Self-reflection, not diagnosis. This test cannot diagnose a phobia or anxiety disorder and is awaiting review by a qualified professional. If fear stops you from living the way you want, please talk to a doctor or psychologist.
Fear Versus Phobia
Fear is a normal response to danger. A phobia is an intense, persistent fear that is out of proportion to the real risk, leads to avoidance and causes distress or problems in daily life. Many people have strong fears without having a phobia.
This self-check groups fears into six types, based on the categories clinicians use for specific phobias, plus social fears and fears of crowds and open spaces:
| Fear type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Animals | Spiders, dogs, snakes, insects |
| Natural environment | Heights, storms, deep water |
| Blood, injection and injury | Needles, blood, medical procedures |
| Situations | Lifts, flying, tunnels, enclosed spaces |
| Social situations | Public speaking, being watched or judged |
| Crowds and open spaces | Crowds, public transport, travelling alone |
How It Works
You rate 24 situations from “no fear” to “extreme fear”. Each fear type gets a score, and your highest is your strongest fear type. Look at all six bars: many people have more than one strong fear.
What Research Says
- Specific phobias are common. Large surveys suggest they affect a significant minority of people at some point in life, with animal and height fears among the most frequent.
- Exposure therapy works. Gradual, guided exposure to the feared situation is one of the most effective treatments in psychology, and many specific phobias improve in only a few sessions.
- Blood-injection fears are different. They can cause fainting through a sudden drop in heart rate and blood pressure. The “applied tension” technique, developed by Lars-Göran Öst, helps prevent fainting.
Coping With Fear
- Avoidance feeds fear. Each time you avoid, the fear grows a little.
- Take small steps: look at a picture before seeing the real thing.
- Breathe slowly to calm your body’s alarm.
- Get support: a psychologist trained in exposure therapy can help you progress safely.
Common Phobia Names
| Name | Fear of |
|---|---|
| Arachnophobia | Spiders |
| Acrophobia | Heights |
| Claustrophobia | Enclosed spaces |
| Trypanophobia | Needles |
| Aerophobia | Flying |
| Glossophobia | Public speaking |
| Agoraphobia | Situations that feel hard to escape |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have a phobia?
Only a professional can diagnose a phobia. Strong fear plus avoidance and real impact on your life are key signs.
Can phobias be cured?
Many people overcome phobias completely with exposure-based therapy.
What is the most common phobia?
Fears of animals, especially spiders and snakes, and of heights are among the most commonly reported.
Related Tests
Try the highly sensitive person test or the hardiness test. See all wellbeing tests.
Emotional
Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Test
Thirty statements score you on the five parts of emotional intelligence, from self-awareness to social skills, with a personal reading for each.
Emotional
Empathy Test
Twenty-four statements measure your overall empathy and split it into three kinds: understanding others, feeling with them and wanting to help.
Emotional
Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) Test
Twenty-four statements measure how sensitive you are and break it into the four signs described by psychologist Elaine Aron.
Emotional
Self-Esteem Test
Twenty statements measure your self-esteem and split it into self-worth, confidence in your abilities, self-acceptance and social confidence.
Emotional
Self-Love Test
Twenty statements score how well you practise self-love across self-acceptance, kind self-talk, self-care and boundaries, with small steps for your lowest area.
Emotional
Burnout Test
Eighteen statements check for signs of burnout across exhaustion, cynicism and reduced effectiveness, with practical next steps for each level of risk.
For self-reflection only. Not medical advice. See how we build our tests.