phobias treated by these methods, check out the Top 10 Bizarre Phobias People Suffer From.

9 Chaetophobia

Most people would love to have a full head of hair. However, people with chaetophobia (aka “trichopathophobia” and “trichophobia”) have an irrational fear of hair.

Chaetophobia comes from the Greek word khaite (“loose, flowing hair”). The phobia can be fear of hair on your own body or fear of loose hair. The person can also be afraid of other people’s hair and even animal hair.

The condition can arise from a bad experience, like getting a terrible haircut. It can also be related to stress, anxiety, depression, or other mental health conditions. Another possible link is the mental disorder trichotillomania, in which a person compulsively pulls out his hair.^[2]

There are various treatments for this condition. A doctor may prescribe antianxiety medication depending on the severity of the phobia. Neurolinguistic programming is used in psychotherapy. Exposure therapy can also be used to gradually expose the person to hair over time. For more hair-raising facts, check out 10 Weird Ways Human Hair Has Been Used.

8 Daemonophobia

People with an irrational fear of the evil entities called demons have daemonophobia, which comes from the Greek word daemono (“demon”). This phobia is closely associated with satanophobia (fear of Satan) and hadephobia (fear of hell).

Someone can develop daemonophobia from religious beliefs that demons might possess them in a negative way or otherwise cause harm. The phobia can also be triggered by a negative experience with a Ouija board or a seance.^[3]

Treatments include hypnotherapy, counseling, and neurolinguistic programming (NLP). In NLP, your self-awareness is improved by helping you understand how you view the world. It also shows that unhelpful thoughts and behavioral patterns need to be changed. Then again, better safe than sorry. Here are the 10 Demons You Should Probably Try To Avoid.

7 Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia

Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia comes from the Greek word hexiekatohexintahexi (“six hundred and sixty-six”). It is the fear of the number 666, considered the mark of the beast. This comes from the Bible, which states in Revelation 13:18: “Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.”

People with this phobia will go out of their way to avoid this number. For example, if an order totals $6.66, then the person will add something to the order or put something back to change the price.^[4]

One of the best-known examples of fear concerning this number is the infamous Highway 666. Stretching through Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico, this road was considered dangerous. People associated the cause with the satanic numbering. In 2003, the route was officially changed to US 491.

Treatment for this phobia includes evaluation of one’s religious beliefs and cognitive behavioral therapy. Talk therapy is also an effective treatment. Relaxation techniques such as guided meditation, yoga, deep breathing, and visualization can help as well. If you suffer from a phobia like this, you’re not alone. Check out 10 Well-Known People and their Phobias.

6 Allodoxaphobia

If you fear someone else’s opinion of you, then you may have allodoxaphobia, which comes from the Greek words allo (“different”) and dox (“opinion”). Negative or traumatic events, such as constant criticism as a child, may be behind the development of this phobia.

Allodoxaphobia is a rare social phobia. Sufferers may not participate in activities because they fear other people’s judgment of them. They cannot take feedback of any kind, positive or negative. They can be socially withdrawn or even depressed. This may cause the person to miss out on events and opportunities.^[5]

Treatments for allodoxaphobia are extensive. Yoga, meditation, and exercise are some examples. Exposure therapy can also be used. Cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and medications are other treatments. However, most sufferers probably don’t have it nearly as bad as the people in these 10 Scandalous Relationships That Changed Opinions On Divorce.

5 Genuphobia

Genuphobia, which comes from the Latin word genu (“knee”), is the fear of knees. People with this phobia have a fear of their own knees, someone else’s knees, or kneeling.

This phobia can result from trauma to that person’s or another individual’s knees. It may even be caused by seeing kneecaps broken in movies. This phobia can also be triggered by certain cultures where it is customary to wear conservative dress and cover the knees.^[6]

Cognitive behavioral therapy or medications such as antidepressants are possible treatments. Exposure therapy is also used. A person with this phobia can also try journaling, exercise, and meditation. To find out more about some truly weird treatments used for other mental or emotional disorders, check out 10 Of The Strangest Psychotherapy Techniques.

4 Geniophobia

Geniophobia, which comes from the Greek word genie (“chin”), is the fear of chins. No one is sure what causes this phobia, but several factors can come into play such as genetics, past experiences, and upbringing.

If someone has geniophobia, that person will try to avoid the source of his fear by isolating himself. This may temporarily help anxieties related to the phobia, but it does not cure the individual.^[7]

Treatments include talk therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and exposure therapy. Dialectical behavior therapy is another type of treatment. Yoga and mindfulness are good self-help options. It might also help to know that even strong people suffer from weird phobias. You can read more at 10 Surprising Phobias Of ‘Fearless’ Historical Leaders.

3 Arachibutyrophobia

Have you ever made a sandwich slathered with peanut butter, only to have it stick to the roof of your mouth? This scenario would send someone with arachibutyrophobia into a panic because he is afraid of having peanut butter stick to the roof of his mouth.

Arachibutyrophobia is thought to be rooted in a fear of choking, which may be linked to a past experience of doing so. Women may have a higher risk of developing this phobia.^[8]

Treatments include exposure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. Yoga, meditation, and deep breathing can also be used. Medications such as antianxiety drugs may be prescribed by a doctor. You can read more about the symptoms of this phobia at 10 Surprising Peanut Butter Facts.

2 Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia

Ironically, hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is the name for the fear of long words. It also goes by the name sesquipedalophobia. Even though it is not a recognized phobia and some consider it fictional, it is a real thing.

The word hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia can be broken down into several segments. The first part, hippo, comes from the Greek meaning “horse.” The next part, potamos, means “river” in Greek. “Hippopotamine” refers to something very large. Then there is monstr, Latin for “monstrous being.” Finally, sesquippedalio comes from the Latin meaning “measures a foot and a half long.”

Like many phobias, it probably came into being through a traumatic experience sometime during someone’s life. If the person had trouble with pronouncing a long word in front of others and was ridiculed as a result, this could have caused the onset of this particular phobia.^[9]

Exposure therapy is a common treatment. Talk therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy can also be effective. Self-help treatments such as practicing mindfulness, meditation, and deep breathing may help to control the anxiety. might also be able to help you out—for free. Click here to discover the Top 10 Words You’re Saying Wrong.

1 Phobophobia

Phobophobia means “fear of fear.” A person who suffers from this is afraid of developing a phobia. If the individual already has a phobia, then he is afraid of developing a new phobia, which is the more likely manifestation of this condition.

By worrying that he may develop a phobia about something, the person’s anxiety level can increase. Over time, this continued anxiety will be a self-fulfilling prophecy, and the individual will develop a phobia.^[10]

Treatment can be psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and neurolinguistic programming. Various self-help methods include yoga and meditation.

Depending on the treatments your doctor prescribes for your ailments, you may even develop phobias from the cures. Get ready to cringe when you click over to 10 Strange Creepy-Crawly Medical Treatments That Actually Work.

Food is something most of us enjoy—sometimes, a little too much. So it may be hard to believe that some people are afraid of food. But it can become a crippling daily reality for these folks.

Although phobias can be difficult to deal with in general, food phobias are often worse because they create social stress and have the potential to wreak havoc on one’s well-being. Some food phobias can be avoided. But as we’ll see, others are far more serious.

10 Deipnophobia
The Fear Of Dining Or Dinner Conversations

The idea of family holiday get-togethers is enough to make many of us cringe, but for some, the idea is downright terrifying. People who suffer from deipnophobia prefer to eat in silence and usually alone.^[1]

This means that it is a hard pass on family holiday meals and dinner dates with friends. This is often the result of a singular traumatic event such as a failed dinner date or a business interaction over a luncheon that went awry.

Since deipnophobia is a social phobia, it also means that it is the result of genetics. Troubled childhoods and failed social experiences are all contributing factors. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and cognitive therapy offer hope for those with deipnophobia.

9 Oenophobia
The Fear Of Wine

A day of touring wineries and participating in wine tastings may sound like the optimal day for some, but those with oenophobia would disagree. A fear of wine is pretty frustrating because wine is just about everywhere.^[2] This condition makes eating out difficult, and trips to the grocery store become awful as most places have an entire aisle dedicated to wine and spirits.

