Dancing is the focus of this descriptive name. The prospect of joining in can feel difficult even when the occasion itself is welcome.

Possible triggers

Being invited onto a dance floor, attending a wedding with dancing, or joining a class where others can watch.

Name origin

The Greek word khoros means dance. The ending phobia comes from Greek phobos, fear.

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 dawn or daylight can affect everyday situations involving early morning light, morning sky, sunrise and daybreak.

Possible triggers

Noticing the sky brighten before sunrise, waking as daylight enters the room or anticipating dawn.

Name origin

From Greek Eos (goddess of dawn) and -phobia.

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 death can affect sleep, health decisions, relationships, future planning and situations that bring mortality to mind. It may lead to repeated rumination, reassurance-seeking, avoiding conversations or reminders, or finding it difficult to stay present because attention is pulled towards death.

Possible triggers

Attending a funeral, discussing mortality or hearing news of someone's death.

Name origin

From Greek Thanatos (personification of death) and -phobia.

The focus is material that is decaying, rather than germs or dirt in general.

Possible triggers

Finding spoiled food, encountering rotting plant material or noticing the smell of decay.

Possible name origin

The origin of this name is unclear. The ending -phobia comes from Greek phobos (fear); a reliable derivation of the first part has not been established.

A fear of deep or open sea can affect everyday situations involving far from shore, boat in open water, deep sea and open water.

Possible triggers

Looking out over open sea, travelling by boat away from shore or seeing deep underwater footage.

Name origin

From Greek thalassa (sea) and -phobia.

A fear of demons or evil entities can affect everyday situations involving evil spirit, dark entity, possession and haunted. It may lead to avoiding certain places, images, stories or times of day, checking surroundings, seeking reassurance, or staying away from reminders of the feared idea.

Possible triggers

Watching a film involving demons, encountering demonic imagery or hearing a supernatural story.

Name origin

From Greek daimon (spirit) and -phobia.

Also known as

Daemonophobia

The concern centres on needing to rely on other people.

Possible triggers

Having to ask for help, accepting assistance or anticipating relying on another person.

Possible name origin

The origin of this name is unclear. Although -phobia comes from Greek phobos (fear), the origin of the first part in this particular name is uncertain.

A fear of depths can affect everyday situations involving looking into depth, deep hole, cliff edge and deep pit.

Possible triggers

Looking into a deep well, standing above a quarry or seeing a steep drop below a viewing point.

Name origin

From Greek bathos (depth) and -phobia.