Phobias - What are you afraid of?
The word "phobia" is a term that refers to a group of symptoms brought on by feared objects or situations.
A phobia is a persistent, irrational fear that causes a person to feel intense anxiety.
People develop phobias about many things like darkness, social situations, spiders, or blood. Agoraphobia, one of the most common phobias, involves the fear of open places. A person with agoraphobia feels anxious in places where it would be hard to escape, like being in a crowd, standing in line, being on a bridge or traveling in a car. In extreme cases, they are so immobilized by fear that they become a prisoner in their own home.
Phobias are the most common form of anxiety disorders, which affect people of all ages, at all income levels and in all geographic locations, according to a study by American the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), between 5.1 and 21.5 percent of Americans suffer form Phobias. Broken down by age and gender, the NIMH study found phobias were the most common psychiatric illness among women in all age groups and the second most common illness among men older than 25.
In some people, the response to a phobia can be fairly mild. For example, a person who has a phobia about flying might simply avoid airplanes. In other people, the phobia causes, or arises from, full-blown panic attacks with symptoms such as shortness of breath, sweating, irregular heartbeats and the shakes. Just why a person develops a particular phobia is not always clear. There appear to be both biological and psychological reasons. Psychologists classify phobias with other anxiety-caused problems and theorize they are a response to separation or loss. Heredity appears to play a role, and so does brain chemistry.
A
ablutophobia: washing or bathing
acarophobia: itching
acerophobia: sourness
achluophobia: darkness
acousticophobia: noise
acrophobia: heights
aeroacrophobia: open high places
aeronausiphobia: vomiting secondary to airsickness
aerophobia: drafts, air
aeruophobia: flying
agliophobia: pain
agoraphobia: open spaces
agraphobia: sexual abuse
agrizoophobia: wild animals
agyrophobia: streets or crossing the street
aichmophobia: needles or pointed objects
ailurophobia: cats
albuminurophobia: kidney disease
alektorophobia: chickens
algophobia: pain
alliumphobia: garlic
allodoxaphobia: opinions
altophobia: heights
amathophobia: dust
amaxophobia: riding in a car, or vehicles
ambulophobia: walking
amnesiphobia: amnesia
amychophobia: scratches or being scratched
anablephobia: looking up
ancraophobia: wind
androphobia: men
anemophobia: air drafts or wind
anginophobia: angina, choking or narrowness
Anglophobia: England, English culture, etc
angrophobia: becoming angry
ankylophobia: immobility of a joint
anthophobia: flowers
anthrophobia: people
anthropophobia: people or society
antlophobia: floods
anuptaphobia: staying single
apeirophobia: infinity
aphenphosmphobia: being touched
apiphobia: bees
apotemnophobia: persons with amputations
arachibutyrophobia: peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth
arachnophobia: spiders
arithmophobia: numbers
arrhenphobia: men
arsonphobia: fire
asthenophobia: fainting or weakness
astraphobia: thunder and lightning
astrophobia: stars and celestial space
asymmetriphobia: asymmetrical things
ataxiophobia: ataxia (muscular incoordination)
ataxophobia: disorder or untidiness
atelophobia: imperfection
atephobia: ruin or ruins
athazagoraphobia: being forgotten or ignored
atomosophobia: atomic explosions
atychiphobia: failure
aulophobia: flutes
aurophobia: gold
auroraphobia: northern lights
autodysomophobia: one that has a vile odor
automatonophobia: ventiloquist dummies or wax statues
automysophobia: being dirty
autophobia: being alone or of oneself
aviophobia: flying
B
bacillophobia: microbes
bacteriophobia: bacteria
bactrachophobia: reptiles
ballistophobia: missles or bullets
barophobia: gravity
basophobia: inability to stand
bathophobia: depth
batonophobia: plants
