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.

This descriptive name concerns bulls rather than all cattle. Keeping a safe distance from a bull remains a sensible precaution, whether or not someone experiences a phobia.

Possible triggers

Seeing a bull near a field entrance, hearing one nearby, or anticipating a route beside a field containing a bull.

Possible name origin

Tauro corresponds to the Greek tauros and Latin taurus, both referring to a bull. Phobia comes from Greek phobos, fear.

A fear of butterflies or moths can affect everyday situations involving moth in room, fluttering wings, insect wings and butterflies. 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

A moth entering a lit room, a butterfly flying close by or visiting a butterfly house.

Name origin

From Greek lepidoptera (scale-winged insects) and -phobia.

A fear of cancer can affect everyday situations involving scan results, tumour, biopsy and lump. It may lead to monitoring symptoms, checking the body, searching for reassurance, repeatedly seeking medical certainty, or avoiding reminders of illness.

Possible triggers

Hearing a cancer diagnosis discussed, reading cancer-related news or anticipating screening results.

Name origin

From Greek karkinos (crab, referring to cancer) and -phobia.

Also known as

Cancerophobia, Cancerphobia, Carcinomatophobia