Fear of empty spaces (kenophobia)

Kenophobia is a fear of voids and empty spaces, such as large bare rooms, vast halls or a dark gap that seems to have no bottom. People who have it may feel uneasy in a near-empty car park at night, an unfurnished house, or anywhere that feels too big and too quiet.

About this phobia

The word comes from the Greek kenos, meaning empty. It is not a formal diagnosis and appears mostly on lists of phobias. It overlaps with better known fears such as agoraphobia, which involves places that feel hard to leave, and with a fear of the dark.

What it feels like

• A sense of being small or exposed in a large empty space
• Wanting to stay close to walls, doors or other people
• Unease looking into deep gaps, shafts or dark open areas

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

Common questions

Is kenophobia the same as agoraphobia?

Not quite. Agoraphobia centres on worry about being in places where escape or help might be hard to reach, whereas kenophobia is described as a fear of emptiness itself. The two can overlap, and some people notice a bit of both.

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.

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