batophobia: heights
batrachophobia: amphibians
belonephobia: pins and needles
bibliophobia: books
blennophobia: slime
bogyphobia: the bogeyman
Bolshephobia: Bolsheviks
botanophobia: plants
bromidrosiphobia: body smells
brontophobia: thunder and lightning
bufonophobia: toads
C
cacophobia: ugliness
cainophobia: newness, novelty
caligynephobia: beautiful women
carcinophobia: cancer
cardiophobia: the heart
carnophobia: meat
catagelophobia: being ridiculed
catapedaphobia: jumping from high and low places
cathisophobia: sitting
catoptrophobia: mirrors
cenophobia: new things or ideas
ceraunophobia: thunder
chaetophobia: hair
cheimaphobia or cheimatophobia: cold
chemophobia: chemicals
cherophobia: gaiety
chionophobia: snow
chiraptophobia: being touched
cholerophobia: anger
chorophobia: dancing
chrometophobia: money
chromophobia: colors
chronomentrophobia: clocks
chronophobia: time
cibophobia: food
claustrophobia: enclosed spaces
cleisiophobia: being locked in
cleptophobia: stealing
climacophobia: stairs
clinophobia: going to bed
clithrophobia: being enclosed
cnidophobia: stings
coimetrophobia: cemeteries
cometophobia: comets
contreltophobia: sexual abuse
coprastasophobia: constipation
coprophobia: feces
coulrophobia: clowns
cremnophobia: precipices
cryophobia: extreme cold, ice or frost
crystallophobia: crystals or glass
cyberphobia: computers or working on a computer
cyclophobia: bicycles
cymophobia: waves or wave like motions
cynophobia: dogs
D
decidophobia: making decisions
defecaloesiophobia: painful bowel movements
deipnophobia: dining
dementophobia: insanity
demonophobia: demons
demophobia: crowds (Agoraphobia)
dendrophobia: trees
dentophobia: dentists
dermatophobia: skin lesions
dermatosiophobia: skin disease
dextrophobia: objects at the right side of the body
diabetophobia: diabetes
didaskaleinophobia: going to school
dikephobia: justice
dinophobia: dizziness
diplophobia: double vision
dipsophobia: drinking
dishabiliophobia: undressing in front of someone
domatophobia: houses or being in a house
doraphobia: fur or skins of animals
dromophobia: crossing streets
dutchphobia: the dutch
dysmorphophobia: deformity
dystychiphobia: accidents
E
ecclesiophobia: church
eicophobia: home surroundings
eisoptrophobia: mirrors or seeing oneself in a mirror
electrophobia: electricity
eleutherophobia: freedom
elurophobia: cats (Ailurophobia)
emetophobia: vomiting
enetophobia: pins
enochlophobia: crowds
enosiophobia: committing an unpardonable sin
entomophobia: insects
eosophobia: dawn or daylight
epistaxiophobia: nosebleeds
epistemophobia: knowledge
equinophobia: horses
eremophobia: being oneself
ereuthrophobia: blushing
ergasiophobia: surgical instruments
ergophobia: work
erotophobia: sexual love
erythrophobia: the color red
euphobia: hearing good news
eurotophobia: female genitalia
F
febriphobia: fever
felinophobia: cats
Francophobia: france, french culture
frigophobia: cold
G
galeophobia: cats
gallophobia or galiophobia: fear France, French culture
gamophobia: marriage
gatophobia: cats
geliophobia: laughter
geniophobia: chins
genophobia: sex
genuphobia: knees
gephyrophobia: crossing bridges
gerascophobia: growing old
germanophobia: Germany, German culture
gerontophobia: old people or of growing old
geumaphobia: taste
glossophobia: speaking in public
gnosiophobia: knowledge
graphophobia: writing
gymnophobia: nudity
gynophobia: women
H
hadephobia: hell
hagiophobia: saints or holy things
hamartophobia: sinning
haphephobia: being touched
harpaxophobia: being robbed
hedonophobia: feeling pleasure
heliophobia: the sun
hellenologophobia: Greek terms
helminthophobia: worms
hemophobia: blood
herpetophobia: reptiles
heterophobia: the opposite sex (sexophobia)
hierophobia: priests
hippophobia: horses
hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia: long words
hobophobia: bums or beggars
hodophobia: road travel
homichlophobia: fog
homilophobia: sermons
hominophobia: men
homophobia: homosexuality
hoplophobia: firearms
hormephobia: shock
hydrargyophobia: mercurial medicines
