It’s estimated that 10 million people in the UK have a phobia, here’s an A-Z of the most common types, from agoraphobia to zoophobia

Hemophobia: Fear of blood

Hydrophobia: Fear of water

I is for Iatrophobia

Iatrophobia is the fear of going to the doctors. Similar to dentaphobia, it can cause people to miss appointments meaning that vital health check-ups are more likely to be missed. While we can all be a bit guilty of dreading the doctors sometimes, people who have iatrophobia are more likely to regularly cancel appointments, and obsessively worry about getting poorly. 

K is for Koinoniphobia

Koinoniphobia is the fear of rooms. According to the Psych Times, “Someone suffering from this condition can expect to experience a very high amount of anxiety from merely thinking of rooms, let alone actually being inside of one.”

L is for Lockiophobia

Lockiophobia (also known as tokophobia) is the fear of childbirth. It can affect anyone regardless of their gender, whether they’re pregnant, and whether they’ve already given birth. Many pregnant people who have lockiophobia may insist on having a Caesarean operation, rather than a vaginal birth.  

M is for Megalophobia

Megalophobia is the fear of large objects, such as large buildings, statues, animals and vehicles. 

Mageirocophobia: Fear of cooking

Microphobia: Fear of small things

N is for Nyctophobia

Nyctophobia is the fear of the dark, which many of us experience first in childhood. It can manifest in adults as panic attacks when in dark rooms (such as cinemas), sleep disruption as a result of not being able to turn the lights off, and avoiding engaging in social activities if they take place in the dark, such as a night club. 

O is for Obesophobia 

Obesophobia, or pocrescophobia, is the fear of gaining weight. While many people may feel concerned about their weight and body image, people with obesophobia tend to experience an intense form of anxiety when thinking about weight gain. It’s a risk factor for developing an eating disorder and can also be a symptom of an existing one. For more information about diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders, check out Beat or contact your local GP. 

P is for Philophobia

Philophobia is the fear of falling in love, which can manifest as avoiding forming romantic relationships. This can result in the sufferer feeling very isolated and lonely. 

Q is for Quadraphobia

Quadraphobia is the fear of the number four. 

R is for Rhytiphobia

Rhytiphobia is the fear of getting wrinkles. As we age, it’s normal to feel some anxieties about the ageing process (including wrinkles!) but for people with rhytiphobia, the anxiety is more likely to have a detrimental impact on their ability to complete day-to-day activities. They’re also more likely to have a distorted body image and/or seek out cosmetic procedures. 

S is for Somniphobia

Somniphobia is the fear of falling asleep. It’s an anxiety disorder, which separates it from insomnia, a chronic sleep disorder. Sufferers may be afraid of falling asleep for many reasons, including fear of dying, fear of nightmares, and worrying about nighttime behaviours such as sleepwalking. 

Scoptophobia: Fear of being stared at

Selenophobia: Fear of the moon

T is for Tyrophobia 

Tyrophobia refers to the fear of tightly-packed holes, such as those found in honeycomb, strawberry flesh and coral. Research on the condition disagrees on whether tyrophobia should be classed as a phobia, with one study suggesting that the fear is an evolutionary response as sufferers associate holes with dangerous organisms. 

U is for Urophobia

Urophobia is the fear of urinating. 

V is for Verminophobia

Verminophobia is another word for the fear of germs. 

W is for Wiccaphobia

Wiccaphobia refers to the fear of witches and witchcraft. 

X is for Xylophobia

Xylophobia us the fear of forests.

Y is for Ymophobia

Ymophobia is the fear of contrariety.

Z is for Zoophobia

Zoophobia is a fear of animals. 

If you think you may be affected by any of the phobias listed, it’s recommended to get in touch with your GP to discuss diagnosis and treatment. You can find your local GP here. 

For more from Glamour UK’s Lucy Morgan, follow her on Instagram @lucyalexxandra.