In some cases, this fear can pertain to the inability to choose the right wine for a gathering. Those suffering from this disease are afraid that if they choose the wrong wine, then those at the party will blame the host.

It may not sound serious, but those suffering from this disease can have the same symptoms as people with anxiety: shortness of breath, tremors, and a severe inability to cope with the situation. Those severely stricken with this phobia may vomit if they accidentally imbibe wine.

Behavioral therapy is the usual choice to cure those afflicted with oenophobia, but cognitive psychotherapy may be used as well.

8 Lachanophobia
The Fear Of Vegetables

This is the phobia most children would happily claim if they could pronounce it. Most people don’t really have lachanophobia but rather a strong dislike or aversion to vegetables. Those with an actual fear of vegetables find that grocery shopping and eating out present a real challenge. Just the sight of produce can induce shortness of breath and nausea.^[3]

For those who suffer from lachanophobia, eating a balanced diet can difficult as starchy foods and sugars often act as replacements for side dishes. While most of us can agree that cake and pasta are far more fun than broccoli and leafy greens, the vitamin deficiencies and other potential dietary issues that can stem from lachanophobia make it a far more threatening condition than it may appear.

7 Mageirocophobia
The Fear Of Cooking

No one likes scraping their latest culinary experiment off their cookware, but for those who suffer from mageirocophobia, this is the nightmare scenario that keeps them out of the kitchen. Ranging from avoidance of the kitchen to a collection of takeout menus stuffed in a drawer to panic attacks and anxiety at the very thought of cooking, this can be a very expensive problem.^[4]

Mageirocophobia is a social phobia that can take many forms. Some are terrified of the idea of giving people food poisoning or conjuring up an inedible entree. Others are concerned about plating issues. The idea of serving up ugly food overwhelms them entirely and makes it impossible to cook. Still others fear the idea of getting cuts or burns while cooking.

Whatever the underlying fear is, it can completely destroy a person’s ability to function in the kitchen. Eating out or ordering in is a lifestyle for those with severe cases. Those with milder cases can eat sandwiches and microwave entrees to fill in the gaps.

6 Arachibutyrophobia
The Fear Of Peanut Butter Sticking To The Roof Of The Mouth

This is an incredibly specific fear and perhaps the easiest phobia on this list to deal with: Simply don’t eat peanut butter. The terror comes from the idea of possible suffocation from eating the sticky sandwich spread. But sufferers don’t have problems with seeing peanut butter or being around it, which is definitely a perk if you live in America where peanut butter is a pantry staple.

This phobia has many degrees of severity, which depend upon the individual.^[5] Symptoms can range from agitation to panic and anxiety. It also may manifest into terrifying physical symptoms that range from a nervous sweat and irregular breathing to shaking, irregular heartbeat, and choking.

Even though people with arachibutyrophobia know that their fear is baseless and irrational, it doesn’t seem to help. The fear creeps in regardless.

Though horrible, this fear is easy enough to avoid. For sufferers with milder versions and a love for peanut butter, switching to crunchy peanut butter with its less sticky texture can make all the difference. Others learn to drink specific liquids while they eat peanut butter to help break down the stickiness. The more severe cases avoid peanut butter at all costs and may even avoid peanuts.

5 Xocolatophobia
The Fear Of Chocolate

This is almost beyond comprehension. Afraid of chocolate? Imagine the foods associated with so many holidays in the US: Valentine’s Day chocolates, Easter bunnies, and Halloween candy, to name a few. This would truly be a rough phobia. You would not only miss out on chocolate and all its awesomeness, but you would live in a world where it is practically unavoidable.

This can easily create tension in social situations,^[6] frustration when shopping with chocolaty candy bars residing at every checkout, and even highly stressful situations at work as there is always that one coworker who keeps candies on her desk.

Extreme cases may find chocolate vulgar. In fact, if they touch anything chocolaty, then they must immediately run to the nearest sink to wash it off.

4 Orthorexia
The Fear Of Eating Food That Is Not Pure

Okay, so orthorexia is not officially an eating disorder. Yet the number of patients exhibiting an obsession with eating healthy is growing. A physician describing his own relationship with food first coined the term “orthorexia” in 1997.^[7]

Too much healthy eating doesn’t sound like a bad thing, but these people take it to the extreme. While too much fat, sugar, and salt isn’t good for you, eliminating these things completely is bad, too.

An obsessive behavior that is still not recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, orthorexia nervosa has many of the same symptoms as anorexia nervosa. While those with anorexia worry about the quantity of food they consume, those with orthorexia obsess over the quality.

Orthorexics are so concerned with the purity of their food that they tend to restrict their diets in unsafe ways. For example, they may eliminate entire food groups such as dairy and grains. These boundaries can continue to tighten as other foods are deemed “impure” over time.

Finding pure food becomes an obsession for those dealing with orthorexia. Only organic food will do, and the food must be prepared in the “proper” way. It is not uncommon for orthorexics to spend hours shopping for the right foods to take home and prepare themselves.

In a cruel twist of fate, this extreme crusade to eat healthy is actually super unhealthy. Malnourishment can result as important food groups are eliminated and the body ultimately begins to ignore or not recognize its own hunger signals.

3 Ichthyophobia
The Fear Of All Things Fish

Though the nature of this phobia may sound fishy, don’t tell an ichthyophobe that! Just the mention of fish is off the table for those with this phobia. The sight or smell of fish—and even the idea of swimming where fish may be—is frightening to them. This means no swimming in the ocean and definitely no sushi bars.^[8]

Often, the fear stems from the idea that eating the mercury and other contaminants in fish could lead to illness. In other cases, the sight of a fish can act as an omen to warn the ichthyophobe of impending doom.

Those suffering from this strange disease can get dry mouth, anxiety, dizziness, and shaking. For ichthyophobes, avoidance is often the easiest route. This means no fishing trips, no fish movies (sorry, Dory!), and no trips to pet stores and aquariums.

Since no direct cause for this phobia is known, there are several prospective ways to treat it. The most common are hypnotherapy, neurolinguistic programming, and exposure therapy.

2 Phagophobia
The Fear Of Swallowing Food, Pills, Or Liquids

Degrees of phagophobia can be so bad that a person can be terrified to swallow his own saliva. Commonly stemming from the fear of choking, this phobia can be life-threatening. With malnutrition and dehydration as inevitable consequences, people with phagophobia tend to skip meals as often as possible. When they absolutely have to eat, they use work-arounds such as overchewing and avoiding certain textures.^[9]

Phagophobia is a notoriously difficult fear to contend with. In many cases, it feels like there is something stuck in the throat. But when people with this phobia go to the doctor, nothing is found. The sensation is persistent, but in all actuality, that is all it is: a sensation. There’s nothing actually there.

It is hard to imagine not being able to sustain yourself due to crippling terror. Then you seek help only to find that most healthcare professionals can’t pinpoint what is wrong. This has to be a truly awful way to live.

1 Cibophobia (Sitophobia)
The Fear Of All Food

Given that we need food to live, the magnitude of cibophobia cannot be overstated. What can you do when you are terrified of the very thing that you need to stay alive?

Avoiding food for any length of time isn’t an option, so where does that leave you? Oh yeah, hungry. Forever. On the bright side, most sufferers are not so afraid that they forgo any food or drink. Instead, they fear foods prepared by people whom they don’t know, are obsessive about expiration dates on food, and are more afraid of beef and chicken.

This can be a lethal phobia and must be addressed as soon as possible. Though psychotherapy has shown promise in patients with cibophobia, this is by far the worst food phobia of them all.^[10]

Melynda Sorrels is a writer, student, reckless blogger, dreamer, and an aficionado of all things funny or caffeinated. You can check out her random musings at https://despitealllogic.com.