hydrophobia: water
hydrophobophobia: rabies
hyelophobia or hyalophobia: glass
hygrophobia: liquids, dampness, or moisture
hylephobia: materialism
hylophobia: forests
hypegiaphobia: responsibility
hypnophobia: sleep
hypsiphobia: height
I
iatrophobia: doctors
ichthyophobia: fish
ideophobia: ideas
illyngophobia: veritgo
insectophobia: insects
iophobia: poison
isolophobia: solitude, being alone
isopterophobia: termites
ithyphallophobia: erection
J
Japanophobia: Japanese
Judeophobia: Jews
K
kainolophobia: novelty
kakorraphiaphobia: failure
katagelophobia: ridicule
kathisophobia: sitting down
kenophobia: voids
keraunophobia: thunder
kinetophobia: movement or motion
kleptophobia: stealing
koinoniphobia: rooms
koniophobia: dust (Amathophobia)
kopophobia: fatigue
kosmikophobia: cosmic phenomenon
kymophobia: waves
kynophobia: rabies
kyphophobia: stooping
L
lachanophobia: vegetables
laliophobia: speaking
leprophobia: leprosy
leukophobia: the color white
levophobia: things to the left side of the body
ligyrophobia: loud noises
lilapsophobia: tornadoes and hurricanes
limnophobia: lakes
linonophobia: string
liticaphobia: lawsuits
lockiophobia: childbirth
logizomechanophobia: computers
logophobia: words
luiphobia: syphillis
lutraphobia: otters
lygophobia: darkness
lyssophobia: rabies or of becoming mad
M
macrophobia: long waits
mageirocophobia: cooking
maieusiophobia: childbirth
malaxophobia: love play
maniaphobia: insanity
mastigophobia: punishment
mechanophobia: machines
megalophobia: large things
melanophobia: the color black
melissophobia: bees
melophobia: fear or hatred of music
meningitophobia: brain disease
menophobia: menstruation
merinthophobia: being bound or tied up
metallophobia: metal
metathesiophobia: changes
meteorophobia: meteors
methyphobia: alcohol
metrophobia: fear or hatred of poetry
microbiophobia: microbes (bacillophobia)
microphobia: small things
misophobia: being contaminated with dirt of germs
mnemophobia: memories
molysmophobia: dirt or contamination
monopathophobia: definite disease
monophobia: solitude or being alone
motorphobia: automobiles
mottephobia: moths
musophobia: mice
mycophobia: fear or aversion to mushrooms
mycrophobia: small things
myctophobia: darkness
myrmecophobia: ants
mysophobia: germs or contamination or dirt
mythophobia: myths or stories or false statements
myxophobia: slime (blennophobia)
N
nebulaphobia: fog (homichlophobia)
necrophobia: death
nelophobia: glass
neopharmaphobia: new drugs
neophobia: anything new
nephophobia: clouds
noctiphobia: the night
nomatophobia: names
nosemaphobia: illness
nosocomephobia: hospitals
nosophobia: disease
nostophobia: returning home
novercaphobia: step-mothers
nucleomituphobia: nuclear weapons
nudophobia: nudity
numerophobia: numbers
nyctophobia: the dark or of night
O
obesophobia: gaining weight
ochlophobia: crowds or mobs
ochophobia: vehicles
octophobia: the figure 8
odontophobia: dental surgery
odynophobia: pain
oenophobia: wines
oikophobia: home surroundings, house
olfactophobia: smells
ombrophobia: rain
ommetaphobia: eyes
oneirogmophobia: wet dreams
oneirophobia: dreams
onomatophobia: hearing a certain word
ophidiophobia: snakes
ophthalmophobia: being stared at
optophobia: opening one's eyes
ornithophobia: birds
orthophobia: property
osmophobia: smells or odors
osphresiophobia: smells
ostraconophobia: shellfish
ouranophobia: heaven
P
pagophobia: ice or frost
panophobia: everything
panthophobia: disease
pantophobia: fears
Papaphobia: the pope
papyrophobia: paper
paralipophobia: neglecting duty
paraphobia: sexual perversion
parasitophobia: parasites
paraskavedekatriaphobia: Friday the 13th
parthenophobia: virgins or young girls
parturiphobia: childbirth
pathophobia: disease
patroiophobia: heredity
peccatophobia: sinning (imaginary crime)
pediculophobia: lice
pediophobia: dolls
pedophobia: children
peladophobia: bald people
pellagrophobia: pellagra
peniaphobia: poverty
pentheraphobia: mother-in-law
phagophobia: swallowing
phalacrophobia: becoming bald
