Mental Health Anxiety Disorders List of Common and Unusual Phobias By Laura Dorwart Laura Dorwart Laura Dorwart is a health journalist with expertise in disability rights, mental health, and pregnancy-related conditions. She has written for publications like SELF, The New York Times, VICE, and The Guardian. Learn about our editorial process Updated on December 06, 2022 Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD Steven Gans, MD, is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Types Specific Phobias Agoraphobia Social Phobia Common Phobias Uncommon Phobias Treatment Frequently Asked Questions A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder that causes an excessive, marked, irrational fear of a specific object or situation. Someone with a phobia could be afraid of certain people, animals, objects, places, situations, or activities. Common symptoms of phobias include: Shortness of breath Panic Rapid heart rate Shaking or trembling Urge to flee When people go to extreme lengths to avoid what makes them afraid, their daily functioning in work, school, and relationships can suffer. This article covers the three main types of phobias. It also lists some of the most common phobias as well as rare ones. Anna Frank / Getty Images How Are Phobias Classified According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5), there are several different types of phobias. The three main types of phobias—specific phobia, agoraphobia, and social phobia—include several subtypes. All three types of phobias fall under the broader category of anxiety disorders. About 30% of U.S. adults experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lifetime. Specific Phobias Specific phobias refer to an intense, persistent, and marked fear of a specific object or situation (such as flying, feet, or heights). People with specific phobias may be aware that their anxiety is disproportionate or unnecessary but feel helpless to control their distress. The following are some categories of specific phobias: Animal Type: Common examples include fear of dogs, snakes, or spiders.Natural Environment: This can include fear of heights, storms, or water.Blood-Injection-Injury Type: These phobias include a fear of seeing blood, receiving a blood test, getting vaccinated, or even watching television shows that display medical procedures.Situational Type: These phobias can be as diverse as fear of airplanes to fear of public speaking; it encompasses fear of elevators, driving, and enclosed places.Other Types: This category includes all others not covered by the other four types of specific phobias. Examples include fear of sickness, loud noises, and even clowns (coulrophobia). Between 3% and 15% of people meet the diagnostic criteria for a specific phobia. Agoraphobia Agoraphobia is a type of anxiety disorder in which you avoid certain situations because you have an intense fear of being trapped or unable to escape. You may suffer panic attacks in open spaces or other environments. Situations that can cause anxiety include: Public transportationShopping centersParking logsBridgesCrowds of people Without proper treatment, agoraphobia can become debilitating over time, leading some people to fear leaving their house or a specific room. In the United States, about 1.3% of adults have experienced agoraphobia at least once. Social Phobia Also called social anxiety disorder, social phobia involves intense fear and self-consciousness in social situations. Social phobia can lead people to avoid speaking in public, attending events, meeting new people, or even seeking employment. How Phobia Is Diagnosed List of Common Phobias Many phobias involve situations in which you sense a loss of control. Here is a list of common specific phobias for which people seek treatment: Acrophobia: Fear of heights Aerophobia: Fear of flying Amaxophobia: Fear of driving Aquaphobia: Fear of water Arachnophobia: Fear of spiders Astraphobia: Fear of storms Claustrophobia: Fear of confined or tight spaces Dentophobia: Fear of dentists Glossophobia: Fear of public speaking Hemophobia: Fear of blood Monophobia: Fear of being alone Mysophobia: Fear of germs Nosocomephobia: Fear of hospitals Nyctophobia: Fear of the dark Ornithophobia: Fear of birds Phasmophobia: Fear of ghosts Zoophobia: Fear of animals Uncommon Phobias While you’ve probably heard of agoraphobia, claustrophobia, or animal phobias, there are many other phobias. Some less well-known ones include: Medical Phobias From doctors to any medical-related situation, these can include: Lockiophobia: Fear of childbirth Nosocomephobia: Fear of hospitals Nosophobia: Fear of getting sick Trypanophobia: Fear of injections Sexual and Bodily Phobias These can affect your perception of yourself or your relationships with others. Some examples: Erotophobia: Fear of sexual intimacy Omphalophobia: Fear of belly buttons Philematophobia: Fear of kissing Podophobia: Fear of feet Trichophobia: Fear of hair Environmental Phobias These are related to various places and locations: Bathmophobia: Fear of stairs Scolionophobia: Fear of school Thalassophobia: Fear of the ocean Xylophobia: Fear of the forest Situational Phobias These phobias can affect simple daily activities: Amaxophobia: Fear of driving Ataxophobia: Fear of disorder or untidiness Ergophobia: Fear of work Hodophobia: Fear of traveling Fear of Certain Objects These fears too, are related to everyday things or unusual objects such as: Automatonophobia: Fear of animatronics Chronomentrophobia: Fear of clocks Cibophobia: Fear of food Papyrophobia: Fear of paper No matter how strange or unexpected your phobia may seem, help is available. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your healthcare provider for help with your anxiety symptoms. Additional Phobias This list of phobias is not meant to be comprehensive. Almost anything human beings experience in their everyday lives can become a source of fear or anxiety. Phobia Treatment There is no single known cause of phobias. In some cases, a traumatic event can trigger a persistent, intense fear. In other cases, phobias may run in families. However, phobias are usually treatable. Treatment for phobias may include: Exposure therapy: This is a kind of behavioral therapy that involves gradually confronting the source of your anxiety in order to break the cycle of avoidance. Psychotherapy: Specific psychotherapy approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in a group or individual setting may be helpful with phobias. Prescribed medications: These include antidepressants, beta-blockers, and anti-anxiety medications (such as benzodiazepines). Relaxation techniques: Examples are breathing techniques and mindfulness exercises Some people with phobias are afraid to seek help out of shame. Others don’t know that phobia treatment options are available. But with a qualified therapist, most treatment for phobias is effective. Can You Outgrow Phobias? Many common phobias, such as trypanophobia (fear of injections and needles), begin in childhood. Around 25% of children and adolescents experience an anxiety disorder at some point. In some cases, childhood phobias may persist into adulthood. With effective treatment, however, many children leave their phobias behind as they get older. How to Reduce Stress: Techniques to Manage Stress and More Summary A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder that causes persistent, intense, and often irrational fear about a certain situation or thing. Specific phobias are those that involve intense fear about a specific object or situation, including common fears such as claustrophobia. Other common phobias include social phobia and agoraphobia. Treatment is effective for most people with phobias. Phobia treatment options include exposure therapy, prescribed medications, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and mindfulness techniques. A Word From Verywell Many people with phobias are ashamed to talk about their fears and anxiety. But help is available and usually effective. Don’t be afraid to talk to your healthcare provider if your anxiety is interfering with your daily life. Frequently Asked Questions What are some rare phobias? Almost any object, situation, environment, person, or animal can become a source of intense fear or anxiety. Some rare phobias include plutophobia (fear of money), ablutophobia (fear of bathing), chaetophobia (fear of hair), and eisoptrophobia (fear of mirrors). Is it possible to get rid of a phobia? Phobias can be safely and effectively treated. Common phobia treatments include psychotherapy and anti-anxiety medications. Exposure therapy, which involves facing the source of your fears with the support of a qualified therapist, may also be effective. Why do phobias exist? The exact cause of phobias is currently unknown. Some phobias are caused by traumatic events, especially during childhood. In some cases, certain phobias run in families. 12 Sources Verywell Health 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. MedlinePlus. Phobias. American Psychiatric Association. What are anxiety disorders? Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Impact of the DSM-IV to DSM-5 changes on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Table 3.11, DSM-IV to DSM-5 specific phobia comparison. Eaton WW, Bienvenu OJ, Miloyan B. Specific phobias. Lancet Psychiatry. 2018;5(8):678-686. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(18)30169-X MedlinePlus. Agoraphobia. National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH). Agoraphobia. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Phobias. Budnick CJ, Anderson EM, Santuzzi AM, Grippo AJ, Matuszewich L. Social anxiety and employment interviews: does nonverbal feedback differentially predict cortisol and performance? Anxiety Stress Coping. 2019;32(1):67-81. doi:10.1080/10615806.2018.1530349 Sawyers C, Ollendick T, Brotman MA, et al. The genetic and environmental structure of fear and anxiety in juvenile twins. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2019;180(3):204-212. doi:10.1002/ajmg.b.32714 National Institute of Mental Health. Social anxiety disorder: more than just shyness. Mental Health America. Phobias. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Phobias in children and adolescents. By Laura Dorwart Laura Dorwart is a health journalist with particular interests in mental health, pregnancy-related conditions, and disability rights. She has published work in VICE, SELF, The New York Times, The Guardian, The Week, HuffPost, BuzzFeed Reader, Catapult, Pacific Standard, Health.com, Insider, Forbes.com, TalkPoverty, and many other outlets. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit