Top 10 Well Known People and their Phobias

In our lives, we all are afraid of something or the other. Be it your strictest teacher, a horror character, or even a tiny insect; there’s undoubtedly one thing that serves as our weakest point in life.

However, we commoners tend to believe that renowned personalities are far apart from us. According to our belief, their aura is such that they never experience any fear in their lives. But, in the real sense, it isn’t so.

Not getting it right?? Well, here is a list of 10 well-known people and their phobias, that will surprise you. Just have a glance at it.

10 well-known people and their phobias

NAPOLEON BONAPARTE

PHOBIA – AILUROPHOBIA ( FEAR OF CATS )

There’s hardly anyone who has not heard of Napoleon Bonaparte, the fearless French military leader and prominent personality of the French Revolution.

His dominant presence and political legacy made him one of the most powerful and celebrated French emperors in world history. However, deep down, this fearless fighter too had a phobia. Much to your surprise, Napoleon Bonaparte feared felines.

Cats were something that used to put him into panic all of a sudden. With just a sight of a kitty, spine-chilling ailurophobia would grasp him, and he trembled with fear contrasting his real personality.

But it is not just him. Several other famous figures who tried to rule the world, such as Julius Caesar and Hitler feared cats as well. I wonder why cats and dictators always had a bitter connection.

GEORGE WASHINGTON

PHOBIA – TAPHEPHOBIA ( FEAR OF BEING BURIED ALIVE )

Isn’t it astonishing that even George Washington had phobia? Yes, I’m talking about none other than that bold American president who commanded the United States with such versatility. He, too, couldn’t escape from the wrath of fear.

During his lifetime, he dealt with a severe phobia of premature burial, i.e., taphephobia. Although the actual reason behind this is still a mystery, yet historians are still speculative regarding this unusual fear of great men like Washington.

ALFRED HITCHCOCK

PHOBIA – OVOPHOBIA ( FEAR OF EGGS )

It is a common notion that people who are passionate about thriller or horror movies would hardly have any significant fear.

But you’ll be stunned to know that the renowned Hollywood director-producer who excels in the thriller genre was also dragged down by deep phobia. And you know what? It’s an ovophobia in his case, the fear of eggs. He found eggs repulsive and dreadful.

Due to this reason, he had never tasted an egg in his entire life. According to him, that ovoid white thing with a spilling yellow center seemed to be so unpleasant that he couldn’t even stay around them.

WOODY ALLEN

PHOBIA – PANOPHOBIA ( FEAR OF EVERYTHING )

The veteran American actor, director, and screenwriter is immensely popular all over the world due to his massive contribution to modern cinema.

However, it is indeed shocking to know that such a versatile personality who steadily kept shining removing all shackles of fear, is a sufferer of panophobia, which is the fear of practically everything.

Ranging from the fear of heights, enclosed spaces, insects, water, sunshine to even bright colors, he was terrified of every little thing around him. And I’m fearful of knowing and thinking about his state. Men on this earth are so unpredictable.

DAVID BECKHAM

PHOBIA – ATAXOPHOBIA ( FEAR OF MESSINESS )

The English former professional footballer and current President of Inter Miami CF is well-known for his football expertise and also because of his super-stylish looks. At the age of 44, he has tasted every bit of joy and success in his career and personal life.

So should he have any fear? Well, yes, he too deals with the ataxophobia, the fear of messiness. Disordered things and untidiness do terrify him a lot.

Besides, his detected OCD further aggravates this fear and makes things worse. Hence, everything around him needs to be neat, tidy, and well-arranged all the time.

NATALIE WOOD

PHOBIA – HYDROPHOBIA ( FEAR OF WATER )

This beautiful yesteryear Hollywood actress could kill anyone with her pretty looks and make everyone envious of her acting skills.

However, where Hollywood is the place of power-puffed stunts and underwater acts, this celebrated actress had a fear of water indeed. Throughout her life, she had severe hydrophobia.

It was probably due to a childhood incident that made her fall into a deep water body, and it left as deep a scar that it gradually transformed into fear. And ironically, her death is also because of water. She died of drowning after she fell off a yacht one night.

RICHARD NIXON

PHOBIA – NOSOCOMEPHOBIA ( FEAR OF HOSPITALS )

Richard Nixon was the mighty 37th US president who faced so many challenges in his long political career, mainly the Watergate scandal that cost him so much,

Even he too was bugged by fear, the fear of hospitals. Nosocomephobia, as it is being called, engulfed him in such a way that he refused to be taken to the hospital for treatment even when he suffered from a fatal blood clot. He had a misconception that if he visited a hospital, he would never come back alive.

KEANU REEVES

PHOBIA – NYCTOPHOBIA / SCOTOPHOBIA ( FEAR OF DARKNESS )

This popular mainstream Canadian actor, director, and producer has seen darkness throughout his personal life.

Watching his still-born child before his eyes and knowing about his girlfriend’s sudden demise in an automobile wreck are some of the darker incidents that took a heavy toll on his mind and have scarred him for life.

Yet it’s surprising to know that this strong man, who is expected to challenge the darkness is scotophobic. He is frightened of the dark around.

JOHNNY DEPP

PHOBIA – COULROPHOBIA ( FEAR OF CLOWNS )

This American actor and film producer also possesses a fear even after having such an eventful journey in his film career. Curious to know what the fear is? You would not believe it.

It’s the fear of clowns, the entertainers who make us laugh out loud. Well, according to the actor, the unnatural smile and painted face of a clown pretty much haunts him, and he gets evil vibes out of it. That’s weird enough.

NICOLE KIDMAN

PHOBIA – LEPIDOPTEROPHOBIA ( FEAR OF BUTTERFLIES )

 Well, it’s indeed a very astounding scene. The pretty and talented actress whose beauty metaphorically resembles a butterfly is scared of butterflies in real life. She isn’t afraid of reptiles, cockroaches, ghosts, or even criminals. But it is butterflies that add to her woes. She finds these creatures incredibly eerie and hostile.

People of all classes have been facing phobias for ages. It is so because it has no cure. Neither is there any such effective treatment.

All we can do is stretch our helping hands for people suffering from fears around us, give them love and care, and help them in nullifying their phobias. For each fearful person, we need to take one bold step forward.

Only then will the world togetherly face every fear with utmost confidence. And a day will surely come when phobia itself will fear the unity and integrity of several fearless minds.