phallophobia: a penis, esp erect
pharmacophobia: taking medicine
pharmacophobia: drugs
phasmophobia: ghosts
phengophobia: daylight or sunshine
philemaphobia: kissing
philophobia: falling in love
philosophobia: philosophy
phobophobia: one's own fears
phonophobia: noises or voices
photoaugliaphobia: glaring lights
photophobia: light
phronemophobia: thinking
phthiriophobia: lice (pediculophobia)
phthisiophobia: tuberculosis
pinigerophobia: smothering
placophobia: tombstones
plutophobia: wealth
pluviophobia: rain or of being rained on
pneumatiphobia: spirits
pnigophobia: choking or being smothered
pocrescophobia: gaining weight (obesophobia)
pogonophobia: beards
poinephobia: punishment
poliosophobia: contracting poliomyelitis
politicophobia: politicians
polyphobia: many things
ponophobia: overworking or of pain
porphyrophobia: the color purple
potamophobia: rivers or running water
potophobia: alcohol
proctophobia: rectum
prosophobia: progress
psellismophobia: stuttering
psychophobia: mind
psychrophobia: cold
pteromerhanophobia: flying
pteronophobia: being tickled by feathers
pupaphobia: puppets pyrexiophobia
pyrophobia: fire
Q
:
R
radiophobia: radiation, x-rays
ranidaphobia: frogs
rhabdophobia: being severely punished or beaten by a rod
rhypophobia: defecation
rhytiphobia: getting wrinkles
rupophobia: dirt
Russophobia: Russians
S
samhainophobia: Halloween
sarmassophobia: love play
satanophobia: satan
scabiophobia: scabies
scelerophibia: bad men, burglars
schlionophobia: school
sciophobia: shadows
scoleciphobia: worms
scolionophobia: school
scopophobia: being stared at
scotomaphobia: blindness in visual field
scotophobia: darkness
scriptophobia: writing in public
selaphobia: light flashes
selenophobia: the moon
seplophobia: decaying matter
sesquipedalophobia: long words
sexophobia: the opposite sex
siderodromophobia: trains
siderophobia: stars
sinistrophobia: left-handedness
sinophobia: chinese, chinese culture
sitophobia: food or eating
snakephobia: snakes (ophidiophobia)
soceraphobia: parents-in-law
social phobia: being evaluated negatively
sociophobia: society
somniphobia: sleep
sophophobia: learning
soteriophobia: dependence on others
spacephobia: outer space
spectrophobia: specters or ghosts
spermophobia: germs
sphexsophobia: wasps
stasibasiphobia: standing or walking
staurophobia: crosses or the crucifix
stenophobia: narrow things or places
stygiophobia: hell
suriphobia: mice
symbolophobia: symbolism
symmetrophobia: symmetry
syngenesophobia: relatives
syphilophobia: syphilis
T
tachophobia: speed
taeniophobia or teniophobia: tapeworms
taphephobia: being buried alive
tapinophobia: being contagious
taurophobia: bulls
technophobia: technology
teleophobia: definate plans
telephonophobia: telephones
telosphobia: being last
teratophobia: bearing a deformed child
testophobia: taking tests
tetanophobia: lockjaw, tetanus
teutophobia: German or German things
textophobia: certain fabrics
thaasophobia: sitting
thalassophobia: the ocean
thanatophobia: death or dying
theatrophobia: theatres
theologicophobia: theology
theophobia: god(s) or religion
thermophobia: heat
tocophobia: childbirth
tomophobia: surgical operations
tonitrophobia: thunder
topophobia: performing (stage fright)
toxiphobia: poison
traumatophobia: injury
tremophobia: trembling
trichinophobia: trichinosis
trichopathophobia: hair
triskaidekaphobia: the number 13
tropophobia: moving or making changes
trypanophobia: injections
tuberculophobia: tuberculosis
tyrannophobia: tyrants
U
uranophobia: heaven
urophobia: urine or urinating
V
vaccinophobia: vaccination
venustraphobia: beautiful women
verbophobia: words
verminophobia: germs
vestiphobia: clothing
virginitiphobia: rape
vitricophobia: step-fathers
W
Walloonphobia: the Walloons
wiccaphobia: witches and witchcraft
X
xanthophobia: the color yellow
xenophobia: strangers
xerophobia: dryness
xylophobia: forests
Y
:
Z
zelophobia: jealousy
zemmiphobia: the great mole rat
zeusophobia: God or gods
zoophobia: animals
Did You Know?
What do you call a group of...
