Newness itself is the concern: the unfamiliar can provoke dread or a strong aversion.

Possible triggers

Trying an unfamiliar activity, receiving an unexpected change of plan or encountering a new object or setting.

Name origin

Neo- comes from Greek neos (new); phobos means fear.

Also known as

Kainophobia, Kainotophobia, Cainotophobia

A fear of northern or southern lights can affect everyday situations involving coloured sky at night, northern lights, aurora borealis and sky lights.

Possible triggers

Seeing an aurora in the sky, watching footage of the northern lights or planning a trip to view them.

Name origin

From Latin aurora (dawn) and -phobia.

A fear of nosebleeds can affect everyday situations involving bleeding nose, blood from nose and nosebleed. It may lead to monitoring sensations or bodily changes, avoiding particular situations, seeking reassurance, or organising routines around preventing the feared outcome.

Possible triggers

Noticing blood from the nose, seeing someone with a nosebleed or anticipating another episode.

Name origin

From Greek epistaxis (nosebleed) and -phobia.

The fear concerns seeing a naked person or an uncovered part of the body.

Possible triggers

Using a communal changing area, seeing nudity in a film or anticipating undressing in front of someone.

Name origin

From Greek gymnos (naked) and phobos (fear).

Also known as

Nudophobia

A fear of numbers can affect everyday situations involving doing sums, mathematics, statistics and numbers. 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

Looking at a page of figures, doing a calculation or being asked to work with numbers.

Name origin

From Greek arithmos (number) and -phobia.

Also known as

Numerophobia

A fear of returning home can affect everyday situations involving going back home, childhood home, moving back and returning home. It may lead to avoiding change, delaying plans, seeking reassurance, or keeping life unusually restricted so that the feared situation is less likely to arise.

Possible triggers

Beginning a journey home, approaching the front door or anticipating returning after time away.

Name origin

From Greek nostos (return home) and -phobia.

The number 4 is the focus of this fear.

Possible triggers

Being assigned room 4, seeing the number on a ticket or selecting a date involving four.

Name origin

From Greek tetra- (four) and -phobia (fear).

The number eight is the focus, rather than numbers in general.

Possible triggers

Seeing the number eight on a ticket, being assigned room 8 or encountering it in a calculation.

Name origin

Combines octo- (eight), from Latin octo or Greek okto, with -phobia (fear).

The number 13 is the focus, often through an association with bad luck.

Possible triggers

Being assigned room 13, seeing 13 on a ticket or planning an event on the thirteenth day of a month.

Name origin

From Greek triskaideka (thirteen) and phobos (fear).

Also known as

Triskadekaphobia

This long descriptive name concerns the number 666 and the troubling significance someone may attach to it. Encountering the number does not itself predict harm.

Possible triggers

Seeing 666 on a receipt, being assigned it as a number, or noticing it within an address or reference code.

Name origin

The Greek components hexakosioi, hexekonta and hex mean six hundred, sixty and six. Phobia adds the meaning of fear.