There are plenty of people who have phobias about certain things, whether it’s spiders, the outdoors, etc. But it turns out some phobias are more common in certain parts of the country than others, and a new report reveals the biggest fears of each state and what you might fear.
The new report is based on Google search metrics. The most common fear appears to be Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia, a fear of long words, which is the most common fear in 18 states like Alaska, California, Colorado, and Florida. Just behind that is Philophobia, a fear of falling in love and getting into relationships, the most common fear in 11 states, including Georgia, Hawaii, Arkansas, and more. Nine states, including Illinois, Kansas, and Mississippi, suffer from Somniphobia, the fear surrounding the thought of going to bed. The most common fear in the world is Agoraphobia, the fear of public spaces, crowds, etc., with over 61% of all countries reporting it as their most searched phobia.
Other interesting state phobias include nomophobia which is the fear of being without your phone. This phobia is common in New York, Oregon, Virginia, and Tennessee. Another one is Megalophobia which is the fear of large things. That phobia is common in Wyoming, Kentucky, and Delaware. One phobia that I’m learning about for the first time is Ephebiphobia which is the fear of teenagers and that is common in states like Arizona and Indiana.
Back in 2020, a lot of people developed new fears and phobias and the Psych News Daily reported that the top phobia of 2020 was “anthropophobia,” the fear of other people.
Here are the most common unusual phobias in the USA by state:
Alabama
- Somniphobia – fear of sleep
Alaska
- Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia – fear of long words
Arizona
- Ephebiphobia – fear of teenagers
Arkansas
- Philophobia – fear of love
California
- Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia – fear of long words
Colorado
- Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia – fear of long words
Connecticut
- Nomophobia – fear of being without your mobile phone
Delaware
- Megalophobia – fear of large things
Florida
- Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia – fear of long words
Georgia
- Philophobia – fear of love
Hawaii
- Philophobia – fear of love
Idaho
- Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia – fear of long words
Illinois
- Somniphobia – fear of sleep
Indiana
- Ephebiphobia – fear of teenagers
Iowa
- Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia – fear of long words
Kansas
- Somniphobia – fear of sleep
Kentucky
- Megalophobia – fear of large things
Louisiana
- Philophobia – fear of love
Maine
- Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia – fear of long words
Maryland
- Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia – fear of long words
Massachusetts
- Nomophobia – fear of being without your mobile phone
Michigan
- Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia – fear of long words
Minneosta
- Philophobia – fear of love
Mississippi
- Somniphobia – fear of sleep
Missouri
- Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia – fear of long words
Montana
- Philophobia – fear of love
Nebraska
- Philophobia – fear of love
Nevada
- Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia – fear of long words
New Hampshire
- Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia – fear of long words
New Jersey
- Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia – fear of long words
New Mexico
- Philophobia – fear of love
New York
- Nomophobia – fear of being without your mobile phone
North Carolina
- Somniphobia – fear of sleep
North Dakota
- Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia – fear of long words
Ohio
- Somniphobia – fear of sleep
Oklahoma
- Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia – fear of long words
Oregon
- Nomophobia – fear of being without your mobile phone
Pennsylvania
- Philophobia – fear of love
Rhode Island
- Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia – fear of long words
South Carolina
- Somniphobia – fear of sleep
South Dakota
- Philophobia – fear of love
Tennessee
- Nomophobia – fear of being without your mobile phone
Texas
- Philophobia – fear of love
Utah
- Somniphobia – fear of sleep
Vermont
- Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia – fear of long words
Virginia
- Nomophobia – fear of being without your mobile phone
Washington
- Philophobia – fear of love
West Virginia
- Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia – fear of long words
Wisconsin
- Somniphobia – fear of sleep
Wyoming
- Megalophobia – fear of large things