9 Phobias You Probably Didn't Know About

Everybody is scared of something, whether it’s the creepy feeling you get in the dark or the somewhat rational fear of falling from a really high height. But what about the strange phobias that you weren’t even aware of?

In English, we have names for every type of phobia you can think of – and a few you probably wouldn’t have imaged exist! Although these might not come up in your every day English conversation, it’s good to learn English wherever you can when you're studying the language.

Below are 9 of our favourite little-known phobias. Take a look, and impress your friends with your new knowledge of these obscure English words!

1. Barophobia

This is the fear of gravity. There are two types of this phobia, one in which you’re afraid of being crushed by gravity, and one in which you’re afraid of gravity disappearing and that you’ll float away.

2. Gephyrophobia

This phobia is a fear of crossing a river, which would make it rather difficult to live in a city with a main river running through it. Some cities with major bridges provide services that will drive people across, just in case they suffer from this condition.

3. Heliophobia

This is a fear of the sun, or sunlight, and is ideal for people who live in places that get more rain than sun. If you live in a beach town like LA or Sydney, it’s probably a bit of a pain to have this.

4. Hylophobia

Perfect for anyone who resides in a sleek, modern city, hylophobia is a fear of woods, forests, and trees. Someone with this phobia probably isn’t going to go camping anytime soon.

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5. Nomophobia

Definitely the most relevant to our generation, this is the fear of having no mobile phone service. According to research in the UK, 50% of the population suffer from this!

6. Oikophobia

This is another difficult one to have in modern society. People who suffer from oikophobia have a fear of electric kitchen appliances. This means that they wouldn’t be able to use a toaster, an oven, or even a refrigerator.

7. Panphobia

A little bit broader than some of the other phobias on this list, panphobia is a condition in which you fear everything. People who suffer from this generally have a sense of dread about a constant unknown evil.

8. Pogonophobia

Hipsters beware, because this phobia revolves around a fear of beards! A lot of the time, people who have this fear are worried about someone with a big heard having a lack of personal hygiene.

9. Somniphobia

The unlike insomnia, which is the inability to sleep, somniphobia is the fear of falling asleep. People who have this don’t like the lack of control they have when they are sleeping, or may constantly have the same dreams or nightmares.

What other phobias did we miss? Any other words you want us to discuss in English? Let us know in the comment section below.