A fear of being touched can affect handshakes, hugs, crowded places, healthcare and other situations involving physical contact. It may lead to keeping extra distance, avoiding busy settings, pulling away from unexpected touch or limiting social and relationship choices.

Possible triggers

An offered handshake, an approaching hug or anticipating physical contact in a crowded place.

Name origin

From Greek haptein (to touch) and -phobia.

Also known as

Aphephobia, Haphephobia, Haptephobia, Chiraptophobia, Thixophobia

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 body odour can affect work, travel, exercise, close conversation and social situations. It may lead to repeated washing, changing clothes, checking how you smell, seeking reassurance or keeping distance from others because you worry they may notice an odour.

Possible triggers

Standing close to others, noticing perspiration or worrying that your body has an odour others can detect.

Name origin

From Greek auto (self) and dysosmia (bad smell) with -phobia.

A fear of cats can affect everyday situations involving stray cat, cat bite, hissing and scratching. 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 visiting a home with a cat, encountering a cat in the street, hearing hissing or meowing, or watching a cat on screen.

Name origin

From Greek ailouros (cat) and -phobia.

Also known as

Gatophobia, Felinophobia, Elurophobia

Hens or roosters can be the focus, including seeing them or anticipating an encounter.

Possible triggers

Visiting a farm with chickens, seeing a hen approach or entering an area with free-roaming chickens.

Name origin

From Greek alektor (rooster) and phobos (fear).

A fear of choking or suffocation can affect everyday situations involving food stuck in throat, suffocating, feeling unable to breathe and gagging. 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

Eating something you associate with choking or imagining being unable to breathe in a confined situation.

Name origin

From Greek anchone (strangling) and -phobia.

Also known as

Pnigophobia, Pnigerophobia

A fear of darkness can affect everyday situations involving dark room, lights off, pitch black and shadow. It may lead to delaying bedtime, staying alert when tired, changing sleep routines, needing reassurance, or avoiding situations associated with sleep or night-time.

Possible triggers

Examples include switching off the bedroom light, entering a dark cinema, noticing dusk approaching or preparing to sleep in a dark room.

Name origin

From Greek nyx (night) and -phobia.

Also known as

Achluphobia, Noctiphobia, Myctophobia, Scotophobia, Lygophobia

Messy surroundings can cause intense distress, and even anticipating an untidy setting can provoke anxiety. This is more than a preference for neatness.

Possible triggers

Entering an untidy room, seeing objects out of place or facing a disorganised workspace.

Name origin

From Greek ataxia (disorder), formed from a- (without) and taxis (order), with -phobia (fear).

Also known as

Ataxiophobia

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

Dust is the focus of the fear; some dictionary definitions also include dirt.

Possible triggers

Noticing dust on furniture, opening a dusty box or anticipating cleaning a neglected space.

Name origin

From Greek amathos (dust) and phobos (fear).