Nosocomephobia

Nosocomephobia (from the Greek nosos, "diseases", and Latin comes, "consequences" or "companion"; also from nosokomein, the Greek word for hospital) is the fear of hospitals. This phobias is closely related to homophobia, the fear of blood, iatrophobia, the fear of doctors, mysophobia, the fear of germs, thanatophobia, the fear of death, and trypanophobia, the fear of needles. It is a common phobia. The most famous person who suffered nosocomephobia is Richard Nixon, who famously quoted "If I go to a hospital, I’m fairly sure I won't come out of it alive."

Nosocomephobes would not to go to a hospital, often resulting in very negative consequences including death especially in case of major life threatening conditions/events. A nosocomephobe experiences a full blown panic attack at the sight or even thought of visiting a hospital as a result of which he/she simply refuses to step inside one.

Causes of hospital phobia are often the atmosphere and events in the hospital. Hospitals are a germy place where a lot of people cough, sneeze, or vomit often. Doctors often make mistakes to patients, like giving them wrong drugs or doing wrong procedures.

Symptoms of nosocomephobia include full blown panic attack, uncontrollable anxiety, avoidance behavior leading them to refuse going to hospital, feeling nauseated, excessive sweating, rapid heartrate, and slow or rapid breathing.

Nosophobia is commonly treated using anti-anxiety medications. Other treatment methods are, , , and , as well as self-help techniques like and meditation.