A fear of ideas or concepts can affect everyday situations involving new ideas, belief system, intellectual debate and philosophy. It may lead to monitoring thoughts and mental sensations, seeking reassurance, avoiding information or situations that trigger the fear, or trying hard to suppress particular thoughts.

Possible triggers

Being asked to consider an unfamiliar idea, joining an abstract discussion or encountering a challenging concept.

Name origin

From Greek idea (concept) and -phobia.

A fear of immobility can affect everyday situations involving being stuck, feeling unable to move, paralysis fear and stiffness. It may lead to monitoring thoughts and mental sensations, seeking reassurance, avoiding information or situations that trigger the fear, or trying hard to suppress particular thoughts.

Possible triggers

Anticipating being unable to move, discussing a restrictive cast or being asked to remain motionless.

Name origin

From Greek ankylos (stiff) and -phobia.

The idea of something having no end is the focus of this fear.

Possible triggers

Discussing endless space, considering eternity or thinking about a sequence that has no final point.

Name origin

From Greek apeiros (boundless or infinite) and -phobia (fear).

A fear of knowledge can affect everyday situations involving finding out, learning, studying and information. It may lead to monitoring thoughts and mental sensations, seeking reassurance, avoiding information or situations that trigger the fear, or trying hard to suppress particular thoughts.

Possible triggers

Being offered new information, starting a course or anticipating learning something you would rather not know.

Name origin

From Greek episteme (knowledge) and -phobia.

Learning itself is the focus, rather than only attending school or taking an examination.

Possible triggers

Beginning a lesson, being asked to learn a new skill or anticipating unfamiliar teaching material.

Name origin

From Greek sophos (wise or learned) and -phobia (fear).

A fear of long words can affect everyday situations involving very long words, complex vocabulary and multisyllabic words. It may lead to monitoring thoughts and mental sensations, seeking reassurance, avoiding information or situations that trigger the fear, or trying hard to suppress particular thoughts.

Possible triggers

Meeting a long unfamiliar word in a document or being asked to pronounce one aloud.

Name origin

A playful construction combining Latin roots for ‘very long’.

Also known as

Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia

A fear of losing one’s mind can affect everyday situations involving thoughts of going insane, losing control, thoughts of losing your mind and mental breakdown. It may lead to monitoring thoughts and mental sensations, seeking reassurance, avoiding information or situations that trigger the fear, or trying hard to suppress particular thoughts.

Possible triggers

Reading about loss of mental control or interpreting an unfamiliar thought as a sign of losing your mind.

Name origin

From Greek lyssa (madness) and -phobia.

Also known as

Maniaphobia

A fear of magic or supernatural punishment can affect everyday situations involving supernatural punishment, witchcraft, spell and sorcery. It may lead to avoiding certain places, images, stories or times of day, checking surroundings, seeking reassurance, or staying away from reminders of the feared idea.

Possible triggers

Watching a scene involving a spell, discussing magic or encountering a story about supernatural punishment.

Name origin

From Greek rhabdos (rod or wand) and -phobia.

Memories themselves are the focus. This is different from being afraid of losing your memory.

Possible triggers

Looking at an old photograph, returning to a familiar place or anticipating recollections you find frightening.

Name origin

From Greek mneme (memory or remembrance) and -phobia (fear).

A fear of memory loss can affect everyday situations involving losing memories, forgetting, dementia fear and memory loss. It may lead to monitoring thoughts and mental sensations, seeking reassurance, avoiding information or situations that trigger the fear, or trying hard to suppress particular thoughts.

Possible triggers

Forgetting a familiar name, misplacing an item or discussing the possibility of memory loss.

Name origin

From Greek amnesia (forgetfulness) and -phobia.