Those who review movies spend lots of time in the theater. Millions will race to theaters this weekend to take in the latest flick. The cinema provides a unique lens on life or perhaps shows things as they might be. They provide new worlds of science fiction and dig into psychology as a framework for thrillers. No matter how enthusiastic you might be to watch a new movie in a theater there are those who would never enter the front door. Those who fear theaters are said to suffer with …

Death is always a point of potential fear. However there is one aspect of the end of life that leave many struggling with phobic tendencies. There is a name for those who fear cemeteries. The name of this fear also describes those who may have a fear of being buried alive. This fear is called Taphephobia.

It was the middle of winter and I had been asked to go on a hike in temperatures below zero. I made the decision to join in the fun, but I struggled just a little with a fear known as Stenophobia or the fear of narrow places.

Many of us will watch with fascination when news stories air that focus on space exploration or show astronauts on the space station or aboard a shuttle. We might even enjoy the world of science fiction by watching movies like Star Wars or Star Trek that explore purely fictional space adventure. For those who fear outerspace therapists refer to their condition as Spacephobia.

Much of my income comes from writing, but I’ll be honest, I rarely write in public. For me I suppose it has more to do with too many things that would distract me from my train of thought. However, for the Scriptophobe there may be something very different at work.

The fear of cemeteries is known as Coimetrophobia. People with this phobia will avoid these places, usually because they are a potent reminder of the finite nature of human existence.

The fear of going to bed is surprisingly common. Nightmares, sleep disorders, and even work and relationship problems can leave a person more vulnerable to developing Clinophobia.

Sometimes, people become anxious and upset when they imagine being locked in an enclosed place. When this reaction becomes intense and persistent, they may be suffering from Cleithrophobia.

The fear of jumping from high or low places is known as Catapedaphobia. Often, this fear is tied into the fear of heights, but it may also exist on its own.

The fear of stairs of steep slopes is quite common; it can tie into fears about heights, falling, and loss of balance. This phobia is known as Bathmophobia.