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 blood can affect everyday situations involving seeing blood, open wound, medical blood and bleeding. It may lead to monitoring sensations or bodily changes, avoiding particular situations, seeking reassurance, or organising routines around preventing the feared outcome.

Possible triggers

Seeing blood after a minor cut, watching a blood sample being taken or encountering blood in a film.

Name origin

From Greek haima (blood) and -phobia.

Also known as

Hemaphobia, Hematophobia, Haemophobia

The focus is dampness or moisture, rather than a particular lake, river or sea.

Possible triggers

Touching damp clothing, entering a moist room or noticing moisture on a surface.

Name origin

Hygro- comes from Greek hygros (wet); phobos means fear.

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

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).

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.

Glass as a material is the focus of the fear.

Possible triggers

Handling a drinking glass, approaching a glass display or seeing broken glass.

Name origin

From Greek hyalos (glass) and phobos (fear).

Also known as

Crystallophobia, Nelophobia

The worry concerns the condition of the hair, including disease or changes in its colour or growth.

Possible triggers

Noticing a change in your hair, reading about a hair disorder or anticipating a hair-related consultation.

Name origin

From Greek thrix (hair), through tricho-, pathos (suffering), and phobos (fear).

A fear of Halloween can affect everyday situations involving spooky decorations, haunted attraction, October 31 and costumes. 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

Seeing Halloween decorations, receiving a Halloween invitation or encountering costumed visitors.

Name origin

Named after the Celtic festival Samhain, combined with -phobia.