Zoophobia is the overall fear of animals, but why are some people terrified by just one kind such as a fish (ichthyophobia) or even a worm (helminthophobia)? While some feel safe if they stay away from the place this animal is found, others can’t even watch them on TV. Having cynophobia (fear of dogs) and hearing a barking noise outside might make someone terrified to leave their house.

3.5% to 6.1% of the global population have arachnophobia or a fear of spiders and for me it’s the length of their legs and the speed they move that terrifies me. There are some more interesting reasons why people have these phobias that are discussed here. Such as, the parts toads used to play in witchcraft.

Top 10 Unbearable Phobias

10 Ichthyophobia (Fish)

While someone might be afraid of a dog or cat because they were attacked, they’re unlikely to be attacked by a fish so why does ‘ichthyophobia’ occur? Perhaps, they were attacked by a shark when they were young but the chances of this are pretty slim. Galeophobia is a fear of sharks. This is quite a common phobia and probably makes more sense to most people.

One kind of fish is a ‘flying fish’ so maybe this was something that scared them as a child. As fishes are seen by some to be dirty, slimy creatures, one of the most common causes of this problem is the belief that fish spread diseases. It could seem dangerous to eat them or even travel to a water source where they might be swimming around. Although they might be fine to go down to the seaside or near a lake as long as they don’t get in, for some people with the phobia, even going near these sources of water could be seen as life threatening.^[1]

9 Cynophobia (Dogs)

A fear of dogs or cynophobia is not a totally irrational phobia as many people have been chased or bitten by one at some time. Perhaps, when they were a child or if a sibling was attacked and the person witnessed this. Figures have shown that the number of dogs owned in the US in 2017 rose by over 20 million compared to a survey from 2000. It is likely for the person with the phobia to have at least one friend who owns a dog and they might be afraid to go around to their house. They might even be afraid to leave the house as there always seems to be someone out walking their dog. Even the sound of barking or whining could terrify them. A good way of curing this phobia could be to start off by exposing them to a puppy. Or, this could be a kitten, if someone has ailurophobia, or a fear of cats.^[2]

8 Ailurophobia (Cats)

This fear of cats is known by many other names such as ‘gatophobia’ and ‘felinophobia’. Although people aren’t seen out walking their cats, it could still be hard for anyone with the phobia to go around to a friends’ houses if they have one. They’d probably have to ask them to keep it in another room. Sometimes, even a ‘meow’ could terrify them. Cats can be quite vicious and if a young child is scratched by one, this could lead to ailurophobia.

There are some famous conquerors such as Napoleon Bonaparte, Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great who are believed to have suffered from this phobia. Although historian Katharine MacDonagh states “no record exists of Napoleon either liking or hating cats,” she states in her book ‘Reigning Cats and Dogs: A History of Pets at Court Since the Renaissance’ that there is an old cultural myth that cats have a “magical ability to detect overweening of dictators.”^[3]

7 Alektorophobia (Chickens)

While ornithophobia is the fear of birds, alektorophobia is a specific fear of chickens. This comes from the Greek word “alektor”, meaning rooster. It’s more likely if someone has lived in a rural location all their life and had a bad experience as a child. Perhaps, they got stuck in an area where there was a large flock. Once they’ve grown up, if they still have this phobia they might decide to live in an urban area where they don’t have to worry about farms that might hold hundreds of them.

Eating chicken might also disgust them, as well as other birds such as duck or turkey. It might not be such a good idea to invite them round for a Christmas dinner. An overall fear of birds could be more difficult to handle. Even in a city, some kind of bird is always likely to be lurking.^[4]

6 Bufonophobia (Toads)

Like fish, toads are a species that are found around water and are often seen as repulsive, disease carrying creatures. Toads are more likely to be discovered in forested areas so this might be a place that someone with bufonophobia avoids. There are some species that are poisonous so the person might have heard about this. The giant toad, has the ability to kill humans and animals with the poison it emits.

There is also an association between toads and witchcraft and this could be something that the person with the phobia believes in. Sometimes toads were made part of a potion as a form of poison. There was even a belief that witches could be recognized by a small mark resembling a toad’s foot. Today, these are quite unlikely reasons for someone to be terrified of toads but, there are still some people who continue to believe it. Bufonophobia is part of the phobia ‘batraciophobia’ which is a more widespread overall fear of amphibians.^[5]

10 Insane Phobias That You Won’t Believe Are Real

5 Scoleciphobia (Worms)

Worms are an animal species that keep our plants alive and are a critical part of the agricultural system. However, there are some people suffering from helminthophobia who won’t even walk on the grass because they know the worms are squirming around in the ground underneath.

Living underground, most people see them as a dirty species and not something they like to touch but those suffering from the phobia could insist on always walking on nothing but concrete. Perhaps, they found an infestation in their food in the past and they see worms as a threatening cause of contamination. It is even known for people to refuse to go outside without a bottle of bug poison to spray themselves and their surroundings with. They could even do this in the home, spraying their carpet just in case.^[6]

4 Chiroptophobia (Bats)

While someone with cynophobia might be afraid of going out during the day with people out walking their dogs, people with chiroptohobia, are more likely to be afraid of going out at nighttime. In medieval Europe, if a bat entered the house, this was seen as a prediction of death in the family and coming up to Halloween, no one can go out without seeing one of them stuck to a window or hung up in a shop.

Although they’re not dangerous to humans, they’re still seen by by many as extremely ugly with their black leathery wings. All living in Latin America, there are only three species of bat that actually feed on blood. It seems that most people get their fear of bats watching films like Dracula and seen with red eyes, feeding on humans.^[7]

3 Melissophobia (Bees)

Anyone who’s been stung before or just knows that they sting will naturally move out of the way or try to smack a bee if there’s one flying around. To most people, this just seems annoying, but there are others who could have a panic attack if they even see one or two flying around. Spheksophobia is the fear of wasps and it’s interesting that people with melissophobia could be terrified of bees but not bothered by a wasp.

There are some people suffering from insect sting allergies and if they are stung then this could be life-threatening, explaining why they suffer from the phobia. Others might not have the allergies but hear about people dying as a result of being stung, developing melissophobia. Insect-related phobias are one of the most common types and insectophobia is the fear of all of them.^[8]

2 Equinophobia (Horses)

Horses are unlikely to chase someone like a dog and can’t sting someone like a bee so why are people afraid of them? Horse-riding is a popular hobby and if someone’s had a bad fall after being bucked off this could lead to a fear. Perhaps, they were kicked by a horse and broke a bone. Equinophobia is more likely to occur if this happened when the person was young.

This could lead to a phobia of riding horses or just by looking at one, they could remember being kicked and stay away completely. In some horror films, black stallions are shown as evil creatures with red beady eyes so this could make someone afraid of horses if they’ve watched a film like this at a young age.^[9]

1 Ostraconophobia (Shellfish)

This is the overall fear of shellfish such as lobsters, crabs, squids and crayfish that are more likely to be found in the sea. People with this phobia might have a fear of the seaside but not be afraid to visit rivers. It could be more the fear of eating lobsters or prawns and they might find it impossible to even eat in a restaurant if they’re on the menu. The reason for this could be an allergy to eating shellfish or the memory of eating a meal that was gone-off.

Well-known American “Stock Car Racing” driver Denny Hamlin, suffered from ostraconophobia but sometimes people just don’t know why their phobia has occurred and he stated:

“I have a lobster phobia. I don’t know why. I just don’t like them. I cannot eat dinner if someone beside me is eating lobster. I can’t look at it. So as far as I’m concerned, they need to put it back in the water and let it live.”^[10]

10 Well Known People and their Phobias

A phobia is an extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something.^[1] Humans have a tendency toward phobias. Certain phobias are deemed normal, tolerable, and easy to cope with, like pyrophobia (fear of fire) or thalassophobia (fear of the sea). These are phobias that are relatively easy to manage.

However, people have been found to have unusual and extreme phobias. These bizarre phobias are not only difficult to manage but may significantly and negatively impact the life of the sufferer and the lives of those around them. These are the top ten bizarre phobias that people do suffer from.

