For most, a phobia is an irrational fear that, somewhere along the way, got out of hand for the sufferer. A bad experience that got so much worse with the ever-looming fear.

Here are nine phobias that would be extremely devastating to try and live with in Malta.

1. Heliophobia

The fear of sunlight

We can’t think of anything worse to have than a fear of the sun if you’re in a country that literally has thousands of hours of sunlight per year.

2. Hagiophobia

The fear of holy figures and holy things

With a country that has all the patron saints (and a couple of statues for each one), being afraid of holy figures or anything that has any sort of holy connotation would be horrible.

3. Amaxophobia

The fear of riding in a car

Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi

In a super densely populated country that still manages to have nearly as many cars as people, amaxophobia is a terrible thing to suffer from.

4. Pogonophobia

The fear of beards

With so many Maltese guys sporting beards, and the hipster fad not going anywhere anytime soon, it’s a sad time to live in Malta if you’re actually afraid of beards. 

5. Genuphobia

The fear of knees

These knobbly beauties go hand-in-hand with Malta’s amazing, hot, long summers. If you’re afraid of knees stay away!

6. Ecclesiophobia

The fear of churches

Malta famously has a church for every day of the year, which means the terror would be very real.

7. Domatophobia 

The fear of houses

Houses. Houses everywhere…

With so many buildings dotting Malta’s landscape, and hundreds more being constructed as we type, anyone suffering from domatophobia would be hard-pressed to find a moment of respite in Malta.

8. Nomatophobia

The fear of names

Zveyrone, Netsrik, Jaceyrhaer, Zarkareia, Chinenye… enough to strike fear in the hearts of everyone, let alone someone who actually has a phobia of names.

9. Ergophobia

The fear of work and / or functioning 

Clearly, this is one phobia we all have. 

Tag an ergophobic friend!

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David Grech Urpani

Lovin Malta's Head of Content, Dave has been in journalism for the better half of the last decade. Prefers Instagram, but has been known to doomscroll on TikTok. Loves chicken, women's clothes and Kanye West (most of the time).