Phobias Types A to Z: Strange and Common List of Phobias By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial process Kendra Cherry Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on July 14, 2019 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on November 19, 2019 Print More in Phobias Types Causes Symptoms and Diagnosis Treatment Phobias are one of the most common mental illnesses in the United States. The National Institute of Mental Health suggests that eight percent of U.S. adults have some type of phobia. Women are more likely to experience phobias than men. Typical symptoms of phobias can include nausea, trembling, rapid heartbeat, feelings of unreality, and being preoccupied with the fear object. The American Psychiatric Association 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. Illustration by JR Bee, Verywell A-Z List of Some of the More Common Phobias While not comprehensive, this phobia list offers a glimpse of the many phobias that can have a serious impact on an individual's life. As you may notice while you browse through this list, most specific phobias fall into one of four major categories: fears of the natural environment, fears related to animals, fear related to medical treatments or issues, and fears related to specific situations. One important thing to remember is that virtually any object can become a fear object. The names of specific phobias are often formed as nonce words, or words coined for a single occasion only. These names themselves are often formed by taking a Greek prefix that represents the fear object and adding the -phobia suffix. Because of this, any attempt at a completely exhaustive list of phobias would simply be an exercise in futility. Any list of phobias could grow with the addition of newly coined terms for previously unnamed specific phobias. While listing all of the phobias that may exist is not possible, it can be helpful to look through a list of some of the more commonly described phobias. As you can see by looking at this list, almost any object or situation can become the source of fear. A Achluophobia - Fear of darknessAcrophobia - Fear of heightsAerophobia - Fear of flyingAlgophobia - Fear of painAgoraphobia - Fear of open spaces or crowdsAichmophobia - Fear of needles or pointed objectsAmaxophobia - Fear of riding in a carAndrophobia - Fear of menAnginophobia - Fear of angina or chokingAnthrophobia - Fear of flowersAnthropophobia - Fear of people or societyAphenphosmphobia - Fear of being touchedArachibutyrophobia - Fear of peanut butterArachnophobia - Fear of spidersArithmophobia - Fear of numbersAstraphobia - Fear of thunder and lightningAtaxophobia - Fear of disorder or untidinessAtelophobia - Fear of imperfectionAtychiphobia - Fear of failureAutomatonophobia - Fear of Human-Like FiguresAutophobia - Fear of being alone B Bacteriophobia - Fear of bacteriaBarophobia - Fear of gravityBathmophobia - Fear of stairs or steep slopesBatrachophobia - Fear of amphibiansBelonephobia - Fear of pins and needlesBibliophobia - Fear of booksBotanophobia - Fear of plants C Cacophobia - Fear of uglinessCatagelophobia - Fear of being ridiculedCatoptrophobia - Fear of mirrorsChionophobia - Fear of snowChromophobia - Fear of colorsChronomentrophobia - Fear of clocksChronophobia - Fear of TimeClaustrophobia - Fear of confined spacesCoulrophobia - Fear of clownsCyberphobia - Fear of computersCynophobia - Fear of dogs D Dendrophobia - Fear of treesDentophobia - Fear of dentistsDomatophobia - Fear of housesDystychiphobia - Fear of accidents E Ecophobia - Fear of the homeElurophobia - Fear of catsEntomophobia - Fear of insectsEphebiphobia - Fear of teenagersEquinophobia - Fear of horses G Gamophobia - Fear of marriageGenuphobia - Fear of kneesGlossophobia - Fear of speaking in publicGynophobia - Fear of women H Haphephobia - Fear of touchHeliophobia - Fear of the sunHemophobia - Fear of bloodHerpetophobia - Fear of reptilesHippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia - Fear of Long WordsHydrophobia - Fear of waterHypochondria - Fear of illness I Iatrophobia - Fear of doctorsInsectophobia - Fear of insects K Koinoniphobia - Fear of roomsKoumpounophobia - Fear of buttons L Leukophobia - Fear of the color whiteLilapsophobia - Fear of tornadoes and hurricanesLockiophobia - Fear of childbirth M Mageirocophobia - Fear of cookingMegalophobia - Fear of large thingsMelanophobia - Fear of the color blackMicrophobia - Fear of small thingsMysophobia - Fear of dirt and germs N Necrophobia - Fear of death or dead thingsNoctiphobia - Fear of the nightNosocomephobia - Fear of hospitalsNyctophobia - Fear of the dark O Obesophobia - Fear of gaining weightOctophobia - Fear of the figure 8Ombrophobia - Fear of rainOphidiophobia - Fear of snakesOrnithophobia - Fear of birds P Papyrophobia - Fear of paperPathophobia - Fear of diseasePedophobia - Fear of childrenPhilematophobia - Fear of KissingPhilophobia - Fear of lovePhobophobia - Fear of phobiasPodophobia - Fear of feetPorphyrophobia - Fear of the color purplePteridophobia - Fear of fernsPteromerhanophobia - Fear of flyingPyrophobia - Fear of fire S Samhainophobia - Fear of HalloweenScolionophobia - Fear of schoolScoptophobia - Fear of being stared atSelenophobia - Fear of the moonSociophobia - Fear of social evaluationSomniphobia - Fear of sleep T Tachophobia - Fear of speedTechnophobia - Fear of technologyTonitrophobia - Fear of thunderTrypanophobia - Fear of needles/injectionsTrypophobia - Fear of Holes V-Z Venustraphobia - Fear of beautiful womenVerminophobia - Fear of germsWiccaphobia - Fear of witches and witchcraftXenophobia - Fear of strangers or foreignersZoophobia - Fear of animals A Word From Verywell Phobias can have a serious impact on well-being, but it is important to remember that you are not alone. 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. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Ever wonder what your personality type means? Sign up to find out more in our Healthy Mind newsletter. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Regier DA, Kuhl EA, Kupfer DJ. The DSM-5: Classification and criteria changes. World Psychiatry. 2013;12(2):92-8. doi:10.1002/wps.20050 Spiegel SB. Current issues in the treatment of specific phobia: recommendations for innovative applications of hypnosis. Am J Clin Hypn. 2014;56(4):389-404. doi: 10.1080/00029157.2013.801009 Additional Reading American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2013. Colman, AM. A Dictionary of Psychology. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2015. National Institute of Mental Health. Specific phobia among adults.