10 Haphephobia

Haphephobia is the fear of being touched. This sounds like something from Comedy Central, but it’s a real phobia that people have. With haphephobia, human touch can be overpowering and even painful.^[2] In some cases, the fear is specific to only one gender, while in others, the fear relates to all people.

The confession of A.J., a 23-year-old graphic designer in the United States, gives us an insight into the phobia. A.J. feels pain whenever someone touches him. His haphephobia is so bad that at one point in his life, he could remember every single time a person touched him.

This is one type of phobia we consider to be very bizarre. Not only will someone who suffers from it live an unusual life, but it would be very difficult to deal with them.

9 Ergophobia

Ergophobia is the fear of work. It is downright creepy that people suffer from this type of phobia.

Lorna Liebenberg is a self-confessed ergophobia sufferer.^[3] For 17 years, Lorna has hardly worked. Whenever she thinks of work, an overwhelming feeling of fear cripples her. Lorna’s case was so bad that she was always getting a new job, and with each new job, her fright increased. Despite the fact that she sometimes had good bosses who were like fathers to her, she still couldn’t help fearing the workplace environment. Unsurprisingly, she has struggled with great financial difficulty throughout her life.

Of all phobias out there, ergophobia is one we do not want to hear about.

8 Neophobia

Neophobia is the fear of anything new, be they situations, places, or things.^[4] Neophobic people usually have problems with trying new gadgets, food, habits, or schedules. Societally, neophobia explains why ideas, inventions, fashions, morals, and other societal changes are often resisted despite their logical advantages. The most absurd reality of neophobia is that it is easy to see in retrospect, but it is harder to see where it might be having an effect on us right now.

One of the causes of neophobia is status quo bias. People are biased toward things as they are now and against changes. All the advances of the 19th century, which include national police forces, enlightenment, mass education, social regulation, law, economic organization, and industrialization, were all opposed by the majority of ill-educated masses, mostly for reasons we now understand as emotional but illogical.

Food neophobia is one of the more common forms of the fear. According to research, making young children eat food they have not tried before could do them more harm than good. The study suggests that it could lead to youngsters growing to be anxious adults with low self-esteem. Neophobia is not only a bizarre phobia but one that can cause substantial harm.

7 Philophobia

Philophobia is the fear of falling in love. It is closely related with a previous traumatic experience involving love and relationships. If a person has had a past relationship failure such as divorce, it can cause philophobia. Philophobia can also be a result of an upbringing in which the person saw the ups and down of their parents’ relationships. Moreover, witnessing someone else go through the turmoil of relationships can cause a person to develop extreme anxiety about forming a loving bond.

As humans, positive emotional relationships are essential for us to thrive, both familiar and romantic ones. When a person expresses any kind of romantic interest in someone with philophobia, the sufferer tends to retreat and run in the opposite direction. A philophobic person puts up a wall when he or she notices that someone is getting close.

Generally, philophobia is restricted to romantic partners, but in certain cases, it can extend to family and friends. In such cases, a philophobia sufferer can completely withdraw into their shell. This can put both their physical health and mental health at stake. Several people who suffer from philophobia have made shocking public confessions of what it is like.^[5] These confessions paint a sordid picture. The only good news about the condition is that it can be treated. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy are the most effective treatments for philophobia.

6 Ablutophobia

Ablutophobia is the fear of bathing, washing, and cleaning. It is a situation-specific phobia that is more common in women and children than men. The phobia manifests in different ways, from a fear of showering to a complete phobia of all washing. Ablutophobia is most likely to be caused by unique or specific traumatic instances, which could relate to childhood accidents that involve water or abusive or neglectful parents who may have implemented water or bathing as punishment.^[6]

In a bizarre case reported by several mainstream news outlets, a British teenager named Thomas Townsend met an untimely death due to ablutophobia. Townsend was using a large amount of deodorant to compensate for not bathing. He eventually died from inhalation of excess butane gas contained in the deodorant he used. His case is very saddening considering the fact that he was not a drug or alcohol addict.

Ablutophobia can be treated by a mental health practitioner. The goal of any such expert is to first target the initial inciting factor that caused the person’s irrational and extreme fear.

5 Nomophobia

Nomophobia is the fear of being without a mobile phone.^[7] One of its causes is addiction to technology. Moreover, people who have had negative experiences upon being left without a cell phone can also develop nomophobia.

Nomophobia, although bizarre, has many sufferers. In a study conducted in the United Kingdom, out of 1,000 people surveyed, 66 percent admitted suffering from nomophobia. Nomophobia is common in all nations of the world, considering the soaring rate of mobile phone addiction. According to a survey, the younger you are, the more prone you are to nomophobia. The youngest age group, consisting of people between the ages of 18 and 24, tops the nomophobic list at 77 percent, which is 11 percent more than the next group, which is those aged 25 to 34. The results of the survey also show that women are more likely to be unnerved by cell phone separation.

The major drivers of nomophobia include boredom, loneliness, and insecurity. Overcoming the fear can be challenging; the good news, however, is that medical intervention is not needed.

4 Decidophobia

Some phobias look like something from a carefully made Hollywood comedy, and this is one of them. Decidophobia is the fear of making decisions. People who suffer from it are usually bothered about having to make choices. The cause of decidophobia is usually a bad experience with decision-making during one’s childhood or at any other point in one’s life. An example would be an unwise decision that led to devastating consequences or witnessing same occur to another person. As a result, decidophobia sufferers usually stick with decisions made by the majority.

There are certain signs that reveal whether a person suffers from decidophobia.^[8] One of them is that sufferers usually go out of their way to avoid making choices. Severe decidophobia is so distressing that people will devote serious effort to ensuring that they are not responsible for decision-making in their lives. Another telltale sign is that a sufferer consistently depends on others for help with decisions.

Decidophobia is not only an unusual phobia, but it is one with a lot of negative effects, as frequent indecision interferes with the lives of sufferers. If left untreated, it can severely devastate a person’s life.

3 Heliophobia

Heliophobia is an exaggerated or irrational fear of sunlight.^[9] One of the most likely causes is misinterpreted information. For instance, a person who believes that overexposure to sunlight will cause skin cancer could become heliophobic. Moreover, a person who has previously suffered from sunburns may also develop heliophobia.

You might think heliophobia is rare, but people do suffer from it. Lucy Jeffries, a 20-year-old full-time mom, has turned down work and dating, fearing that such activities would expose her to the Sun. Her case is so severe that she suffers from panic attacks whenever she is exposed to sunlight. Lucy’s fear started immediately after a malignant tumor was removed from her thyroid gland. Consequently, she developed a serious fear of cancer, which led to her heliophobia.

2 Genophobia

Genophobia is the irrational psychological fear of sexual intercourse. Genophobic people may be terrified of sex or anything involving it.^[10] Genophobia may develop due to an unpleasant sexual experience, such as rape or molestation. The victim may relive the trauma multiple times; consequently, such a person may develop genophobia. Furthermore, genophobia may develop as a result of performance anxiety, especially for those who lack sexual experience or have abstained from sex for a prolonged period of time.

Sophia Birch suffers from genophobia. Sophia’s case is so bad that her childhood sweetheart abandoned her due to lack of sex. Not only is she terrified of engaging in sex, but she is equally terrified of watching a sex scene in a romantic film.

1 Glossophobia

Glossophobia is the fear of public speaking.^[11] A glossophobic person is unable to control an overwhelming nervousness that will result whenever he is required to speak publicly. Such people may suffer a nervous breakdown when confronted with public speaking. Sufferers tend to completely avoid any public speaking scenarios.

Glossophobia can be caused by a related trauma or internal predisposition. Most of the people who suffer from glossophobia are distressed about being embarrassed in front of others. The fear can be treated with psychotherapy. Many people are able to overcome their glossophobia with cognitive behavioral therapy. Prince Harry is a self-confessed sufferer of glossophobia.

Jeffrey Morris is a freelance writer with a passion for history, finance, and rarities.

There are a lot of things that we tend to fear. Some have a fear of height, while others have a fear of clowns. These fears or phobias may come into being because of some trauma or personal experience, i.e. classical conditioning. It can also emerge from the observation of another person’s experience or reaction, i.e. vicarious fear acquisition.