Antelope: A herd of antelope
Ant: A colony or An army of ants
Ape: A shrewdness of apes
Baboons: A troop of baboons
Bacteria: A culture of bacteria
Badger: A cete of badgers
Bass: A shoal of bass
Bear: A sleuth or sloth of bears
Beaver: A colony of beavers
Bee: A swarm, grist or hive of bees
Bird: A flock, flight, congregation or volery of birds
Boar: A sounder of boars
Buffalo: A herd of buffalo
Buck: A brace or clash of bucks
Caterpillar: An army of caterpillars
Cat: A clowder or clutter of cats
Cattle: A herd or drove of cattle
Chicken: A brood or peep of chickens
Chicks: A clutch or chattering of chicks
Clam: A bed of clams
Cobra: A quiver of cobras
Colt: A rag of colts
Cow: A kine of cows (twelve cows are A flink)
Coyote: A band of coyote
Crane: A sedge or siege of cranes
Crocodile: A float of crocodiles
Crow: A murder of crows
Cub: A litter of cubs
Curlew: A herd of curlews
Cur: A cowardice of curs
Deer: A herd of deer
Dog: A pack of dogs
Donkey: A herd or pace of asses
Dove: A dule of doves
Duck: A brace, paddling or team of ducks
Elephant: A herd of elephants
Seal: A pod of elephant seals
Elk: A gang of elks
Emus: A mob of emus
Ferret: A business or fesnyng of ferrets
Finches: A charm of finches
Fish: A school, shoal, run, haul, catch of fish
Fly: A swarm of flies
Fox: A skulk or leash of foxes
Frog: An army or colony of frogs
Geese: A flock, gaggle or skein (in flight) of geese
Gnat: A cloud or horde of gnats
Goat: A herd, tribe or trip goats
Goldfince: A charm of goldfinches
Gorilla: A band of gorillas
Greyhound: A leash of greyhounds
Hare: A down or husk of hares
Hawk: A cast or kettle of hawks
Hen: A brood of hens
Heron: A hedge of herons
Hog: A drift, or parcel of hogs
Horse: A team, pair or harras of horses
Hound: A pack, mute or cry of hounds
Jellyfish: A smack of jellyfish
Kangaroo: A troop or mob of kangaroos
Kitten: A kindle or litter of kittens
Lark: An ascension or exaultation of larks
Leopard: A leap (leep) of leopards
Lion: A pride of lions
Locust: A plague of locusts
Magpie: A tiding of magpies
Mallard: A sord of mallards
Mare: A stud of mares
Marten: A richness of martens
Mole: A labour of moles
Monkey: A troop of monkeys
Mule: A barren or span of mules
Owls: A parliament of owls
Oxen: A yoke, drove, team or herd of oxen
Oyster: A bed of oysters
Parrot: A company of parrots
Partridge: A covey of partridges
Peacock: A muster or ostentation of peacocks
Peep: A litter of peeps
Penguin: A colony of penguins
Pheasant: A nest, nide (nye) or bouquet of pheasants
Pigeon: A flock or flight of pigeons
Pig: A litter of pigs
Plover: A wing or congregation of plovers
Pony: A string of ponies
Porpoise: A pod of porpoises
Quail: A covey or bevy of quail
Rabbit: A nest of rabbits
Rat: A pack or swarm of rats
Rattlesnake: A rhumba of rattlesnakes
Raven: An unkindness of ravens
Rhino: A crash or herd of rhinos
Roebuck: A bevy of roebucks
Rook: A building or clamour of rooks
Seal: A herd or pod of seals
Sheep: A drove or flock of sheep
Snake: A nest of snakes
Snipe: A walk or wisp of snipe
Sparrow: A host of sparrows
Squirrel: A dray of squirrels
Starling: A murmuration of starlings
Stork: A mustering of storks
Swallow: A flight of swallows
Swan: A bevy, herd, lamentation or wedge of swans
Swift: A flock of swifts
Swine: A sounder or drift of swine
Teal: A spring of teal
Toad: A knot of toads
Trout: A hover of trout
Turkey: A rafter of turkeys
Turtledove: A pitying or dule of turtledoves
Turtle: A bale of turtles
Walrus: A pod of walrus
Whale: A school, gam or pod of whales
Viper: A nest of vipers
Wolf: A pack or route of wolves
Woodcock: A fall of woodcocks
Woodpecker: A descent of woodpeckers
1955 Ford Fairlane
While the T-Bird was grabbing all the attention the Fairlane
remained the best seller for Ford bringing it close to tied with Chevy
Cost: $1945.00 (base)
1950 Chevrolet Bel Air
This stylish new Bel Air hardtop was the first major improvement since the forty-eights
it was marketed as "the airiness... of a convertible
with the coziness and permanence of an all steel top"
Cost: $1,740.00
1950 Chevrolet Styleline Special
The lower priced Styleline Special series sold well against comparable Fords
this one (shown) didn't have fender skirts or chrome accents,
the Special and the DeLuxe differed only in trim and interior fittings
Cost: $1,390.00
1951 Chevrolet Styleline DeLuxe Bel Air
Although outsold by sedans this Styleline hardtop was a solid seller
Chevrolet's came in Styleline or Fleetline (fastback) form
and Special or DeLuxe trim packages
Cost: $2,030.00
