A–Z list of phobias, fears and their meanings

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 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

A fear of bodily sensations or the body itself can affect everyday situations involving bodily sensation, physical symptom, body change and internal sensation. It may lead to monitoring sensations or bodily changes, avoiding particular situations, seeking reassurance, or organising routines around preventing the feared outcome.

Possible triggers

Paying close attention to bodily sensations, looking at your body or encountering a discussion of bodily processes.

Name origin

From Greek sōma (body) and -phobia.

A fear of body odour can affect work, travel, exercise, close conversation and social situations. It may lead to repeated washing, changing clothes, checking how you smell, seeking reassurance or keeping distance from others because you worry they may notice an odour.

Possible triggers

Standing close to others, noticing perspiration or worrying that your body has an odour others can detect.

Name origin

From Greek auto (self) and dysosmia (bad smell) with -phobia.

A fear of body smell can affect exercise, work, public transport, close conversation and social events. It may lead to repeated washing, checking, changing clothes, using excessive fragrance or avoiding closeness because of concern about how you might smell.

Possible triggers

Sharing a confined space with others, noticing a bodily smell or anticipating perspiration during an activity.

Name origin

From Greek bromos (stink) and -phobia.

Also known as

Bromidrophobia

Books are the focus. The word can also describe an aversion to books, rather than a phobia.

Possible triggers

Entering a library, opening a book or being asked to read from one.

Name origin

Biblio- comes from Greek biblion (book); phobia comes from Greek phobos (fear).

A fear of breasts can affect everyday situations involving female chest, breast imagery, chest exposure and breasts. It may lead to self-monitoring, avoiding mirrors, photographs, grooming or close contact, seeking reassurance, or changing social plans because of appearance-related fear.

Possible triggers

Seeing breasts in an image, discussing a breast examination or anticipating exposure of the chest.

Name origin

From Greek mastos (breast) and -phobia.

A fear of bridges can affect everyday situations involving crossing a bridge, driving over bridge, suspension bridge and high bridge. It may lead to avoiding certain journeys, routes or vehicles, planning extensively, relying on other people for transport, or cancelling trips altogether.

Possible triggers

Approaching a bridge, crossing one on foot or planning a route that includes a bridge.

Name origin

From Greek gephyra (bridge) and -phobia.

A fear of bright daylight can affect everyday situations involving open daylight, sun glare, bright sky and bright daylight.

Possible triggers

Opening curtains onto bright daylight, stepping outdoors at midday or entering a brightly sunlit room.

Name origin

From Greek phengos (light) and -phobia.