Fear can also develop in the mind according to what is told or described as a fearsome thing, situation or creature, i.e. informational/instructional fear acquisition. Some phobias are, unlike the other deep and dark ones, are really absurd, and may even seem funny to others. Let us find out about the top 10 strangest phobias that you probably didn’t know about.

10. Panphobia/Panophobia/Pantophobia/Omniphobia

This is a non-specific fear for some unknown evil. It is vague and persistent, but it is not registered in medical references as a type of phobia. Théodule-Armand Ribot, who coined the term, defined it as a state in which the person fears nothing in particular, and hence, his fear floats from one object to another, based on circumstances. In other words, it is a fear for everything. One can only imagine how the patient feels, being anxious all the time.

9. Somniphobia/Hypnophobia/Clinophobia

Most people day-dream about sleeping. Sleep is essential for the body. But, those who suffer from Somniphobia are scared of sleeping. Their irrational and excessive fear may be a fear for losing control, or losing time.

Recurring nightmares may also lead to this kind of anxiety. Another major cause of this phobia is seeing someone else with sleep terror. Whatever be the trigger, it can cause severe mental and physical effects, with severe side effects and withdrawal symptoms of the drugs.

8. Euphobia

When it comes to hearing news, what almost all people suffer from is a fear of hearing bad news. But, not the Euphobic people. What they fear is hearing good news. This fear arises from a person’s previous disappointing experience, following a good news that fell through.

There are also some people who thrive in the chaotic and negative aspects of life. Instead of feeling happy, they feel anxious or dismayed by good news, and often stay in groups of people who only display negativity.

7. Ablutophobia

If you have Ablutophobia, then there is one thing you have in common with your pet cat: neither of you is particularly fond of taking a bath. Ablutophobia is an irrational fear of washing, cleaning or bathing which is specific to situations.

Abnormal, persistent and unwarranted, this fear may arise due to past traumas, emotional instabilities or distressing experiences or ideas. Though generally, men are associated with untidiness, this fear is ironically seen in women. Some children have it, too.

6. Ortographobia

This is the fear of making spelling mistakes. It has been derived from the word, Orthography, which means, the conventional spelling system of a language. People with this kind of phobia are likely to suffer from poor written communication skills, and they also find it hard to score well in theory papers.

This is because, the constant fear deviates their concentration and stifles the creative process and flow of writing. Regular practice of spellings and dictations can help control this fear.

5. Deipnophobia

If you can’t remember when you last you were willing to participate in a dinner conversation with your family, maybe it’s Deipnophobia at play. It is the fear of engaging in conversations during dinner time. It isn’t necessary for such people to be shy, but, their lack of enthusiasm to chat is particularly for the meal time in groups.

This can be triggered by embarrassing experience during meals with families, or for being told not to talk while eating.

4. Venustraphobia/Caligynephobia

If the presence of a pretty lady gets your palm sweaty and you get tongue-tied in front of the pretty woman you like, if you want to run away in the opposite direction if you see a beautiful stranger walking up to you, then you are suffering from Venustraphobia.

There are many who have this irrational and exaggerated fear for women. Luckily, support groups and therapy can help get over this social awkwardness.

3. Ergophobia

The entire world can unanimously agree that they suffer from Ergophobia, because there is hardly a soul on the earth who likes to get up on Monday mornings and go to work. Yes, Ergophobia is the persistent fear of work or finding employment. It could arise due to performance anxiety or social phobia.

Even though sometimes, the sufferer himself realizes that the fear is irrational. It could be a combination of different anxieties, be it emotional, psychological or physiological.

2. Nomophobia

This fear is rather modern, if you will. The term is an abbreviation of sorts for ‘no-mobile-phone phobia,’ coined in 2010. Many people tend to get anxious if they lose or forget their phones, run out of battery, or have no network coverage.

The reasons could be plenty: missing out on important calls, the inability to reach out for help during a possible emergency, being out of reach, etc. Do you think everyone is Nomophobic? Actor Rob Pattinson and supermodel Tyra Banks definitely aren’t.

1. Phobophobia – Strangest Phobias:

This is an irrational fear of phobias. People suffering from it generally go with their gut feeling and fear that phobia is ensuing. It can also be defined as the fear of developing some form of phobia. This complex condition is developed by the unconscious mind due to several reasons. At the risk of sounding like an alliteration – or more like a ‘phobia’-ception, – it can be stated that Phobophobia is the phobia of phobias, or fear of fears.

There are several other Experiences, whether personal or of others, as well as lessons, instil many fears in the minds of people in a life-time, but, no one is really born with deep-rooted phobias. So, it is a good idea to not scare small children unnecessarily, just in order to tame them. It can leave effects so deep that the child will grow up to go any length to avoid what they fear most, even if it is something really silly, as a result of which, they can be joked about by others.

Related Posts

Have you ever wondered what the most bizarre phobias are? We’ve tackled this topic before, but this one includes some additional and strange phobias for you to consider, as long as you don’t have phobophobia—the fear of fears (or of developing one).

There are many different types of phobias that people have, and some can be pretty weird. Some fears may seem silly to others, but they can cause severe anxiety or even panic attacks for those who suffer from them. Here is a list of the top 10 weirdest phobias you might not have heard of!

Related: 10 Times Old Superstitions Became Deadly

10 Plutophobia

No, not the fear of the Disney character or the planet (or dwarf planet or whatever it is now). Plutophobia is the fear of wealth or wealthy people. Named for Pluto, the Roman god of wealth, this fear usually stems from low self-esteem and feelings that one does not deserve money or success in life. It could also arise from feeling as if there will never be enough money to go around, so it’s best not to want more than what one has already been given by their parents or family members.

People with this fear tend to feel unworthy and undeserving when surrounded by successful individuals who make more money than they do themselves. They often think these wealthier individuals look down on them because they don’t earn as much. This can cause significant discomfort not only in social settings among strangers but also when in the company of friends or co-workers.

Plutophobia can lead someone into depression if left untreated. It makes everyday interactions difficult, so often the person may isolate themselves, even from family and friends. In extreme cases, people experiencing plutophobia may have a strong distaste for someone who is rich and may even believe that they are the anti-Christ or that they are simply an evil person.^[1]

9 Globophobia

Have you ever felt a sudden, deep-rooted fear of balloons?

Globophobia is the fear of balloons usually associated with the noise balloons make when popped. It’s a surprisingly common phobia, and it can be very debilitating for sufferers. If you have this phobia, even just seeing someone pop a balloon or hearing about it happening in the news can cause panic attacks and other symptoms similar to those experienced by people with arachnophobia (fear of spiders). Even the feel or smell of a balloon can be a trigger.

It’s not just balloons but also other round objects like balls and bubbles. It affects many and varies from person to person depending on how severe an issue with balloons has been experienced throughout childhood or adulthood. Luckily, most children overcome the phobia as they reach adulthood.

It’s not just children who are at risk either; adults may develop globophobic reactions upon seeing them again after years without having seen any—even watching one appear briefly on TV will do. Now, pair globophobia with coulrophobia—the fear of clowns—and you’ve got a perfect horror story. Oh wait, we’ve got that already. Thanks, Mr. King, for the jump scares!.^[2]

8 Linonophobia

A person with linonophobia will have an extreme reaction when even thinking of string, let alone seeing it in person. People who experience traumatic events and develop this phobia tend to avoid any association or connection between themselves and string, including knitting or tying a pair of tennis shoes. Their fear may even keep them from heading to the mall because they fear seeing strings on the clothes in the display windows (think drawstrings).

This phobia can be triggered by several different things, such as the sound or sight of string. Some people may even become anxious when they see something that looks like a string, such as yarn or thread, or even rope. Others will only experience symptoms when they are in contact with the string itself.

