Stygiophobia

Stygiophobia, also called stigiophobia or hadephobia, is the fear of. The word is derived from the Greek words Stygios, meaning "hell", and phobos, meaning "fear". The former is derived from the river Styx over which souls were said to be carried into the. The latter is itself derived from (Greek god of horror), who was the son of Ares and accompanied him into battle.

This phobia is commonly suffered by people who are religious and believe in a religion that includes the existence of Hell, such as Christianity. The phobia is often severe, as Hell is a place of eternal torture. A person who suffers from the phobia may feel compelled to constantly perform good deeds and strictly follow the rules of their religion, hoping to be sent to Heaven when they die. Alternatively, they may believe that their soul is beyond redemption and fear their inevitable damnation.

Stygiophobes often suffer from satanophobia as well, since Satan and his demons are said to be responsible for luring individuals into Hell. The fear of Hell has been postulated as the basis for thanatophobia (fear of death), since it apparently out-weighs various beliefs in a rewarding.