16 Weird Phobias And Real People Who Experience Them

People get scared all the time, for lots of different reasons, but there’s a difference between a little jump from something unexpected and the terror of a phobia. 

You might be surprised just what some people are afraid of.

Let us educate you by bringing together the strangest, weirdest, and most unbelievable things that have been accepted as phobias.

1. Telephonophobia

This is a challenging phobia in the modern world, as it’s essentially a fear of taking and making phone calls. Many of these phobia sufferers worry about the awkward silence of phone conversations, and rely exclusively on machines.

Here’s a news story about a mother who overcame her Telephonophobia to prevent a gas explosion.

2. Nomophobia

The exact opposite of telephonophobia is nomophobia, which is the fear of not having mobile phone access. A very modern fear, this phobia takes into account losing your phone, running out of battery, not having any credit, and not having coverage. They just can’t live without it!

According to research results done by Iowa State University, half who took the quiz scored in the “severe nomophobia” range. Read about it here.

3. Cyberphobia

Another challenging phobia to overcome in the modern world cyberphobia is an irrational fear of computers, using computers, and learning new technologies. It even includes the internet, although we don’t know what you’d do without it!

Mary Zdrojewski was diagnosed with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and suffered from paranoia and phobias including an intense cyberphobia that prevented her from using any technology. Read about it here.

4. Zoophobia

We can understand not liking a particular animal, but we don’t really understand zoophobia which is an irrational fear of all animals. It’s also used as a classifier for people who have specific animal phobias, of which there are too many to name.

A 22-year-old graphic designer was so scared of spiders she refused to be alone in the house. Read about it here.

5. Odontophobia

A woman was so scared to go to the dentist she superglued her own teeth. Read about it here.

6. Lachanophobia

Don’t tell your kids about this one, or they’re likely to argue it at dinner time. Lachanophobia is a fear of vegetables, and it can arise from a traumatic experience of being forced to eat vegetables as a child. Whoops!

Vicki Larrieux, a 22-year-old student from Portsmouth, claims she is unable to keep to a healthy diet because she is frightened of vegetables. Read more about it here.

7. Omphalophobia

A hard phobia to live with, omphalophobia is a fear of bellybuttons. Often it is linked to the idea that sufferers feel their umbilical cord is still connected to their bodies. They don’t like having people touch their bellybutton, or even seeing it at all. Don’t look down folks.

A med student is desperately trying to overcome a phobia that could derail her career.. an extreme fear of belly buttons. Read more about it here.

8. Philemaphobia

This phobia is guaranteed to put a dampener on your sex life!

Here’s a news story about a model who is extremely terrified of kissing – it’s killing her lovelife!

9. Genophobia

Oh God…..

This phobia story is the worst.

10. Triskaidekaphobia

The number 13 has long been considered a bad luck number, and whether it’s Friday the 13th, a floor on a hotel or even a row on a plane many people don’t like it. But triskaidekaphobics can’t have anything to do with it, and avoid using and being related to it.

Triskaidekaphobia is quite rare… but it exists. Read about it here.

11. Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia

We’re stumped on the pronunciation of this one, but it’s the fear of the number 666. Turns out 13 isn’t the only number that gives people the creeps, with 666 long having an association with the devil (it’s even in the Bible!). Good luck trying to spell it though!

January this year, Finland’s national airline had a flight AY666 which took off on a Friday the 13th. Incredibly amusing! Read about it here.

12. Cynophobia

I don’t even understand…..like how? WHYYY. Dogs are the most beautiful creations of this world.

Dilly Rusca has been scared of dogs since she was four years old. Read more about the story here.

13. Turophobia

Turophobes don’t like cheese and the extent of their phobia might vary from hearing the words cheese or cheesy, vomiting at the smell or fainting at the sight of one.

Student Melissa North is sooo terrified of cheese she bursts into tears at the sight of it. Read more about it here.

14. Tonsurephobia

The fear of getting a haircut.

Here’s a story of sisters who suffer from Tonsurephobia.

15. Globophobia

People who suffer from this phobia are terrified of balloons.

This woman was able to tackle her phobia. Read more about her journey here.

16. Gephyrophobia

Apparently, some people are scared of bridges.

There are so many strange phobias out there, it’s no surprise that we say the earth is a scary place. IF you have a phobia, there’s a lot to be scared of! If you don’t have a phobia, all you can do it wonder what it would be like, and be grateful.

Do you have a phobia?