Often a synonym with the prefix "anti-" already exists (e.g. Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Studying specific phobias is a complicated process. Does the sight of blood make you anxious or cause you to faint? People seek help from professional psychologists for many different challenges. Phobias are common, but also treatable. If you believe that you have the symptoms of some type of phobia, consult your doctor for further evaluation and treatment advice. Some so much so that they may only affect a handful of people at a time. Specific phobias are related to certain objects and situations. Social phobias, which are fears related to social situations, are also singled out with a unique diagnosis. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.). Megalophobia, or the fear of large objects can mean an intense fear of things like skyscrapers, large animals, and expansive spaces. Phronemophobia- Fear of thinking. photophobia). The goal is to improve your quality of life so that you’re no longer hindered or distressed by your fear. Phobias Starting with W. Walloonphobia – Fear of the Walloons. Hydrophobia, for example, literally translates to fear of water. A Dictionary of Psychology. This website is dedicated to fears and phobias. Phobias are different than regular fears because they cause significant distress, possibly interfering with life at home, work, or school. They’re estimated to affect more than 30 percent of U.S. adults at some time in their lives. Vestiphobia – Fear of clothing. Phthiriophobia- Fear of lice. Then perhaps go to a place where spiders may be, such as a basement or wooded area. A 1998 survey of more than 8,000 respondents published in the British Journal of Psychiatry found that some of the most common phobias include: Specific phobias tend to be incredibly specific. Tomophobia: When the Fear of Surgery and Other Medical Procedures Becomes a Phobia, How to Cope with Megalophobia, or a Fear of Large Objects, How to Overcome Erythrophobia, or the Fear of Blushing, Understanding Automatonophobia: Fear of Human-Like Figures, fears related to animals (spiders, dogs, insects), fears related to the natural environment (heights, thunder, darkness), fears related to blood, injury, or medical issues (injections, broken bones, falls), fears related to specific situations (flying, riding an elevator, driving). But treatments can help. Photoaugliaphobia- Fear of glaring lights. Specific Phobia Among Adults. In common usage, they also form words that describe dislike or hatred of a particular thing or subject (e.g. Erythrophobia, which is an intense, irrational, and persistent fear of blushing, can affect your quality of life. These are difficult to identify because most people don’t report unusual fears to their doctors. Polonophobia vs. anti-Polonism). acidophobia), and in medicine to describe hypersensitivity to a stimulus, usually sensory (e.g. This is typically done by combining a Greek (or sometimes Latin) prefix that describes the phobia with the -phobia suffix. Examples of situational phobias are found in the following list: Aerophobia – Fear of flying; Agoraphobia – Fear of crowds and open spaces; Amaxophobia – Fear of being in an automobile They typically involve fears related to animals, natural environments, medical issues, or specific situations. Because there are an infinite number of objects and situations, the list of specific phobias is quite long. Block, MD, Verywell Mind uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Phonophobia- Fear of noises or voices or one's own voice; of telephones. Photophobia- Fear of light. When someone has a phobia, they experience intense fear of a certain object or situation. Whether you have a mild fear of the dentist or a phobia that prevents you from going, we've outlined strategies and treatments to help. An article published in 1897 in American Journal of Psychology noted "the absurd tendency to give Greek names to objects feared (which, as Arndt says, would give us such terms as klopsophobia – fear of thieves, triakaidekaphobia – fear of the number 13....)".[3]. Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Terms should strictly have a Greek prefix although many are irregularly formed with Latin or even English prefixes. American Psychiatric Association. Your doctor may recommend certain anxiety-reducing medications that can help you through exposure therapy. For example, if you have a panic attack while sailing, you may fear sailing in the future, but you may also fear panic attacks or fear developing hydrophobia. Phobias come in all shapes and sizes. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), the American Psychiatric Association outlines several of the most common phobias. Not sure if you have an anxiety disorder? These phobias also vary based on cultural experiences, gender, and age. While phobias can be extremely uncomfortable and challenging, therapy and medication can help. © 2005-2020 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. Anxiety disorders are very common. For the class of psychological disorders, see. Last medically reviewed on January 3, 2019. This is actually more common than you might imagine. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) identifies three different categories of phobias: social phobias, agoraphobia, and specific phobias. When people talk about having a phobia of a specific object such as snakes, spiders, or needles, they are referring to a specific phobia. These names themselves are often formed by taking a Greek prefix that represents the fear object and adding the -phobia suffix. In some cases, the naming of phobias has become a word game, of notable example being a 1998 humorous article published by BBC News. The following phobias are ten of the most common objects or situations that lead to marked fear and symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, and breathlessness. Tomophobia, the extreme fear of invasive medical procedures, can keep you from seeking lifesaving medical care. Exposure therapy isn’t as scary as it may sound at first. In some cases, these symptoms escalate into a full-blown panic attack. homophobia). Specialists may prefer to avoid the suffix -phobia and use more descriptive terms such as personality disorders, anxiety disorders, and avoidant personality disorder. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) identifies three different categories of phobias: social phobias, agoraphobia, and specific phobias. People with anxiety disorders sometimes experience panic attacks when they’re in certain situations. The Different Factors That Cause Certain Phobias to Develop, How Phobias or Persistent and Extreme Fears Are Treated, The Different Reasons Why People Are Afraid of Mirrors, Coping With the Fear of Dead Things (Necrophobia), How Specific Phobias Are Diagnosed Using the DSM-5. Ever wonder what your personality type means? Astraphobia is a fear of thunder and lightning. All rights reserved. A phobia is an irrational fear of something that’s unlikely to cause harm. If you’re interested in finding treatment for your phobia, you should make an appointment with a psychologist or qualified mental health professional. According to the DSM, specific phobias typically fall within five general categories: These categories encompass an infinite number of specific objects and situations. How Can Living With a Phobia Interfere With Your Life? agoraphobia), in chemistry to describe chemical aversions (e.g. photophobia). Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. Examples of some of the more unusual phobias include: Phobias are treated with a combination of therapy and medications. Most people don’t seek treatment for these conditions, so cases largely go unreported. Sometimes it leads to bizarre results, such as suggestions to cure "prostitute phobia". Phobias are a type of anxiety disorder. Plutophobia- Fear of wealth. Top 100 Phobia […] These common phobias typically involve the environment, animals, fears of injections and blood, as well as certain specific situations. Am J Clin Hypn. People with phobias actively avoid the phobic object or situation, or endure it within intense fear or anxiety. As you can see by looking at this list, almost any object or situation can become the source of fear. Don't face mental health challenges alone. Situational phobias are the fear of specific situations. agoraphobia), in chemistry to describe chemical aversions (e.g. While these medications aren’t exactly a treatment for phobias, they can help make exposure therapy less distressing. Regier DA, Kuhl EA, Kupfer DJ. [1] In some cases, a word ending in -phobia may have an antonym with the suffix -phil-, e.g. World Psychiatry. The most effective treatment for specific phobias is a type of psychotherapy called exposure therapy. Current issues in the treatment of specific phobia: Recommendations for innovative applications of hypnosis. Read our, Medically reviewed by Daniel B. The fear of spiders is close to the top of our common phobias list. Germanophobe/Germanophile. This process is done with the help of a qualified mental health professional, who knows how to guide you slowly through increasing levels of exposure coupled with relaxation exercises. ", List of anti-cultural, anti-national, and anti-ethnic terms, "Content Spammers Help You Overcome Prostitute Phobia", "Effective Treatment of Eisoptrophobia With Duloxetine: A Case Report", "Horse madness (hippomania) and hippophobia", "Tomophobia, the phobic fear caused by an invasive medical procedure – an emerging anxiety disorder: a case report", "Relevance of psychiatry in dermatology: Present concepts", "Do holes make you queasy or even fearful", Other specified feeding or eating disorder, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_phobias&oldid=988223082, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, fear of sharp or pointed objects such as a needle or knife, fear of having no escape and being closed in, a phobic obsession with a real or imaginary body defect, fear of mirrors or seeing one's reflection in a mirror, fear of youth; inaccurate, exaggerated and sensational characterization of young people, fear of work or functioning, or a surgeon's fear of operating, fear of the color red, or fear of blushing, fear of growing old, or a hatred or fear of the elderly, fear of speaking in public or of trying to speak, fear/dislike of reptiles or amphibians, a, fear of fish, including fear of eating fish, or fear of dead fish, a, fear of being out of mobile phone contact, fear of home surroundings and household appliances, fear of everything or constant fear of an unknown cause, fear of fear itself or of having a phobia, dislike or fear of pornography; may be used in reference to the opposition to visual nudity, fear of sexual organs or sexual activities, fear of partially or fully submerged man-made objects, fear of graves, or fear of being placed in a grave while still alive, fear or reluctance of making or taking telephone calls, fear of the sea, or fear of being in the ocean. For more information on the psychiatric side, including how psychiatry groups phobias such as agoraphobia, social phobia, or simple phobia, see phobia. There’s no official list of phobias beyond what’s outlined in the DSM, so clinicians and researchers make up names for them as the need arises. People with these phobias will avoid the situation at all cost, which can majorly interfere with their life. Virginitiphobia – Fear of rape. This treatment helps you change your thoughts and feelings about the object or situation, so that you can learn to control your reactions.

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