The 23 Most Common Fears

          Have you experienced a feeling of terror or panic which is caused by indescribable and uncontrolled situations? Do you know what fears you the most? Listed below are the common types of fears.

1.   Ablutophobia – Fear of  Bathing, Washing and Cleaning

People who abnormally restrain from bathing or showering, washing or cleaning have ablutophobia. From the Greek word ebliut or ablute (to wash), this is commonly experienced by children and women who are extremely emotional.

2.   Acrophobia –  Fear of Heights

Derived from Greek words akron which means “peak, summit and edge” and phobos, fear, acrophobia is an pathological fear of heights. Most people around the world have acrophobia especially those who have experiences regarding heights or fear of falling. Now, do you remember the last time you were on a high place and felt a sudden fear?

3.   Aerophobia – Fear of Flying

Did you ever feel a panic attach while aboard on a plane? Then, you might have this kind of fear. Also termed as aviatophobia and aviophobia, aerophobia is a fear of being on a plane which is often caused by other fears like fear of heights, turbulence and hijacking.

4.   Androphobia – Fear of Men

What came first to your mind when you just read the words above? You think women have this kind of fear? Well, that is a myth. Regardless of the gender, some people have this abnormal fear of men. This is a very extreme condition where one can suffer trauma based on a horrible situation in the past.

5.   Anthrophobia or Anthropophobia – Fear of People

This is a psychological fear of people which is an interpersonal relation phobia. Sufferers tend to experience intense shyness or timidity among group of people.

6.   Arachonophobia – Fear of Spiders

This is one of the most common phobias experienced by many people. People who fear spider and other arachnids feel uneasy even if they see a figure of spiders on a picture or in a television.

7.   Aquaphobia – Fear of Water

This is a specific phobia and an abnormal fear of water. Basically, people who suffer this kind of phobia have traumatic experiences that involve water as the factor like tremendous experience on boating and swimming.

8.   Gelotophobia – Fear of Being Laughed At

This describes people who do not want to be laughed at in any circumstances. Extreme social embarrassment is the common cause of this phobia.

9.    Gephyrophobia – Fear of Bridges

People suffer an abnormal disorder caused by fear of bridges. They tend to avoid passing or crossing the bridges.

10.        Gerascophobia – Fear of Growing Old or Ageing

This is a specific clinical phobia experience by both single men and women who feel a fear of being left behind when they grow old.

11.        Glossophobia – Fear of Public Speaking

The word is derived from the Greek word glōssa means tongue. One of the most common phobias is glossphobia or the fear of speaking in front of many people.

12.        Gynophobia – Fear of Women

The opposite of androphobia is gynophobia which is an abnormal fear of women. The word is derived from the Latin word horror feminae which means fear of women. It is also referred to as caligynephobia or the fear of BEAUTIFUL women. Men who have this phobia are severely bizarre!

13.        Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia – Fear of the Number 666

In Revelation 13:18, the word 666 which is the number of the beast (Anti-Christ) can be found. Some people fear this number. “I could not believe that there are some people who can have this kind of phobia. Perhaps, those who know what will happen during the Second Coming of Christ who still denies Christ as the Saviour have this. Well, do not fear.”

14.        Hemophobia or Haemophobia – Fear of Blood

Another common phobia is the homophobia which is the severe and unreasonable fear of blood. Fear associated to this is probably the fear of killing and murder. This is also called as blood phobia.

15.        Necrophobia or thanatophobia – Fear of death 

This is phobia is derived from the Greek word nekros for corpse. It is the fear of death or any dreadful corpse. You can easily identify people who have this phobia mostly on wake or funeral services.

16.        Nomophobia – Fear of Being Out of Mobile Phone Contact

Nomophobia came from an abbreviation which is “no-mobile-phone phobia”. This is based on a study by a research organization in the United Kingdom on which it has proven that a lot of people suffer this phobia. People who have this phobia tend to feel an extreme anxiety if their mobile phones are not used or cannot be used.

17.        Ophidiophobia or ophiophobia – Fear of Snakes

The fear of snakes is the most common zoophobia or animal phobia. Well, who would not be scared on snakes with venom that can kill you?

18.        Pyrophobia – Fear of Fire

This phobia can be controlled and prevented simply by spending time around fire like going to the fire department. People who have this easily feel nervous when they are around fire places.

19.        Selachophobia – Fear of Sharks

Next to the fear of snakes is the fear of sharks or selachophobia. Most people who suffer this kind of fear are the ones who have experienced a tremendous shark attack in the past.

20.        Spectrophobia or eisoptrophobia – Fear of Mirrors or Seeing One’s Self Reflection

This is another specific phobia that involves a melancholic fear of mirrors or just seeing one’s own image in a mirror (even camera).“This is very hilarious!”

21.        Sociaphobia – Fear of Social Interaction

Social phobia or sociaphobia is the most common pathological phobia that causes extreme anxiety to people who suffer this. Primarily, this anxiety disorder involves a severe fear of being humiliated or judged by others.

22.        Triskaidekaphobia – Fear of the Number 13

From the Greek word tris which means three or 3, triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number 13. This is associated to the fear of Friday the 13th or paraskevidekatriaphobia.  

23.        Xenophobia – Fear of Unknown or Different From Oneself

This word derived from the Greek word ξένος (xenos) which means “stranger” of “foreigner”. It refers to the fear of that which is unknown or different from oneself such as aliens and the dislike of foreigners.

Among these three common fears, have you already spotted your phobia? Which fear have you realized and identified as your phobia?

Whatever phobia struck you the most, make sure that you know how to avoid and treat it. Next time, just confidently face your fears.