Apiphobia or the fear of bees is a common zoophobia affecting a sizeable part of the population. The word is derived from Latin ‘api’ which means bees and Greek ‘phobos’ meaning deep dread or fear. Many people suffering from Apiphobia are not only afraid of bees, but also fear wasps (spheksophobia), yellow jackets and all other swarming and flying insects that … [Read more...]

Gynophobia is the fear or hatred (or both) of women. Usually men suffer from this phobia, which is also known by names like Gynephobia or Feminophobia. Such individuals fear women or having a sexual intercourse with them. They might have hatred or ill will towards their own sisters or mothers or, in general, all women around them. Some gynophobics tend to put off marriage … [Read more...]

Most of us like to sleep and look at it as a basic necessity to survive just like eating, drinking and breathing. Many tend to get cranky or irritable due to the lack of sleep. However, there are some people in the world who also suffer from anxiety disorders related to sleep, prominent among which is a condition called Somniphobia. The word Somniphobia is derived from … [Read more...]

We recently covered Triskaidekaphobia which is the fear of number 13. Today we will talk about Paraskevidekatriaphobia, which is an extension of Triskaidekaphobia. It originates from Paraskevi, (Greek for Friday). Other names for this phobia include Friggatriskaidekaphobia which originates from Norse mythology where Frigg is the Norse Goddess for Friday. Many people … [Read more...]

To most people, the fear of feet phobia might sound weird or bizarre. However, Podophobia does exist and is quite a common specific phobia affecting many people across the globe. The word Podophobia originates from Greek ‘Podos’ meaning feet. People with Podophobia tend to get upset at the sight of feet. Different people experience Podophobia differently: some do not … [Read more...]

Panophobia or the fear of everything phobia might sound bizarre, but it does exist in the list of non-specific phobias. It is known by other names like Omniphobia or Pantophobia. Panto stands for ‘all or everything’ in the Greek language. The word ‘Panophobia’ also might have originated from The Greek God Pan. (This deity is believed to cause feelings of panic or … [Read more...]

Lepidopterophobia, the word for fear of butterflies, originates from the Greek word Lepidoptera (the group or class of insects including butterflies, moths, skippers and other winged insects). This phobia is closely linked with Entomophobia (which is the fear of insects) or Mottephobia - the fear of moths. It is believed that actress Nicole Kidman suffers from … [Read more...]

The fear of bugs or fear of insects is known as Entomophobia or Acarophobia and is sometimes also referred to as Insectophobia. The word Entomophobia comes from Greek entomos meaning insects and phobos which means deep dread or fear. Acarophobia is derived from Latin Acaro which means ‘mites’. Fear of insects mainly includes a disgust response or aversion to bugs. … [Read more...]

Gephyrophobia (pronounced as Jeff-ee-ro-pho-bia) is a common specific phobia affecting many individuals. People with this phobia are afraid of crossing bridges or tunnels: driving over a bridge or even seeing one from afar or seeing photos/movies involving bridges can set off an anxiety attack in the sufferer. Often the phobic realizes that his fear is unwarranted and … [Read more...]

Emetophobia or the fear or vomiting is known by many different names like Phagophobia, Vomitophobia, fear of sickness phobia, vomit phobia, fear of choking or gagging phobia and globus hystericus etc. This phobia can affect sufferers severely and might interefer with their daily activities. It is often associated with Agoraphobia, fear of germs phobia, obsessive compulsive … [Read more...]

Triskaidekaphobia is persistent, irrational and unwarranted fear of the number 13. This number has always been associated with something negative or evil: Jesus’ famous Last supper had 13 guests, the 13th being the same one who betrayed Him. People with Triskaidekaphobia are called Triskaidekaphobes. They tend to experience severe anxiety at the thought or sight of this … [Read more...]

The fear of love (or falling in love) phobia is known as Philophobia. The word originates from Greek “filos” which means ‘loving or beloved’. Individuals who suffer from this phobia fear romantic love or forming emotional attachments of any sort. As far as unusual phobias are concerned; Philophobia certainly ranks high in the list. Often this phobia is known to have … [Read more...]

President Roosevelt, in his famous inaugural speech, stated that “the only thing we need to fear is fear itself”. In some individuals, this actually rings true: they fear becoming anxious or get extremely overwhelmed at the thought of allowing themselves to become afraid of an object or situation. This fear of fear is termed as Phobophobia. The word Phobophobia … [Read more...]

Androphobia is the abnormal and persistent fear of men (Greek: Andras-man and phobos-fear). Like with all fears, the fear of men is also ingrained or pre-programmed as an ‘instinctual response to potential danger’. Such a phobia can afflict men and women, but is typically seen in younger females. Like with many other phobias, the fear of men phobia might continue into … [Read more...]

Many kids and adults are known to suffer from the fear of darkness or night phobia. Several non-clinical terminologies are used for describing this phobia, namely: Nyctophobia, Scotophobia, Lygophobia as well as Achluophobia. The word Nyctophobia is derived from Greek ‘Nyctus ‘meaning night or darkness and Phobos which means deep fear or dread. It is common for … [Read more...]