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 doctors or medical appointments can affect everyday situations involving hospital visit, clinic, medical examination and doctor. It may lead to postponing appointments or treatment, worrying for days beforehand, seeking repeated reassurance, or avoiding healthcare that would otherwise be straightforward.

Possible triggers

Booking a medical appointment, entering a consultation room or waiting to speak with a doctor.

Name origin

From Greek iatros (physician) and -phobia.

A fear of fish can affect everyday situations involving live fish, dead fish, fish market and aquarium. 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

Standing near an aquarium, seeing fish in a pond or encountering a fish display at a market.

Name origin

From Greek ichthys (fish) and -phobia.

A fear of ice can affect everyday situations involving slipping on ice, icy surface, frozen lake and black ice.

Possible triggers

Noticing ice on a path, handling ice cubes or seeing a frozen surface.

Name origin

From Greek pagos (ice) and -phobia.

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.

A fear of imperfection can affect everyday situations involving making mistakes, not good enough, perfection pressure and flaws. It may lead to putting things off, over-preparing, repeatedly checking, seeking reassurance, or turning down opportunities that feel too exposing.

Possible triggers

Noticing a small flaw in your work, submitting something unfinished or seeing a result that falls short of your expectations.

Name origin

From Greek atelēs (incomplete or imperfect) 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).

The concern centres on illness passed down through a family.

Possible triggers

Hearing about a relative's diagnosis, discussing family medical history or anticipating a hereditary-risk assessment.

Possible name origin

The name may relate to Greek words for what is ancestral or inherited, together with -phobia (fear). The precise derivation of this spelling is uncertain.

Also known as

Patriophobia

A fear of insects can affect everyday situations involving crawling insect, flying insect, bugs and flies. 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 spotting an insect indoors, anticipating insects during a park visit or seeing close-up insect images online or on television.

Name origin

From Greek entomon (insect) and -phobia.

Also known as

Insectophobia