A–Z list of phobias, fears and their meanings

A fear of animals can affect everyday situations involving being bitten, wild animals, animal attack and zoo animals. 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

Examples include visiting someone who keeps pets, entering a zoo or watching animals in a nature documentary. The particular animals involved vary from person to person.

Name origin

From Greek zōon (animal) and -phobia.

A fear of ants can affect everyday situations involving ants in house, ant nest, ant colony and ant trail. 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

Seeing ants along a kitchen surface, noticing an ant trail outdoors or sitting near an ant nest.

Name origin

From Latin formica (ant) and -phobia.

Also known as

Myrmecophobia

The fear is tied to a particular location or setting that matters to the individual.

Possible triggers

Approaching the particular place associated with the fear, seeing a photograph of it or anticipating a return visit.

Name origin

From Greek topos (place) and phobos (fear).

A fear of a particular specific illness can affect everyday situations involving specific disease, single diagnosis, one illness and particular condition. It may lead to monitoring symptoms, checking the body, searching for reassurance, repeatedly seeking medical certainty, or avoiding reminders of illness.

Possible triggers

Hearing about the particular illness you fear, reading information about it or anticipating a relevant test.

Name origin

From Greek monos (single) and pathos (disease) with -phobia.

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.

A fear of atmospheric or air pressure changes can affect everyday situations involving air pressure, weather pressure, pressure changes and storm pressure.

Possible triggers

Reading a forecast about changing air pressure or anticipating a marked change in atmospheric conditions.

Name origin

From Greek atmos (vapour) and sphaira (sphere), combined with -phobia.

The feared event is an atomic explosion, rather than radiation in general.

Possible triggers

Reading about nuclear weapons, hearing discussion of atomic explosions or watching footage of a nuclear test.

Name origin

Combines Greek atomos (indivisible), the source of the word atom, with -phobia (fear).

A fear of attractive women can affect everyday situations involving asking someone out, approaching women, beautiful women and dating. It may lead to avoiding interaction, rehearsing what to say, monitoring other people’s reactions, or replaying encounters afterwards.

Possible triggers

Being introduced to a woman you find attractive or anticipating a conversation with her.

Name origin

From Venus (Roman goddess of beauty) and -phobia.

The name refers to fear of bacilli, a term used for rod-shaped bacteria.

Possible triggers

Reading about bacteria, seeing a microscopic image or worrying that a surface carries bacteria.

Name origin

Combines bacillus with Greek-derived -phobia (fear). Bacillus comes from Latin for a little staff, reflected in the rod shape of these bacteria.

A fear of baldness can affect everyday situations involving bald head, hair loss, shaved head and bald person. It may lead to self-monitoring, avoiding mirrors, photographs, grooming or close contact, seeking reassurance, or changing social plans because of appearance-related fear.

Related name: Phalacrophobia refers specifically to fear of becoming bald.

Possible triggers

Noticing hair shedding, seeing a thinning area or discussing future hair loss.

Name origin

From Greek pelas (near bald) and -phobia.