A fear of being alone can affect time at home, travel, evenings, sleep and situations where another person is not immediately available. It may lead to changing plans, seeking constant contact or reassurance, or avoiding activities that would involve spending time by yourself.

Possible triggers

A companion leaving the house, spending an evening alone or anticipating a night without company.

Name origin

From Greek monos (alone) and -phobia.

Also known as

Autophobia, Eremophobia, Isolophobia

A fear of blood clots or embolism can affect everyday situations involving blood clot, sudden collapse, DVT and stroke fear. 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 blood clots, hearing someone describe an embolism or discussing a clot-related health concern.

Name origin

From Greek embolos (plug or stopper) and -phobia.

A fear of blushing can affect everyday situations involving blush in public, going red, red face and embarrassed. It may lead to avoiding interaction, rehearsing what to say, monitoring other people’s reactions, or replaying encounters afterwards.

Possible triggers

Being singled out in a group, receiving unexpected attention or anticipating that others might notice you blush.

Name origin

From Greek erythros (red) and -phobia.

Also known as

Ereuthophobia, Ereuthrophobia, Erytophobia

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

A fear of churches can affect everyday situations involving religious service, church, cathedral and mass. 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

Entering a church, attending a service or being invited to an event held in a church.

Name origin

From Greek ekklēsia (assembly or church) and -phobia.

A fear of criticism can affect work, relationships, feedback, disagreement and situations where your choices may be evaluated. It may lead to avoiding difficult conversations, over-explaining, seeking reassurance or holding back from opportunities because of what others might say.

Possible triggers

Receiving feedback on your work, attending a review meeting or being told someone wants to discuss a mistake.

Name origin

From Greek eis (into) used in formation with -phobia.

A fear of dawn or daylight can affect everyday situations involving early morning light, morning sky, sunrise and daybreak.

Possible triggers

Noticing the sky brighten before sunrise, waking as daylight enters the room or anticipating dawn.

Name origin

From Greek Eos (goddess of dawn) and -phobia.

A fear of eating can affect everyday situations involving panic around food, avoid meals, swallowing and mealtime. 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

Sitting down for a meal, taking the first mouthful or being expected to eat during an outing.

Name origin

From Greek sitos (grain or food) and -phobia.

A fear of electricity can affect everyday situations involving electric shock, plug socket, power line and wiring. 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

Plugging in an appliance, approaching electrical equipment or seeing an electrical warning sign.

Name origin

From Greek elektron (amber) and -phobia.

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