Top 9 Most Common Phobias of All Time

Kris [email protected] April 28, 2023 | 19:38

Phobias are distressing emotions initiated by out-of-proportion-fears, both real and imaginary. To the sufferer, a phobia can seem unbearable or even life-threatening, while others might find these strange and bizarre phobias quite fascinating.

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Phobias of all time

KnowInsider will show you some of the most common phobias in the world, so sit back and be prepared to be equally terrified.

Without further ado, here are the top 9 phobias of all time, starting with number 9 and counting down to the one thing that people fear most:

9. Aerophobia – The fear of flying

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Aerophobia, the fear of flying: Aerophobia, or the fear of flying, affects almost 6.5% of people worldwide. The phobia frequently coexists with other phobias like claustrophobia (fear of confined spaces) and agoraphobia (fear of being unable to escape).

Given that flying is practically out of the question for him/her, fear inevitably has an impact on both his/her professional and personal life. The mere anticipation of a flight can make the sufferer extremely ill and trigger symptoms like nausea, panic attacks, etc.

8. Mysophobia – The fear of germs

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Mysophobia, also known as an excessive fear of germs, is a phobia that is often linked to OCD. Excessive washing of the hands or bathing can be a symptom of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and Mysophobia, both of which affect many people. People with a pathological fear of germs may avoid eating out or kissing others out of fear that they will catch a disease from their bodily fluids.

The extreme measures someone with mysophobia takes to avoid any kind of social situation can have serious consequences. As a result of this fear, many people withdraw from society. Other phobias, such as Agoraphobia, and anxiety disorders may develop as a result of this condition.

7. Claustrophobia – The fear of small spaces

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Aversion to Confined Areas Claustrophobia, a Type of Phobia Claustrophobia, or the extreme dread of enclosed or confined spaces, affects between 5 and 7 percent of the global population. Suffocation anxiety, or anxiety about being confined in any way, is at the root of this phobia.

Although this phobia has been extensively researched by experts and scientists, only 2% of those who suffer from it actually seek treatment. Cleithrophobia, the extreme fear of confinement, is often misunderstood as Claustrophobia.

6. Astraphobia – The fear of thunder and lightning

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Instinctive aversion to Lightning and Thunder A fear of the stars: Many regions of the world experience regular storms, which can be particularly distressing for those who suffer from a fear of the sky. Although children make up the vast majority of astrophobic sufferers, the phobia can also affect adults. The natural psychological defense for even the most ferocious and wild animals during a thunderstorm is to hide.

Nearly 2% of Americans suffer from Astraphobia, also known as Brontophobia. Fortunately, there are effective treatments for this type of phobia.

5. Cynophobia – The fear of dogs

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Phobia of dogs and cynophobia - Dog phobia, or cynophobia, is one of the most widespread animal phobias in the world. Nearly 36% of those who experience cynophobia seek treatment, and the majority of these people also have a cat phobia. Given that dogs are typically present in most residential areas, the extreme fear of dogs is actually even more crippling than the fear of spiders and the fear of snakes.

Though the fear also affects men, women make up nearly 75% of cynophobes. Although the condition typically manifests in childhood, it is also known that many patients experience the fear as adults.

4. Trypophobia – The fear of holes

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Trypophobia, or the phobia of holes: The extreme and irrational fear of holes, is primarily brought on by biological revulsion and fears that have been learned through cultural conditioning. To "normal" people, this fear may seem irrational, but to a trypophobe, the mere sight or thought of holes can cause a panic attack.

As a result, the person stays away from items like coral, sponges, skin, meat, dried honeycombs, and essentially anything else that has holes in it. The sufferer goes to great lengths to avoid holes because they seem disgusting and gross to them.

3. Acrophobia – The fear of heights

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An irrational fear of heights or the fear of falling (even when one is not actually that high up) is known as acrophobia. It is a particular phobia that makes the sufferer extremely agitated or panicky, which might make it difficult for him or her to climb down.

In extreme cases of acrophobia, the sufferer may experience panic attacks even while getting in or out of a chair. Acrophobia is a condition that affects almost 10% of Americans.

2. Ophidiophobia – The fear of snakes

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Snakephobia, also known as opidiophobi: Nearly one-third of adult humans have ophidiophobia, which is the second most prevalent zoophobia (right after the top phobia on this list). The phobia of snakes has evolutionary roots, just like the phobia described below. To some extent, being terrified of poisonous snakes is necessary for survival.

Extreme fear of snakes and other reptiles can have a negative impact on a person's life because they tend to avoid hiking, camping, and other related activities. The biggest phobia of all time comes next.

1. Arachnophobia – The fear of spiders

Photo: Science Alert

Arachnophobia - Fear of Spiders: Nearly 30.5% of people who experience arachnophobia—an extreme fear of spiders or other arachnids like scorpions—live in the US. It is the most prevalent animal phobia worldwide.

Because some spider species are deadly and it is a natural human response to survive, this is frequently the evolutionary cause of the phobia. However, arachnophobes often go to great lengths to ensure that their surroundings are free of spiders, often putting themselves in an embarrassing situation—something that most phobics work extremely hard to avoid.

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