Fears & Phobias

What is fear?

Fears is an emotional state induced by a perceived threat that causes a person to prepare to freeze, fight or run away. Often called the flight or flight response, it’s a basic, primal instinct to every human and animal’s survival.

When this threat thought occurs, it triggers certain areas of the brain called the amygdala and the hypothalamus… to release a surge of adrenaline and other chemicals. This is felt physically by a sudden increase in heart rate and creates the feelings associated with anxiety and panic. The nervous system responsible is called the sympathetic nervous system.

What is a phobia?

A phobia is an irrational fear that can range from nervousness to an excessive and intense state of panic. It is one of the most common mental disorders. A phobia is usually related to the fear of a situation, such as fear of flyingfear of public speaking, fear of driving or fear of leaving home and visiting public places (as in Agoraphobia).

Types of Fears & Phobias

  • Achluophobia – Fear of darkness.
  • Acrophobia – Fear of heights.
  • Aerophobia – Fear of flying.
  • Agliophobia – Fear of pain.
  • Agoraphobia – Fear of open spaces or crowds.
  • Aichmophobia – Fear of needles or pointed objects.
  • Amaxophobia – Fear of riding in a car.
  • Androphobia – Fear of men.
  • Anginophobia – Fear of angina or choking.
  • Anthrophobia – Fear of flowers.
  • Anthropophobia – Fear of people or society.
  • Aphenphosmphobia – Fear of being touched.
  • Arachnophobia – Fear of spiders.
  • Arithmophobia – Fear of numbers.
  • Astraphobia – Fear of thunder and lightening.
  • Ataxophobia – Fear of disorder or untidiness.
  • Atelophobia – Fear of imperfection.
  • Atychiphobia – Fear of failure.
  • Autophobia – Fear of being alone.
  • Bacteriophobia – Fear of bacteria.
  • Barophobia – Fear of gravity.
  • Bathmophobia – Fear of stairs or steep slopes.
  • Batrachophobia – Fear of amphibians.
  • Belonephobia – Fear of pins and needles.
  • Bibliophobia – Fear of books.
  • Botanophobia – Fear of plants.
  • Cacophobia – Fear of ugliness.
  • Catagelophobia – Fear of being ridiculed.
  • Catoptrophobia – Fear of mirrors.
  • Chionophobia – Fear of snow.
  • Chromophobia – Fear of colors.
  • Chronomentrophobia – Fear of clocks.
  • Claustrophobia – Fear of confined spaces.
  • Coulrophobia – Fear of clowns.
  • Cyberphobia – Fear of computers.
  • Cynophobia – Fear of dogs.
  • Dendrophobia – Fear of trees.
  • Dentophobia – Fear of dentists.
  • Domatophobia – Fear of houses.
  • Dystychiphobia – Fear of accidents.
  • Ecophobia – Fear of the home.
  • Elurophobia – Fear of cats.
  • Entomophobia – Fear of insects.
  • Ephebiphobia – Fear of teenagers.
  • Equinophobia – Fear of horses.
  • Gamophobia – Fear of marriage.
  • Genuphobia – Fear of knees.
  • Glossophobia – Fear of speaking in public.
  • Gynophobia – Fear of women.
  • Heliophobia – Fear of the sun.
  • Hemophobia – Fear of blood.
  • Herpetophobia – Fear of reptiles.
  • Hydrophobia – Fear of water.
  • Hypochonria – Fear of illness.
  • Iatrophobia – Fear of doctors.
  • Insectophobia – Fear of insects.
  • Koinoniphobia – Fear of rooms.
  • Leukophobia – Fear of the color white.
  • Lilapsophobia – Fear of tornadoes and hurricanes.
  • Lockiophobia – Fear of childbirth.
  • Mageirocophobia – Fear of cooking.
  • Megalophobia – Fear of large things.
  • Melanophobia – Fear of the color black.
  • Microphobia – Fear of small things.
  • Mysophobia – Fear of dirt and germs.
  • Necrophobia – Fear of death or dead things.
  • Noctiphobia – Fear of the night.
  • Nosocomephobia – Fear of hospitals.
  • Nyctophobia – Fear of the dark.
  • Obesophobia – Fear of gaining weight.
  • Octophobia – Fear of the figure 8.
  • Ombrophobia – Fear of rain.
  • Ophidiophobia – Fear of snakes.
  • Ornithophobia – Fear of birds
  • Papyrophobia – Fear of paper.
  • Pathophobia – Fear of disease.
  • Pedophobia – Fear of children.
  • Philophobia – Fear of love.
  • Phobophobia – Fear of phobias.
  • Podophobia – Fear of feet.
  • Porphyrophobia – Fear of the color purple.
  • Pteridophobia – Fear of ferns.
  • Pteromerhanophobia – Fear of flying.
  • Pyrophobia – Fear of fire.
  • Samhainophobia – Fear of Halloween.
  • Scolionophobia – Fear of school.
  • Selenophobia – Fear of the moon.
  • Sociophobia – Fear of social evaluation.
  • Somniphobia – Fear of sleep.
  • Tachophobia – Fear of speed.
  • Technophobia – Fear of technology.
  • Tonitrophobia – Fear of thunder.
  • Trypanophobia – Fear of needles / injections.
  • Venustraphobia – Fear of beautiful women.
  • Verminophobia – Fear of germs.
  • Wiccaphobia – Fear of witches and witchcraft.
  • Xenophobia – Fear of strangers or foreigners.
  • Zoophobia – Fear of animals.

Phobia Treatments

Common treatments consist of medications and cognitive behavioral therapy.
The InstaCalm Anxiety Relief Program can usually alleviate ANY phobia quickly and effectively