My Phobias and their Meanings

Agoraphobia - It is an irrational fear of crowded/public places or even leaving a safe place. Also known as demophobia and enochlophobia, the agoraphobic situations may include shopping, crowded places, traveling, standing in line, social gatherings and even being alone. "I still go to malls or other crowded places except I don't go near to crowds or people. I hate standing in long lines. I hate traffic jams. I would find where there are few people than a pack of people. In elevators, I can handle the closed space but can't when there are a lot of people in it, especially strangers."

Algophobia - It is an exaggerated and intense fear of pain. Also known as odynophobia or odynephobia, it's an anxiety disorder where the sufferer is scared of experiencing pain or seeing others experiencing it. "Fear of getting hurt and to hurt?"

Aphenphosmphobia - It is an unusual and weird fear of touching or being touched. Also known as aphephobia, chiraptophobia, haphephobia, haphophobia, hapnophobia, haptephobia, haptophobia and thixophobia, it is an intense exaggeration of the normal tendencies to protect one's personal space, expressed as a fear of contamination or of the invasion not only from strangers but also from known people. "Before, I transcribe touch as pain. Now, I'm still learning that touch can also mean love. I can now be touched but I'm still a bit selective and cautious. It's hard to trust people."

Athazagoraphobia - It is an exaggerated and intense fear of being forgotten, ignored or replaced. The person having this phobia may experience depression, anger and deliberate isolation even with a small thought of being forgotten or ignored.

Autophobia - It is an abnormal and intense fear of loneliness, solitude, of being alone or by oneself. Also known as cremophobia, eremophobia, isolophobia or monophobia, the person suffering from this phobia may experience anxiety and will always worry about being ignored or unloved. "In relation to my athazagoraphobia." Read more on: Fear of Abandonment.

Cleithrophobia - It is an abnormal and intense fear of being locked in an enclosed or confined place; also known as cleisiophobia or clithrophobia. "Imagined or real, whichever. I hate movies like Alice In Wonderland because I feel trapped. I hate places where I feel trapped. I hate sticking to scheduled activities because I feel trapped."

Decidophobia - It is an overwhelming and abnormal fear of making decisions. The person suffering from this phobia may actually fear making wrong decision and so is reluctant to make any decision at all.

Emetophobia - It is an intense and abnormal fear pertaining to vomiting or being sick. "I hate motion sickness. I hate getting sick when out of town or traveling. I always have to think before deciding to travel. Can I survive it? Can my body be saved from it? I wear loose clothing and a jacket, bring a lot of medicines, a bottle of water, a hand towel, a sunglasses, and always remember to bring my prescription glasses when traveling."

Ergasiophobia -It is an abnormal or unusual fear of work or functioning; also termed as ergophobia. A surgeon's fear of operating. "In my case, I fear working in the hospitals. I also don't like to work long hours nor during nighttime or dawn. I may not like field work as well. I prefer to work a desk job."

Gamophobia - Fear of marriage. "I don't know if this is my fear but I don't want to marry. I don't want to have kids. This could relate to my pedophobia and philophobia."

Heliophobia - It's an abnormal and intense fear of sun or sunlight. "My skin turns red and I itch. I get a headache. All when exposed to the sun."

Macrophobia - It is an abnormal and persistent fear of long waits. The sufferer may experience anxiety and discomfort when confronted with any situation that involves waiting for a long time. "I hyperventilate and my heart beats faster. In traffic jams, I try to find another route where there is less or no traffic. Same with standing in long lines."

Nosocomephobia - It's an unwarranted and abnormal fear of hospitals. The sufferers may refrain from going to hospitals. "In connection to ergasiophobia."

Ochlophobia - It is an irrational and morbid fear of crowds or mobs. "In connection to my agoraphobia."

Pedophobia -The phobia is related to fear of children, infants or childhood. Also called pediophobia or pediaphobia, the recognized outcomes of this phobia include paternalism, adultism, and by extension, ageism. "I hate kids. I envy kids. I get jealous of them."

Philophobia - Fear of romance. People who have a fear of falling in love or being in love, are said to be victims of this particular phobia. "I don't like the thought of sex and the affection brought by marriage."

Photophobia - People who are excessively sensitive to light and are averse to sunlight or well-lit places are known to have this phobia. It’s an abnormal sensitivity or discomfort towards light and is also defined as the fear of light. "In connection to my heliophobia. I don't like too much light. My eyes hurt."

Selenophobia - Fear of the moon. "I don't know why but I hate looking at the moon when it's full and bright and big."

Tropophobia - Fear of moving or making changes. "I have a hard time adjusting."

Xenophobia - Fear of strangers. "This also relates to my agoraphobia. Could this include fear of the unknown and the unfamiliar?"

FEAR OF UNCERTAINTY - "I don't know what it is called in phobia terms. But this could also relate to my decidophobia."

Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your GOD will be with you wherever you go.
Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your GOD. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:13 For I am the LORD, your GOD, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
Isaiah 42:6 I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. . . .