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Phobophobia is a very interesting condition because it is an abnormal and intense fear of developing a phobia. Phobophobia is a type of specific phobia. A phobia is an abnormal and intense fear of something. The main feature of a specific phobia is that it is a significant and persistent fear of a clearly known, specific situation (such as a phobic situation) or specific object (such as forests). In specific phobias, the feared situation or object is avoided or endured with intense anxiety and distress. Exposure to the feared object or situation almost always causes anxiety. People with specific phobias realize their fear is excessive or unreasonable.

To be diagnosed with a specific phobia, the person's avoidance, anxiety, or distress needs to significantly interfere with his/her normal routine, job functioning, school functioning, or social functioning. Alternatively, to be diagnosed with a specific phobia, the person needs to have significant distress about having the phobia.

It is estimated that between 4 and 8.8% of people have specific phobias. Both parts of the word "phobophobia" (phobo and phobia) come from the Greek word "phobos" meaning "fear. Put the two words together and you have "fear (of) fear."

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