Amaxophobia can involve fear of driving or of travelling as a passenger.

A fear of driving can affect work, family life and independence. Some people avoid motorways, bridges, tunnels, busy traffic or unfamiliar routes, while others drive only after extensive planning, reassurance or mental preparation.

Possible triggers

Examples include getting into a car for a journey, travelling with an unfamiliar driver or taking a bus on a route that differs from the usual one.

Name origin

From Greek amaxa (wagon or carriage) and -phobia.

Also known as

Hamaxophobia, Motorphobia, Ochophobia

A fear of empty spaces can affect everyday situations involving empty room, large empty hall, abandoned building and wide empty area.

Possible triggers

Entering an unfurnished room, crossing an empty hall or standing in a large space with nobody else around.

Name origin

From Greek kenos (empty) and -phobia.

Also known as

Kenophobia

A fear of enclosed or confined spaces can affect everyday situations involving tube train, locked room, small spaces and MRI scanner.

Possible triggers

Examples include travelling in a lift or on a tube train, entering a tunnel, being in a room with a locked door or preparing for an MRI scan.

Name origin

From Latin claustrum (a closed space) and -phobia.

The focus is guns and other firearms. Sensible precautions around weapons are not, by themselves, a phobia.

Possible triggers

Seeing a firearm on display, encountering one in a film or entering a setting where firearms may be present.

Name origin

From Greek hoplon (weapon or implement) and -phobia (fear).

Flooding is the focus, rather than water in every setting.

Possible triggers

Receiving a flood warning, seeing water levels rise or watching flood footage.

Name origin

Combines antlo- (flood) with -phobia (fear).

A fear of flying can affect holidays, work travel, visiting family and any journey that would normally involve an aeroplane. It may lead to avoiding flights, choosing much longer routes, worrying well in advance or cancelling trips because of take-off, turbulence or being in the air.

Possible triggers

Examples include the aircraft taking off or landing, feeling turbulence during a flight or seeing news coverage of an aircraft accident.

Name origin

From Greek aer (air) and -phobia.

Also known as

Aviophobia

A fear of fog can affect everyday situations involving driving in fog, foggy road, thick fog and low visibility.

Possible triggers

Waking to fog outside, entering a misty stretch of road or seeing visibility disappear into fog.

Name origin

From Greek homichlē (mist) and -phobia.

A fear of forests or wooded areas can affect everyday situations involving dense trees, dark woodland, remote forest and tree shadows.

Possible triggers

Entering a wooded path, walking between closely spaced trees or planning a visit to a forest.

Name origin

From Greek hylē (wood or forest) and -phobia.

A fear of heights can affect balconies, stairs, bridges, ladders, flights, viewing platforms or routes with steep drops. Physical sensations such as dizziness, unsteadiness or a strong urge to move away can make even protected places feel unsafe.

Possible triggers

Examples include looking down from a balcony, climbing a ladder, crossing a high bridge or using an upper floor of a multi-storey car park.

Name origin

From Greek akron (peak or summit) and -phobia.

Houses and the experience of being inside a building are the focus of this fear.

Possible triggers

Entering a house, crossing into an unfamiliar building or anticipating spending time indoors.

Name origin

From Greek doma (house), with the stem domat-, and phobos (fear).

Also known as

Oikophobia