Lononophobia can sometimes develop after a negative association stemming from childhood where one may have been punished by being restrained—for example, when being punished (think of a mean babysitter) or even when playing games at summer camp like a three-legged race or capture the flag. However, some cases have been linked to genetics and family history, so there is no clear cause for why someone might develop this fear. So, I guess Silly String is a no-go for the party, then?^[3]

7 Pogonophobia

People with pogonophobia are afraid of beards and may even have anxiety when looking at an image or talking to someone who has one. Pogonophobia stems from the Greek word pogon, meaning beard. They usually won’t make friends with someone sporting a beard as they possibly connect it to an alarming incident from their past where a bearded person caused them distress in some way.

People suffering from pogonophobia may also develop this fear out of the inability to grow one. They might also not like that a beard hides someone’s facial features or that the person is unhygienic, associating them with dirt, filth, and even homelessness. They experience anxiety around people with beards, which leads them to avoid bearded folk altogether. So, is there a fear of the man-bun too?^[4]

6 Chaetophobia

Related to #7 is chaetophobia, the fear of hair. This phobia might be a fear of one’s own hair, the hair of others, or even animal hair. Chaetophobics may be terrified of brushing their own hair or even the hair on their own bodies. And forget about owning a cat—their fur plus the risk of hairballs. Yikes! They tend to avoid situations when other people touch their hair, and getting haircuts is typically difficult for them.

This fear may have developed as a result of an upsetting hair experience. A poor haircut or significant hair loss, such as becoming bald, are two examples. It might also result from someone feeling that hair is filthy, so they avoid touching it.

Trichophobia and trichopathophobia are related phobias. The dread of loose hair, such as hair that has fallen out onto their clothes or in the shower, is known as trichophobia. Trichopathophobia is the dread of hair disease, such as hair changing color or becoming bald.^[5]

5 Vestiphobia

People with vestiphobia have an unrealistic fear of clothing. It comes from the Latin word vestis, which means clothing, garment, or covering, and can manifest in fear of a single garment or all apparel. The fear may stem from the material the garment is made from, like cotton or wool. For instance, if a person has an allergic reaction to the fabric, the anxiety associated with the response can lead to the phobia later in life.

Another source may be the fear of tight clothing, linking vestiphobia to claustrophobia or the fear of enclosed places. The inability to move or feeling restricted in movement can trigger this when wearing a tight-fitting pair of jeans or a too-small coat. The highest expression of this phobia can leave a person unable to wear clothing, leaving them little option but to remain at home, naked in self-isolation. That is until it’s acceptable to run to the Quick Mart in the buff!^[6]

4 Optophobia

People with optophobia have an incapacitating fear of opening their eyes. An individual who suffers from this phobia may find it hard to go about daily life without opening their eyes at least once, even if only briefly, while looking for something. Generally, they may also prefer to stay indoors or in dimly lit areas.

Optophobic individuals often suffer from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), which can develop after an incident causes these sufferers great distress—such as witnessing a traumatic event such as a loved one dying in a car accident. It can also be situational, a condition that some of you might experience this time of year. Ever watched a scary movie and had to cover your eyes for fear of having to watch what was on the screen? The thought of opening your eyes to watch can lead to heart palpitations, vomiting, and panic attacks. So maybe skip the horror movies this Halloween!^[7]

3 Arithmophobia

While many people grow up dreading math class, those suffering from arithmophobia have a genuine fear that can seriously impair their life. People with this anxiety usually experience feelings of unease and distress when exposed to numbers. It can be a general fear of all numbers or a specific number.

A person’s general fear of numbers can seriously affect their education and profession. Image trying to get a degree without having to do at least a little math. And many career paths would be anxiety-inducing—accountant, banker, or cashier.

The fear of a specific number tends to develop out of superstition or religious fears. Specific numbers hold power in many faiths around the world, while many believe in numerology. Unlucky numbers abound in various cultures around the world, especially the number 13 or 666 in the Western world. In China, Vietnam, and Japan, the number 4 is deemed unlucky as it sounds similar to the word “death” in those languages. Just like Western hotels don’t have a 13th floor, you might not be able to book a room on the fourth floor in Japan.^[8]

2 Agmenophobia

You walk into the bank or the DMV or the local fast food restaurant…and there’s a line. Which one do you stand in? For someone with agmenophobia, this could be a serious dilemma. Agmenophobia is the fear that the line you join will be slower than another one, leaving you waiting and waiting…and waiting. Faced with this decision, sometimes all a person can do is cross their fingers and hope they picked the right one.

The thought of choosing the wrong line—and we’ve all done it—can bring on sweating, anxiety, and panic attacks. Like many other phobias, the exact cause of the phobia is not known, but maybe it could be related to the idea of having to waste time that a person might not have by standing in a line that simply won’t move. Or the fear of not getting to the front of the line first. (You do compare your place to that of the person in the next queue over, right. Or is that just me?) Someone with agmenophobia can ease their anxiety by partnering up, sending a friend to stand in another line for them.^[9]

1 Paraskevidekatriaphobia

Just in time for Halloween is the last entry on our list: paraskevidekatriaphobia. This is the fear of Friday the 13th. Stemming from another phobia from above, the fear of the number thirteen has roots dating as far back as ancient Sumeria—though not intentional. Hammurabi’s Code failed to include a 13th law, which some considered due to the number itself, though it was a simple clerical error. The number also has superstitious beginnings in Christianity and Norse mythology, both related to the 13th guest at a dinner. Many also carry a fear of Friday, which represents terrible events in history and folklore that occurred on that cursed day.

When the number 13 and the day Friday become linked is unknown, but it seems to have gained some steam after T.W. Lawson published his book Friday, the Thirteenth in 1907. To many, the fear of this day could be associated with a horrific event that occurred on a previous Friday, the 13th, whether it happened to them or someone else. When that day comes around on the calendar, a person’s anxiety may increase waiting for something terrible to happen, like the death of a loved one or being fired from their job. Sufferers may choose to stay home to avoid a triggering event. But don’t worry, we’re all safe for now as the next one doesn’t happen until May 2022.^[10]

The words “fear” and “phobia” are often used interchangeably; however, their meaning is far from the same. Fear is a natural emotion when we are in the presence of danger or harm. On the other hand, a phobia is a persistent, irrational fear that causes the sufferer to be faced with feelings of panic and terror that never seem to go away.

While it’s not uncommon to hear someone say they have a fear of spiders, snakes, or even thunderstorms, the ten people on this list suffer from strange phobias—mostly everyday things—that have had a debilitating effect on their lives.

Related: Top 10 Bizarre Phobias People Suffer From

10 Cafephobia: Fear of Coffee

No matter whether you prefer black coffee, espresso, or a custom-made beverage from your local coffee shop, for most people, our morning doesn’t truly start until after we’ve had our first cup of coffee—or that half-caf caramel macchiato with extra whip. However, for people like Becky Marks, who suffers from cafephobia, the fear of coffee, her life was completely altered by her phobia, and not only during the morning hours.

People who suffer from cafephobia, as well as people who suffer from other food and drink phobias, often simply try to avoid coming in contact with the particular item or putting themselves in a situation that may trigger their phobia. Additionally, they often have feelings of anxiety which lead to panic attacks causing physical symptoms such as sweating, difficulty breathing, nausea, headaches, and dizziness. For Marks, her phobia and its accompanying symptoms became so severe that she was unable to be intimate with her partner, kiss her children, or even swallow her own saliva.

Marks’ phobia started at the age of 16 after losing her premature baby girl. The baby only lived for 10 minutes after birth, and Marks sought counseling to help with the trauma she had experienced. She recalled the doctor telling her that caffeine would make her anxiety worse, yet Marks blamed herself and drinking coffee for losing her baby.

