Phobias, by the very definition, mean irrational or unexplained fear of certain objects or situations. More often than not, a phobia triggers off feelings of fear, impending danger or disaster in the people affected by them.

1. 10 Most Common Phobias- Some Weird And Funny Phobias
What is Phobia?
Phobias, by the very definition, mean irrational or unexplained fear of certain objects or situations.
More often than not, a phobia triggers off feelings of fear, impending danger or disaster in the people
affected by them.
You might be surprised to know that nearly 11% of the American population suffers from some or the
other types of phobias, according to the latest figures released by the National Institute of Mental
Health. Now, that is an astoundingly high figure!! They are the most common form of mental and
psychiatric disorders today. Men among my readers are sure to derive sadist pleasure when they get to
know that women are more likely to get affected by inexplicable and illogical phobias.
There are people who are petrified to death just thinking about snakes while there are others who
cannot overcome their irrational fear and sit in a boat inspite of being trained swimmers.
While most phobias can look quirky, funny and weird to others around the affected person, they can
become a source of great stress. In extreme cases, they can cause full blown panic or anxiety attacks.
People affected by them might even have to seek medical help if they are obsessed with false fears and
dangers most of the time.
Fear is a basic human instinct. It is not unnatural to fear scared.
The problem arises when people do not know where to draw the line. It is then that their fears take on
the shape of phobias. Most of them know that their fears are irrational and unfounded but they seem to
be unable to ignore them. It is then that their weird phobias start interfering with their life, as also that
of others around them.
Those who read this might also like to read:
Malingering- A serious fictitious disorder
Types of Phobias
Phobias can basically be classified into three types:
1. Social Phobias: Where the phobic person fears social situations.
2. Agoraphobia: The affected person, in such situations, fears getting trapped in inescapable
situation (s) or place(s).
3. Specific phobias: This refers to fear of specific objects. Like fear of spiders, needle phobia, etc.
10 Most Common Phobias

2. Here is the list of 10 most common phobias which affect people:
1. Agoraphobia/ Social Phobia
Agoraphobia or the fear of crowds is by far the most common phobia. This refers to the fear of being
evaluated negatively due to personal appearance, some odd mannerism or lack of knowledge, etc in the
presence of a large number of people. This fear of being jeered at, mocked, ridiculed or denigrated takes
on such epic proportions that the affected person starts avoiding crowds or huge gatherings altogether.
It is estimated that nearly 32% of the people affected by panic disorder develop agoraphobia later. At
present, nearly 16.7 million American adults are estimated to in the grip of agoraphobia.
2. Arachnophobia
This refers to the fear of spiders. Ranked at number 2 in the phobias list, this affects almost 50% of the
women across the globe and about 13% of the men. Such people begin to feel uncomfortable in places
where they doubt that spiders could be hiding in some odd nook, cranny or crevice. The situation gets
worse if they see something that reminds them about the presence of spiders. Webs, for instance and,
in very extreme cases, even pictures of spiders or a Spiderman poster.
Most phobias associated with insects and animals have their roots in early childhood. In people who are
unable to shake off their fears in some cases, it takes on the form of arachnophobia.
3. Claustrophobia
This refers to the fear of closed spaces. An estimated 5-7% of the total human population suffers from
this phobia.
Most people affected by claustrophobia worry unduly about what would happen to them if they were to
get confined to those limited spaces! People obsessed by it can get uncontrollably hysterical or suffer
from a panic attack if asked to use a lift, drive through a tunnel and, in extreme cases, even have an
MRI!
4. Acrophobia

3. This fear of heights ranks fourth on this list of common phobias. This phobia can cause great discomfort
to those who are petrified of great heights, probably because of the fear associated with falling down
suddenly and getting hurt.
Almost 19% adults are said to suffer from aerophobia, though to varying extents. Such people get
restless and might develop vertigo and insist on getting down as soon as possible. Extreme cases involve
crossing a bridge, a ride in an elevator or looking down the glass window of a multi-storeyed building.
5. Aerophobia
Aerophobia or the fear of flying is usually the results of having seen too many pictures or movies related
to plane crashes or after losing someone close to an unfortunate accidents or hearing about such
accidents too often in the news.
According to National Institute of Mental Health, 24% of the people suffer from aerophobia and do not
trust these huge flying machines. To such people, the very thought of travelling by air either himself or
such a journey being undertaken by a friend or a relative can send shudders down the spine and trigger
off extreme reactions.
6. Astraphobia or Brontophobia
This refers to inexplicable fear of natural phenomenon like thunder, storms and lightening. Nearly 9% of
the US population is said to suffer from this phobia, a famous inclusion being the pop diva Madonna.
The strange thing about this phobia is that most affected people realize that storms or the
accompanying lightening is incapable of causing any serious harm to them or their belongings but just
cannot seem to react normally when they ear about an impending storm or confronted by the situation.
7. Aquaphobia
Aquaphobia means an irrational and persistent fear of water. Some people affected by it are unable to
swim, surf or travel by boat though extreme cases might be characterized by morbid fear of water to the
extent that bathing becomes a dreadful thought for them.
Most people affected by aquaphobia are said to get ‘zonked out’ totally if some water is splashed upon
them unexpectedly or when they near bigger water bodies like wells, lakes, rivers and waterfalls, etc.

4. 8. Trypanophobia
This involves fear of blood, injections, injury, etc. Such types of phobia affect nearly 4-5% of the total
population, who can faint at the very sight of an injection or undergo such a severe drop in blood
pressure and heart beat at the very sight of blood that they pass out. So much so that visiting a doctor, a
test laboratory or a site of an accident becomes tormenting for them.
Needle phobia is most commonly seen and heard of in this category.
9. Necrophobia
By this we mean fear of death or dead things or things which are associated with death. A surprisingly
common type of phobia, it can cause sweating, panic attacks, nausea, shortness of breath, irregularities
of heartbeat and extreme paranoia.
Necrophobia probably is the affected person’s body sending him out signals about avoiding certain
situations. It could have its roots in moments of extreme pain (mental, physical or both) in the past due
to the death of close ones or brush with death. A person suffering from this phobia leads an absolutely
normal life till he sees something that reminds him of death or the dead. Coffins, for instance
10. Nyctophobia
This is the debilitating and morbid fear of darkness. They probably are more afraid of the dangers which
could be hiding in the dark than darkness itself so much so that they begin to dread the night or
darkness during the day also.
Nyctophobia can affect children as well as adults. Watching scary shows and movies at television or
listening to horror stories are the main factors that can cause such types of phobias to develop.
Suggested reading: Malingering- A serious fictitious disorder
Conclusion
This, according to latest figures revealed by NIMH, are the most common phobias that affect people.
Do write to us about any weird phobias and funny phobias you have heard of. We would like to include
them in our “Phobias List” which we will be bringing out soon.