A fear of frogs or toads can affect everyday situations involving frog jumping, pond frog, amphibian and frogs. It may lead to scanning surroundings, avoiding places where the animal might appear, asking other people to check or deal with it, or leaving suddenly when one is seen.

Possible triggers

Noticing a frog near a pond, encountering a toad on a path or viewing close-up amphibian footage.

Name origin

From Greek batrachos (frog) and -phobia.

Also known as

Batracophobia

A fear of garlic can affect everyday situations involving cooking garlic, garlic smell, raw garlic and garlic breath. It may lead to restricting foods, checking ingredients or preparation, avoiding meals, shops or restaurants, or relying heavily on familiar choices.

Possible triggers

Smelling garlic during cooking, seeing garlic on a menu or being served food containing it.

Name origin

From Latin allium (garlic) and -phobia.

A fear of gravity can affect everyday situations involving being pulled down, falling sensation, heavy feeling and pressure. It may lead to restricting movement, avoiding activities or positions, monitoring bodily sensations, or changing routines to prevent the feared motion or lack of motion.

Possible triggers

Discussing gravity, watching a demonstration of falling objects or dwelling on the idea of being pulled downwards.

Name origin

From Greek baros (weight) and -phobia.

Hot weather and hot objects can be the focus, rather than flames or fire.

Possible triggers

Entering a hot room, stepping outdoors in hot weather or anticipating time near a source of heat.

Name origin

From Greek therme (heat) and phobos (fear).

A fear of horses can affect everyday situations involving being kicked by a horse, horse riding, galloping and horse. It may lead to scanning surroundings, avoiding places where the animal might appear, asking other people to check or deal with it, or leaving suddenly when one is seen.

Possible triggers

Passing a horse on a path, visiting stables or being invited to approach a horse.

Name origin

From Latin equus (horse) and -phobia.

Also known as

Hippophobia

A fear of ice can affect everyday situations involving slipping on ice, icy surface, frozen lake and black ice.

Possible triggers

Noticing ice on a path, handling ice cubes or seeing a frozen surface.

Name origin

From Greek pagos (ice) and -phobia.

A fear of insects can affect everyday situations involving crawling insect, flying insect, bugs and flies. It may lead to scanning surroundings, avoiding places where the animal might appear, asking other people to check or deal with it, or leaving suddenly when one is seen.

Possible triggers

Examples include spotting an insect indoors, anticipating insects during a park visit or seeing close-up insect images online or on television.

Name origin

From Greek entomon (insect) and -phobia.

Also known as

Insectophobia

A fear of leaves can affect everyday situations involving fallen leaves, leaf piles, autumn leaves and dry leaves. It may lead to avoidance, checking, reassurance-seeking or changing everyday routines so that contact with the trigger feels less likely.

Possible triggers

Walking through fallen leaves, handling leafy branches or finding a leaf on clothing.

Name origin

From Greek phyllon (leaf) and -phobia.

A fear of mice or rats can affect everyday situations involving mouse in house, rat in garden, rat and rodent. It may lead to scanning surroundings, avoiding places where the animal might appear, asking other people to check or deal with it, or leaving suddenly when one is seen.

Possible triggers

Spotting a mouse indoors, encountering a rat outside or seeing rodents in a pet shop.

Name origin

From Latin mus (mouse) and -phobia.

Also known as

Murophobia

The concern centres on bites or infestation by mites and tiny parasitic insects.

Possible triggers

Reading about mites, seeing magnified images of them or worrying that a small parasite is on your skin.

Name origin

From Greek akari (mite) and phobos (fear).