A fear of heaven or eternity can affect everyday situations involving life after death, eternal existence, afterlife and heaven. 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

Discussing an eternal afterlife, hearing descriptions of heaven or reflecting on existence without an end.

Name origin

From Greek ouranos (sky or heaven) and -phobia.

Also known as

Uranophobia

Houses and the experience of being inside a building are the focus of this fear.

Possible triggers

Entering a house, crossing into an unfamiliar building or anticipating spending time indoors.

Name origin

From Greek doma (house), with the stem domat-, and phobos (fear).

Also known as

Oikophobia

A fear centred on obesity or body size can affect mirrors, clothing, eating, social situations and encounters with different body shapes. It may lead to body checking, avoidance, reassurance-seeking or choices becoming organised around preventing or escaping the feared appearance.

Possible triggers

Encountering obesity-related imagery or focusing on body size. Body size does not make a person threatening.

Name origin

From Greek kakos (bad) and morphe (form) with -phobia.

The position of an object on the left is the defining feature.

Possible triggers

Noticing objects arranged to your left or being asked to sit with something on that side.

Name origin

Combines levo- (on the left), from Latin laevus, with Greek-derived -phobia (fear).

The position of something on the right is the focus. The term has also been used for fear of right-handedness.

Possible triggers

Noticing objects arranged to your right or being asked to sit with something on that side.

Name origin

Combines Latin dexter (right or on the right-hand side) with Greek-derived -phobia (fear).

The combination of height and an open setting is the focus.

Possible triggers

Standing on an open elevated platform, approaching an exposed viewpoint or looking down from an open height.

Name origin

Combines Greek aer (air), akros (high or topmost) and -phobia (fear).

A fear of ordinary life or routine can affect everyday situations involving everyday life, normal day, mundane tasks and ordinary things. 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

Following the same daily schedule, imagining a conventional future or feeling that life is becoming routine.

Name origin

From Greek koinos (common or ordinary) and -phobia.

A fear of other people’s opinions can affect everyday situations involving public debate, people sharing views, hearing opinions and disagreement. It may lead to avoiding interaction, rehearsing what to say, monitoring other people’s reactions, or replaying encounters afterwards.

Possible triggers

Being offered unsolicited advice, hearing disagreement with your view or being asked to listen to others' opinions.

Name origin

From Greek allos (other) and doxa (opinion) with -phobia.

A fear of otters can affect everyday situations involving otters in water, river otter, zoo otter and otter. 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

Visiting an otter enclosure, watching otter footage or walking near a place known for otters.

Name origin

From Latin lutra (otter) and -phobia.

A particular name or word can provoke dread because of the significance attached to it.

Related name: Nomatophobia refers specifically to fear of names.

Possible triggers

Hearing a particular name spoken, seeing a feared word in print or anticipating having to say it.

Name origin

From Greek onoma (name) and phobos (fear).