The worry centres on causing or being involved in an accident. It can concern situations at home, at work or while travelling, even when an accident is unlikely.

Possible triggers

Planning a journey, hearing about an accident or anticipating an activity associated with accidental harm.

Name origin

Combines Greek roots dys- (bad) and tych- (chance or fortune) with -phobia (fear), referring to an accident or misfortune.

A fear of advanced technology can affect everyday situations involving new gadgets, digital systems, computers and AI. It may lead to avoiding touching, using or being near the object, asking others to deal with it, changing routines, or checking surroundings for the trigger.

Possible triggers

Being asked to use unfamiliar technology, encountering a new digital system or replacing familiar equipment.

Name origin

From Greek techne (art or skill) and -phobia.

Alcohol is the focus of this fear. Choosing not to drink is not, by itself, a phobia.

Possible triggers

Being offered an alcoholic drink, entering a bar or seeing alcohol served at a gathering.

Name origin

From Greek methy (wine) and -phobia (fear).

A fear of angles or sharp corners can affect everyday situations involving sharp corners, triangular shape, pointed corner and angles. It may lead to avoiding touching, using or being near the object, asking others to deal with it, changing routines, or checking surroundings for the trigger.

Possible triggers

Sitting beside an angular table, encountering a sharp-edged object or looking at a pattern of pointed angles.

Name origin

From Greek gonia (angle) and -phobia.

The feared event is an atomic explosion, rather than radiation in general.

Possible triggers

Reading about nuclear weapons, hearing discussion of atomic explosions or watching footage of a nuclear test.

Name origin

Combines Greek atomos (indivisible), the source of the word atom, with -phobia (fear).

A fear of balloons can affect everyday situations involving balloon popping, inflated balloon, burst balloon and balloon. It may lead to avoiding touching, using or being near the object, asking others to deal with it, changing routines, or checking surroundings for the trigger.

Possible triggers

Entering a room decorated with balloons, watching one being inflated or anticipating a balloon bursting.

Name origin

From Latin globus (sphere) and -phobia.

The concern centres on being unable to access a usable mobile phone.

Possible triggers

Noticing a nearly empty phone battery, losing signal or realising you have left your phone behind.

Name origin

A shortened form of no mobile combined with phobia.

A fear of bitterness can affect everyday situations involving bitter taste, bitter flavour, bitter food and strong bitterness. It may lead to scanning for the sensation or visual cue, avoiding particular environments or objects, leaving situations early, or arranging surroundings to prevent encountering it.

Possible triggers

Tasting a bitter food, noticing bitterness in a drink or being offered something described as bitter.

Name origin

From Greek amara (bitter) and -phobia.

A fear of black can affect everyday situations involving black room, black clothing, black colour and dark objects. It may lead to scanning for the sensation or visual cue, avoiding particular environments or objects, leaving situations early, or arranging surroundings to prevent encountering it.

Possible triggers

Seeing black clothing, encountering black furnishings or handling a black object.

Name origin

From Greek melas (black) and -phobia.

Books are the focus. The word can also describe an aversion to books, rather than a phobia.

Possible triggers

Entering a library, opening a book or being asked to read from one.

Name origin

Biblio- comes from Greek biblion (book); phobia comes from Greek phobos (fear).