Due to her phobia, she refused to kiss her partner because he was a coffee drinker. Additionally, because he was a coffee drinker and naturally kissed their children, she would not kiss the children due to a fear of cross-contamination. Marks would only use disposable cups, plates, and cutlery and would only eat sealed microwave meals. She would even go so far as to spit out her saliva rather than swallow it. However, through therapy, she was able to overcome her phobia and came to the realization that neither caffeine nor coffee played a role in losing her daughter.^[1]

9 Doronophobia: Fear of Opening Gifts

Holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, and celebrations in general often revolve around some form of gift-giving. Gifts are one way to show how much we care for someone, be it a parent, sibling, friend, or partner. The gift giver puts tremendous amounts of thought and care into selecting the perfect gift in anticipation of witnessing the recipient’s reaction. While this tradition of gift-giving has become customary in our day-to-day lives, those who suffer from doronophobia, the fear of opening gifts, never get to experience the joy wrapped inside a perfectly picked present.

Those who suffer from doronophobia often experience severe panic attacks not only from being near gifts or presents but even by simply thinking about being in a situation where they may be expected to open gifts. These panic attacks lead to trembling, hot flashes, chills, and the inability to speak. Doronophobia has had a crippling effect on twenty-six-year-old Sam Das and her family, making it impossible to celebrate Christmas or any other occasion involving gifts.

Das believes her doronophobia began at her 21st birthday party. There were 50 guests in attendance, and when everyone stopped to watch her open gifts, she panicked. While she received wonderful gifts such as perfume and make-up from her friends and family, she couldn’t hide her discomfort. She became hot and sweaty, her heart raced, and she found it difficult to breathe or speak.

From that moment on, Das refuses to open gifts in front of friends, family members, and her husband and will only open gifts in her bedroom when she is completely alone. During holidays or celebratory occasions, she keeps a list with her that is filled with excuses in order to avoid situations that will trigger her phobia. Even though no one will ever see her physically open a gift, Das never forgets to thank her friends and family for anything she receives.^[2]

8 Lachanophobia: Fear of Vegetables

While some vegetables such as turnips, beets, and Brussel sprouts may be among some of the least favorite varieties, vegetables are packed full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They are an essential part of a healthy diet and may also reduce the risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. However, for those that suffer from lachanophobia, the fear of vegetables, consuming their “five-a-day” is quite literally impossible.

Lachanophobia is the dislike of vegetables that actually turns into a panic attack at the sight or thought of vegetables. People who suffer from this phobia try to avoid touching vegetables and avoid these sections of a grocery store. While it may seem silly that someone could be so afraid of something such as peas or carrots, this phobia may have one of the most negative impacts on one’s health and well-being because their body is deprived of much-needed nutrition.

Twenty-two-year-old Vicki Larrieux suffers from lachanophobia, which brings on panic attacks and sweating at the sight of vegetables. Larrieux recalls “freaking out” if vegetables were on her plate, even as a small child, but it wasn’t until she became an adult that she realized her fear was actually a phobia. Normal trips to the grocery store or out to a restaurant are huge obstacles, but thankfully, Larrieux’s boyfriend understands her phobia and is willing to help in any way he can. While her current diet mainly consists of meat, potatoes, cereal, and some fruit, Larrieux hopes to enjoy a piece of roast with a side of greens one day.^[3]

7 Emetophobia: Fear of Vomiting

Vomiting is the natural reaction of our stomach in trying to rid the body of contaminants. It can occur for a wide variety of reasons—early pregnancy, overeating, side effects of medication, or consuming too much alcohol. No matter the reason, vomiting is never a pleasant experience and is understandably something most try to avoid.

Emetophobia is the fear of vomiting. Those suffering from this phobia often avoid specific foods, alcohol, and even social situations where they may be exposed to a virus that could cause vomiting. Like other phobias, emetophobia also brings on panic attacks as well as physical symptoms such as a choking sensation, difficulty breathing, dizziness, sweating, and a rapid heartbeat.

Cheryl Longman began suffering from emetophobia at the age of 12. However, in 2014 after over-indulging in a meal and becoming nauseous, her fear of overeating became even worse. In order to avoid any possibility of becoming sick or overeating, Longman would restrict each meal to only two mouthfuls. Within 15 months, her weight plummeted from 10st 7lbs (147 pounds) to a mere 4st 11 lbs (67 pounds), and she had to be admitted to the hospital and fed through a tube. Naturally, medical professionals, as well as Longman’s friends and family, assumed she was suffering from anorexia.

What they didn’t understand was that she did not have body image issues. Instead, she was trapped in a vicious cycle of being too afraid to eat, which in turn, was causing her stomach to shrink and her body to shut down, no matter how desperately she wanted to put on weight. After a three-week hospital stay and realizing how fortunate she was to recover, Longman has been going to therapy, working on her weight, and spreading awareness of her condition in hopes of helping others.^[4]

6 Turophobia: Fear of Cheese

Cheese is an essential ingredient for making entrees such as pizza, tacos, sandwiches, nachos, and many baked pasta or casserole dishes. In fact, there are over 1,800 different varieties of cheese found throughout the world. Unfortunately, people who suffer from turophobia, the fear of cheese, are forced to miss out on so many culinary experiences. But in cases like twenty-two-year-old Melissa North, even walking past cheese in the grocery store leads to clamminess, panic attacks, and tears.

Melissa North’s turophobia started when she was only four years old. She was visiting a friend’s house and was served cheese on toast. Even though the taste was disgusting, North had been taught by her parents to be respectful and always finish what was on her plate. Turophobia is commonly associated with a traumatic memory of the dairy product, so this experience led to a crippling fear of eating, touching, or even seeing cheese. To make matters worse, North experienced cruel jokes and torment throughout her adolescent years regarding her fear of cheese.

At the age of 15, North’s friends threw cream cheese in her face, causing her to fall to the floor and leave the classroom crying. Thankfully, one true friend stepped in to calm her down and clean her face. In another incident, a friend from university decided to smear cheese all over North’s room door and leave a trail of cheese outside, preventing her from going in. Not much has changed as she is still mocked by friends, family, and even her boyfriend about her phobia.^[5]

5 Genuphobia: Fear of Knees

Our knees are made of bones, ligaments, tendons, and meniscus and are vital to weight-bearing and movement. Not only is it the largest joint in the human body, but it is also the most stressed. Therefore, it is essential to protect our knees from common injuries such as sprains, tears, and fractures. While everyday functions such as standing, walking, and running would be impossible without our knees, there are some who suffer from genuphobia, the fear of knees, and are completely grossed out by this amazing part of the human body.

Those suffering from genuphobia experience intense emotions and physical symptoms such as shivering, shaking, and panic attacks simply by looking at the knees. Genuphobia can be triggered by a previous knee injury, punishments such as being forced to kneel for long periods, or cultural restrictions, where exposing the knees is frowned upon. Genuphobes typically also try to avoid places such as the beach where others’ knees will be exposed and a church where they may be required to kneel.

Stephanie Cockerill’s genuphobia began when she was lying in bed with her boyfriend and his knees were touching hers. She immediately began feeling sick and having a panic attack. She now avoids all contact with knees, be it hers or others, as she begins to shake and her mind goes blank, making it hard to speak in the situation. Cockerill’s phobia is so intense that she cannot watch movies featuring knees, specifically gangster movies where a kneecap may be broken. She has left her swimming club due to the sight of so many knees, and she refuses to kneel, shave, or even put sunscreen on her legs. Cockerill also claims that if there was a way to remove her knees, she would have such an operation.^[6]

4 Pemmaphobia: Fear of Cake

Cakes are a common celebratory dessert for both birthdays and weddings, and the very first wedding cakes were actually a tradition to encourage fertility for the new couple. In Roman times, grain was a symbol of fertility, and it would be thrown at the newlyweds. Then, over time, grain began to be baked into cakes. Wedding cakes often take center stage at the reception, and most couples continue the tradition of preserving the top tier of their cake until their one-year anniversary as a symbol of luck and prosperity. Choosing the perfect cake for your special day may seem daunting, but bride-to-be Rachel Lee has come to dread her wedding day, not only because of a cake choice but because she suffers from pemmaphobia, the fear of cake.

