Fear of disorder (ataxophobia)

Ataxophobia is a fear of disorder or untidiness. A messy desk, a cluttered room or someone else rearranging things can bring on real anxiety. People with this fear may spend a lot of time tidying, or find it hard to relax in other people’s homes.

About this phobia

The name comes from the Greek a, meaning without, and taxis, meaning order, the same root as ataxia, a medical term for loss of coordination. As a phobia it is rare and loosely documented. It can overlap with perfectionism and, in some cases, with obsessive compulsive patterns.

What it feels like

• Needing to tidy before being able to sit down or work
• Feeling irritated or tense when others leave things out
• Finding busy, cluttered places draining

Explore more unusual fears in the rare phobias A to Z, or browse the common phobias.

Common questions

Is ataxophobia just being house proud?

Liking a tidy home is common and harmless. It moves towards a phobia when mess causes strong anxiety, takes up hours of time or causes strain with others. If it feels driven rather than chosen, a GP can help explore it.

How can you help?

I use hypnotherapy and NLP to change how your mind responds to the thing you fear, so the old alarm stops going off. Sessions are one to one over Zoom, and you get a recording of the hypnosis to listen to afterwards.

How many sessions will I need?

Many clients notice a real difference after one 90 minute session. If the fear goes back a long way, three sessions gives us room to make the change stick.

Ready to start?

Book a £49 consultation call and we’ll talk through your fear, or take the free suitability test first.

See all session options and prices