This informal name describes fear associated with a stepmother. Family disagreements, personal boundaries or a response to genuinely harmful behaviour should not automatically be labelled a phobia.

Possible triggers

Anticipating a family visit involving a stepmother, receiving a call from her, or being expected to spend time together.

Name origin

Latin noverca means stepmother. It is combined with phobia, from Greek phobos, meaning fear.

The concern centres on being unable to access a usable mobile phone.

Possible triggers

Noticing a nearly empty phone battery, losing signal or realising you have left your phone behind.

Name origin

A shortened form of no mobile combined with phobia.

A fear of clouds can affect everyday situations involving dark clouds, storm clouds, overcast sky and cloudy weather.

Possible triggers

Noticing cloud cover building, looking up at a cloudy sky or seeing cloud formations in photographs.

Name origin

From Greek nephos (cloud) and -phobia.

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

A fear of dead bodies or death imagery can affect everyday situations involving funeral home, seeing a dead person, dead body and corpse. It may lead to repeated rumination, reassurance-seeking, avoiding reminders or conversations, or finding it difficult to stay present because attention is pulled towards the feared idea.

Possible triggers

Seeing a body at a viewing, encountering death imagery or watching a scene involving a corpse.

Name origin

From Greek nekros (dead) and -phobia.

A fear of developing a serious illness can affect everyday situations involving getting sick, serious illness, medical results and diagnosis. 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 a serious illness, hearing someone discuss a diagnosis or anticipating a health investigation.

Name origin

From Greek nosos (disease) and -phobia.

Also known as

Pathophobia

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

A fear of hospitals can affect everyday situations involving operating theatre, being admitted, hospital and A&E. 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

Approaching a hospital entrance, visiting someone on a ward or anticipating a hospital appointment.

Name origin

From Greek nosokomeion (hospital) and -phobia.

Narrowness is the focus of this term. It is not limited to being inside an enclosed space.

Possible triggers

Encountering a narrow object, handling a thin item or focusing on something's restricted width.

Name origin

From Greek stenos (narrow) and -phobia (fear).

A fear of neglecting responsibilities can affect everyday situations involving letting people down, forgetting tasks, missing responsibilities and guilt about tasks. It may lead to putting things off, over-preparing, repeatedly checking, seeking reassurance, or turning down opportunities that feel too exposing.

Possible triggers

Leaving home without checking a task, handing over a responsibility or wondering whether an important duty was missed.

Name origin

From Greek paralipō (to neglect) and -phobia.