Lee’s phobia started when she was just a small child after eating a piece of sponge cake that made her sick. She begins to cry and shake if someone with cake gets too close to her and the smell of baking cake makes her violently sick. Lee tries to avoid triggers as most phobia sufferers do and has been known to jump over chairs in order to escape the situation. A more intriguing fact is that even though Lee is a black belt in kickboxing, she states she “would rather fight six blokes than eat a piece of cake.”^[7]

3 Galaphobia: Fear of Milk

Milk is a great source of protein and calcium. It can be used to make a variety of products such as butter, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream and can also be used as an addition to hot beverages such as hot chocolate and espresso. While it may be hard to imagine that something used to make such delicious products could ever be scary, for someone like Joannah Symes, who suffers from galaphobia, the fear of milk, the white liquid is enough to make her cower in a corner.

Symes has suffered from her phobia for as long as she can remember, although it has gotten much worse as she’s grown older and learned where milk came from. Given her fear, she cannot consume hot beverages that may be flavored with milk, such as tea, coffee, or hot chocolate, and she also avoids cold treats such as milkshakes and ice cream.

It is unbearable for her to watch someone pour milk from a carton or spill any, but since Symes has kept her phobia a secret from most of her friends and family, she has had to learn to manage dealing with these types of difficult situations. Perhaps the worst part for Symes is the fact that her father is a farmer, and he often has to visit milk farms. However, she is very much in control of her emotions and will simply make an excuse to leave or sit inside rather than looking at the cows.^[8]

2 Argyrophobia: Fear of Silver Things/Silverware

Formal dinners are well-known for intricate place settings and formal flatware such as cutlery, serving trays, ladles, and bowls. Due to the fact that large dinner parties or multi-course meals are not held as frequently today, many have come to rely on the convenience of disposable utensils in lieu of fancy silverware sets. However, for Zoe Ingleston, who suffers from the fear of metal cutlery, plastic silverware is a necessity at mealtimes.

As with most phobias, it is common for a traumatic experience to bring about feelings of anxiety which then trigger fear that wasn’t previously present. Ingleston’s fear of metal utensils began at the age of 17 when she accidentally hit a new filling in her mouth with a fork. Now, even the sight of metal silverware causes her chest to become tight, and she experiences shortness of breath.

Ingleston has spent the last 20 years dreading mealtimes and only uses plastic cutlery to eat and cook with because the sound of metal scraping triggers cold sweats and panic attacks. Even though she is a mother to four children and engaged to her partner Phil, they are unable to enjoy meals together as a family. Ingleston eats her meals at a separate table and even goes so far as to turn her back to them to avoid seeing any metal utensils. Sadly, the only time they can eat together is on Christmas when her family gives in and agrees to eat with plastic utensils.^[9]

1 Cucurbitaceaeophobia: Fear of Watermelon

Watermelon is considered to be a fruit botanically like tomatoes and peppers because of the way it is grown. However, watermelon is also part of the Cucurbitaceae plant family of gourds that includes squash, pumpkins, and cucumbers. Its juicy, red center and refreshing taste have made it a popular addition to summer barbeques, and for a good reason. However, when Xiao Jun, who suffers from cucurbitaceaeophobia, the fear of watermelon, was surprised by his co-workers with watermelon on a hot day, rather than being grateful, he became sick with fear.

Jun had been sick for two months as a child, and in an attempt to get him to take a bitter liquid medicine, his father claimed it was watermelon juice. Jun never forgot this awful experience, and each time he saw a watermelon, he was reminded of the awful medicine and his father’s lies. He was unable to look at a watermelon or be in the presence of one. However, Jun kept his phobia a secret for 30 years. That is, until the day his co-worker presented him with watermelon.^[10]

We all are afraid of something or the other and that is so normal. Fear comes in our way of achieving things in life. However, things become difficult when this fear turns into a phobia. They way phobias can control our body and mind can make it difficult for us to confront objects or things that are actually not threats. Many a time phobias are just random and have no underlying meaning. However, most develop because of some kind of unknown or known trauma. Here are 10 of the most bizarre phobias that you too may be suffering from.

10. Xanthophobia

Fear of a color, particularly yellow, certainly seems bizarre. However, it is a fact that Xanthophobia has developed because of the attachment of the color yellow to some disturbing experience. For instance, in China people started becoming afraid of the yellow color because it was an imperial scarf’s color that signified an order to commit suicide. Because of this relation, people started getting afraid of any object that was yellow in color even if it had no relation to that order.

If one suffers from xanthophobia they will close their eyes anxiously or even have a panic attack if they see something as harmless as a daffodil. Such people also find it difficult to eat lemonade, cheese, bananas, and eggs.

9. Hylophobia

Derived from the Greek word Hylo, which means forest, and phobia, meaning fear, hylophobia is perhaps the most understandable phobias in this list, because of the way forests are constantly depicted in serial and movies as a lonely and scary place. However, there is a difference between a phobia and the fear of being left alone in some forest. People who suffer from hylophobia get very anxious and display other symptoms like nausea, dryness of mouth, excessive sweating, shaking, and so on.

8. Turophobia

Can you even imagine there is a phobia built just around the fear of dairy products? Katie Weston is one of those who suffers from cheese phobia after as a child a cheese string had made her throw up in her friend’s trash bin. This incident was traumatic for her and kept her away from cheese forever. Even if a friend would try to bring a cheese string close to her, she would get anxious. Even the smell of cheese is too much for her to handle.

7. Omphalophobia

This is yet another really bizarre phobias, omphalophobia, where a person has a fear of the belly button. In this case, a person does not have a fear of only other’s navels but their own as well. Such people will not touch their own belly button and even if they see it, it can cause great discomfort. Celebrities like Jenny Frost and Khloe Kardashian suffer from this problem.

See also; Phobias that You Probably Don’t Know About.

6. Ombrophobia

Be it dramatic action scenes or love scenes, rain is hardly shown as something harmful, but this is something ombrophobes will never believe in. Even if it barely drizzles the sufferers can have panic attacks or may feel like they will be swept away in a flood caused by the rain. Most people think that the reason behind this phobia, just like in case of most others, is a painful experience associated with the rain.

5. Nomophobia

Nomophobia is one of those phobias that perhaps many people in the present day generation suffer from. It is the fear of having no cellular contact. Now that most young adults are highly dependent on their phones, it is pretty natural that an anxiety has developed at the very thought of the inability of using their devices. According to a study, men have brighter chances of developing nomophobia compared to women. Statistics also show that 65% of Americans sleep with their cell phones next to them, it is that important. Also, one in five people would not mind going without shoes for even a week but cannot stay without their cell phones.

4. Uranophobia

This one is really, really weird. There are people who have a strange fear of heaven and experience nausea, great fear, and lightheadedness at even the very thought or mention of the word heaven. The reason behind this possibly can be the enormity of heaven and things that can be expected, like meeting the Creator, angels, and one’s loved ones – all this may be too overwhelming.

3. Papaphobia

This phobia is one in which the sufferer has fear of the Pope. There are so many scandals surrounding the Catholic Church that people have grown afraid of the Church’s highest authority, the Pope himself. Yet another reason can be that the sufferers just have fear of anything sacred. Some of the symptoms displayed by the sufferers include shortness of breath, dread or anxiety, heart palpitations, and rapid breathing at the very thought of witnessing the Pope.

2. Triskaidekaphobia

This is the most common phobia and so many people suffer from this that a few offices have avoided having the 13th floor at all. In the American society, the number 13 is greatly feared. There are many reasons behind the origin of this fear, with one being biblical. From the late 19th century, some people think that the fear of the number 13 started from religious circles as Judas, the traitor, was the 13th person to join Christ at the Last Supper. Furthermore, many unfortunate events also have involved the number 13, thus adding to the fear.

1. Trypophobia

Some psychiatrists believe that the symptoms linked with it do not make it a phobia at all. However, other psychiatrists believe that the feelings of uncomfortableness and anxiety that people experience when seeing shapes or patterns resembling small holes, does make it a legitimate phobia. People suffering from this phobia feel uneasy when they see the body of a strawberry, the head of a lotus seed pod, or any other objects that have small closely gathered holes.

Many people do suffer from these and other bizarre phobias and there is not much to worry about. You just need to gather courage, face your fears once, and you will be free of your phobias forever.