The act of drinking is the focus of this term.

Possible triggers

Being offered a drink, lifting a cup to your mouth or anticipating drinking during a meal.

Possible name origin

The name may combine a drinking-related root with -phobia (fear). Latin potare means to drink, and Greek potos refers to drinking, but the precise derivation of this name is uncertain.

A fear of falling in love can affect everyday situations involving getting close, romantic attachment, emotional intimacy and falling in love. It may lead to avoiding intimacy or difficult conversations, pulling back from relationships, seeking reassurance, or making choices primarily to prevent the feared emotional or physical situation.

Possible triggers

Realising you are developing romantic feelings, receiving an expression of affection or becoming emotionally close to someone.

Name origin

From Greek philos (loving) and -phobia.

A fear of fear itself can make normal anxiety sensations, panic symptoms or moments of uncertainty feel threatening. It may lead to monitoring the body, avoiding situations where anxiety might occur, seeking reassurance or becoming preoccupied with preventing another episode of fear.

Possible triggers

Noticing familiar signs of fear or anticipating a situation in which you worry that fear itself will take over.

Name origin

From Greek phobos (fear) and -phobia.

The concern can involve feathers themselves, pictures or feathered objects, or the thought of being touched by a feather.

Possible triggers

Finding a loose feather, touching a feather-filled item or encountering feathers in a display.

Name origin

From Greek pteron (feather or wing) and -phobia (fear).

The fear can involve your own feet or someone else's, whether bare or covered. Seeing or thinking about feet can feel difficult, and some people avoid places where others are barefoot.

Possible triggers

Seeing bare feet, entering a shared changing area or anticipating touching a foot.

Name origin

The podo- part comes from Greek podos, referring to the foot.

The concern centres on developing a fever or becoming feverish.

Possible triggers

Checking your temperature, feeling unusually warm or hearing that someone has a fever.

Name origin

From Greek pyrexis (feverishness) and phobos (fear).

Also known as

Febriphobia

A fear of fire can affect cooking, candles, fireplaces, bonfires and even the smell or sight of smoke. It may lead to repeated checking of appliances, avoiding open flames, leaving situations early or organising routines around preventing any contact with fire-related cues.

Possible triggers

Seeing a lit candle, noticing an open flame or being near a fireplace.

Name origin

From Greek pyr (fire) and -phobia.

An informal name for fear focused on Friday the 13th, rather than the number thirteen in every setting.

Possible triggers

Noticing an upcoming Friday the thirteenth or arranging a journey or appointment on that date.

Name origin

A modern formation using Greek paraskeue (Friday), dekatria (thirteen) and phobos (fear).

A broad or undefined sense of fear can affect many parts of everyday life even when there is no single clear trigger. It may involve constant scanning for danger, avoiding unfamiliar situations, seeking reassurance or finding it difficult to relax because something always feels as though it could go wrong.

Possible triggers

There may be no single clear trigger. An ordinary activity or uncertain situation may become a focus of a broader, undefined sense of fear.

Name origin

From Greek pan (all) and -phobia.

Also known as

Panophobia, Pantophobia

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.