The concern centres on being unable to access a usable mobile phone.

Possible triggers

Noticing a nearly empty phone battery, losing signal or realising you have left your phone behind.

Name origin

A shortened form of no mobile combined with phobia.

The focus is the navel, commonly called the belly button.

Possible triggers

Seeing an exposed belly button, touching your own navel or encountering a close-up image.

Name origin

From Greek omphalos (navel) and -phobia (fear).

Bicycles are the focus of this term. It can describe fear around a bicycle without meaning that every form of transport feels threatening.

Possible triggers

A bicycle passing close by, being asked to get on a bike, or approaching a shared path used by cyclists.

Possible name origin

Cycle refers to a bicycle and ultimately comes from Greek kyklos, meaning wheel or circle. Phobia comes from Greek phobos, fear.

A fear of birds can affect parks, town centres, beaches and outdoor eating areas. It may lead to scanning for pigeons or seagulls, avoiding places where birds gather, moving away from flapping wings or leaving when a bird comes unexpectedly close.

Possible triggers

Examples include hearing wings flutter nearby, encountering birds in a park, finding a feather or seeing birds in a film or museum display.

Name origin

From Greek ornis (bird) and -phobia.

A fear of bitterness can affect everyday situations involving bitter taste, bitter flavour, bitter food and strong bitterness. It may lead to scanning for the sensation or visual cue, avoiding particular environments or objects, leaving situations early, or arranging surroundings to prevent encountering it.

Possible triggers

Tasting a bitter food, noticing bitterness in a drink or being offered something described as bitter.

Name origin

From Greek amara (bitter) and -phobia.

A fear of black can affect everyday situations involving black room, black clothing, black colour and dark objects. It may lead to scanning for the sensation or visual cue, avoiding particular environments or objects, leaving situations early, or arranging surroundings to prevent encountering it.

Possible triggers

Seeing black clothing, encountering black furnishings or handling a black object.

Name origin

From Greek melas (black) and -phobia.

A fear of blindness or vision loss can affect everyday situations involving losing sight, vision loss, eye disease and eye pressure. It may lead to monitoring sensations or bodily changes, avoiding particular situations, seeking reassurance, or organising routines around preventing the feared outcome.

Possible triggers

Discussing possible vision loss, preparing for an eye examination or reading about eye disease.

Name origin

Named after glaucoma, combined with -phobia.

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

Possible triggers

Seeing blood after a minor cut, watching a blood sample being taken or encountering blood in a film.

Name origin

From Greek haima (blood) and -phobia.

Also known as

Hemaphobia, Hematophobia, Haemophobia

A fear of blood clots or embolism can affect everyday situations involving blood clot, sudden collapse, DVT and stroke fear. It may lead to monitoring symptoms, checking the body, searching for reassurance, repeatedly seeking medical certainty, or avoiding reminders of illness.

Possible triggers

Reading about blood clots, hearing someone describe an embolism or discussing a clot-related health concern.

Name origin

From Greek embolos (plug or stopper) and -phobia.

A fear of blushing can affect everyday situations involving blush in public, going red, red face and embarrassed. It may lead to avoiding interaction, rehearsing what to say, monitoring other people’s reactions, or replaying encounters afterwards.

Possible triggers

Being singled out in a group, receiving unexpected attention or anticipating that others might notice you blush.

Name origin

From Greek erythros (red) and -phobia.

Also known as

Ereuthophobia, Ereuthrophobia, Erytophobia