The concern is developing scabies, rather than skin disease in general.

Possible triggers

Hearing about a scabies case, reading information about it or worrying about possible contact.

Name origin

Combines scabies with -phobia (fear). Scabies comes from a Latin word for an itchy skin condition, related to scabere (to scratch).

A fear of sexually transmitted infection can affect everyday situations involving infection from sex, sexual health, STD and STI. It may lead to avoiding intimacy or difficult conversations, pulling back from relationships, seeking reassurance, or making choices primarily to prevent the feared emotional or physical situation.

Possible triggers

Discussing sexual health, waiting for a sexual-health test result or reading about sexually transmitted infections.

Name origin

From Latin Venus (love) and -phobia.

Also known as

Cypriphobia

A fear of sitting down can affect everyday situations involving being seated, sitting still, chair and sitting. 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

Being offered a seat, preparing to sit through an appointment or lowering yourself into a chair.

Name origin

From Greek kathizo (to sit) and -phobia.

Also known as

Thaasophobia, Cathisophobia

A fear of skin disease can affect everyday situations involving visible skin change, skin condition, skin disorder and rash. It may lead to monitoring symptoms, checking the body, searching for reassurance, repeatedly seeking medical certainty, or avoiding reminders of illness.

Possible triggers

Reading about skin disease, noticing a skin change or anticipating an appointment about a skin concern.

Name origin

From pellagra (a skin disease) and -phobia.

Standing upright or walking is the focus of the fear.

Related name: Ambulophobia refers specifically to fear of walking.

Possible triggers

Rising from a chair, taking the first steps across a room or anticipating walking without support.

Name origin

From Greek basis (a step or a standing place), related to bainein (to walk), with -phobia (fear).

Also known as

Stasibasiphobia

A fear of surgical procedures can affect everyday situations involving being operated on, operating theatre, surgery and operation. It may lead to postponing appointments or treatment, worrying for days beforehand, seeking repeated reassurance, or avoiding healthcare that would otherwise be straightforward.

Possible triggers

Receiving a surgery date, discussing an operation or entering a surgical department.

Name origin

From Greek ergasia (work or procedure) and -phobia.

A fear of swallowing can affect everyday situations involving food stuck, throat tight, choking and eating anxiety. It may lead to restricting foods, eating very cautiously, checking sensations while swallowing, avoiding meals or relying on a narrow set of familiar choices.

Possible triggers

Preparing to swallow a mouthful, eating a texture you find difficult or anticipating a meal away from home.

Name origin

From Greek phagein (to eat) and -phobia.

The concern centres on this particular infection, rather than sexually transmitted infections in general.

Possible triggers

Reading about syphilis, discussing a possible exposure or awaiting a relevant test result.

Name origin

Combines syphilis with -phobia (fear). The illness takes its name from Syphilus, a character in a sixteenth-century poem.

The concern centres on trembling itself. The term describes a fear, not the cause of a tremor.

Possible triggers

Noticing your hands shake, anticipating others seeing a tremor or remembering an episode of trembling.

Name origin

From Latin tremor (trembling) and Greek phobos (fear).

The feared illness is trichinosis.

Possible triggers

Reading about trichinosis, discussing food preparation or worrying about a possible infection.

Name origin

Combines trichina with -phobia (fear). Trichina comes from Greek trichinos (made of hair), referring to the slender worm.