Fear is one of the most powerful human emotions and a phobia can be defined as a persistent, excessive or unrealistic fear of an animal, activity or situation. Phobias are exceptionally common, with 8% of adults possessing at least one phobia. Many of you may be familiar with some of the more common phobias—fear of heights, fear of confined spaces, fear of spiders, etc. But there are tons of phobias that you probably never knew existed. Take a look at our list of the 75 most fascinating phobias (and many of the celebrities who have them) in the gallery below, then let us know your thoughts on this story in the comments section on social media.
Acrophobia
Fear of heights.
Celebrities with this phobia: Zach Galifianakis
Agoraphobia
Fear of open spaces of crowds.
Aichmophobia
Fear of needles.
Androphobia
Fear of men.
Anginophobia
Fear of choking.
Celebrities with this phobia: Martin Freeman
Aphenphosmphobia
Fear of being touched.
Arachnophobia
Fear of spiders.
Celebrities with this phobia: Justin Timberlake
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.
Bibliophobia
Fear of books.
Botanophobia
Fear of plants.
Celebrities with this phobia: Christina Ricci
Cacophobia
Fear of ugliness.
Catoptrophobia
Fear of mirrors.
Celebrities with this phobia: Pamela Anderson
Chionophobia
Fear of snow.
Chromophobia
Fear of colors.
Chronomentrophobia
Fear of clocks.
Chronophobia
Fear of time.
Claustrophobia
Fear of confined spaces.
Celebrities with this phobia: Uma Thurman
Coulrophobia
Fear of clowns.
Celebrities with this phobia: Sarah Paulson, Johnny Depp
Cyberphobia
Fear of computers.
Cynophobia
Fear of dogs.
Celebrities with this phobia: Michael Jackson
Dendrophobia
Fear of trees.
Dentophobia
Fear of dentists.
Celebrities with this phobia: Robert De Niro
Domatophobia
Fear of houses.
Elurophobia
Fear of cats.
Celebrities with this phobia: La Toya Jackson
Entomophobia
Fear of insects.
Ephebiphobia
Fear of teenagers.
Equinophobia
Fear of horses.
Celebrities with this phobia: Kristen Stewart
Gamophobia
Fear of marriage.
Genuphobia
Fear of knees.
Glossophobia
Fear of public speaking.
Celebrities with this phobia: Marilyn Monroe
Gynophobia
Fear of women.
Heliophobia
Fear of the sun.
Hemophobia
Fear of blood.
Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia
Fear if long words.
Hydrophobia
Fear of water.
Celebrities with this fear: Carmen Electra
Hypochondria
Fear of illnesses.
Iatrophobia
Fear of doctors.
Koinoniphobia
Fear of rooms.
Koumpounophobia
Fear of buttons.
Lilapsophobia
Fear of tornadoes and hurricanes.
Lockiophobia
Fear of childbirth.
Mageirocophobia
Fear of cooking.
Microphobia
Fear of small things.
Necrophobia
Fear of death.
Noctiphobia
Fear of the night.
Nosocomephobia
Fear of hospitals.
Nyctophobia
Fear of the dark.
Celebrities with this fear: Keanu Reeves
Obesophobia
Fear of gaining weight.
Ombrophobia
Fear of rain.
Ophidiophobia
Fear of snakes.
Celebrities with this phobia: Matt Damon
Ornithophobia
Fear of birds.
Celebrities with this phobia: Scarlett Johansson, David Beckham
Papyrophobia
Fear of paper.
Celebrities with this phobia: Megan Fox
Pedophobia
Fear of children.
Philophobia
Fear of love.
Phobophobia
Fear of phobias.
Podophobia
Fear of feet.
Celebrities with this phobia: P. Diddy
Pyrophobia
Fear of fire.
Samhainophobia
Fear of Halloween.
Scolionophobia
Fear of school.
Selenophobia
Fear of the moon.
Somniphobia
Fear of sleep.
Technophobia
Fear of technology.
Tonitrophobia
Fear of thunder.
Celebrities with this fear: Madonna
Trypophobia
Fear of holes.
Celebrities with this phobia: Kendall Jenner
Venustraphobia
Fear of beautiful women.
Verminophobia
Fear of germs.
Wiccaphobia
Fear of witches.
Xenophobia
Fear of strangers and phobias.
Zoophobia
Fear of animals.
