Fear of gravity (barophobia)

Barophobia is a fear of gravity, which sounds odd until you think about what gravity does: it makes things fall, including us. In practice it may show up as worry about falling, things dropping from above, or the pull felt on fast rides and in lifts. Some people also describe a fear of gravity suddenly stopping or changing.

About this phobia

The term comes from the Greek baros, meaning weight, the same root as barometer. It is found mostly on lists of unusual phobias rather than in clinical writing. In everyday terms it overlaps with fears of falling, heights and fairground rides.

What it feels like

• A lurching, dropping feeling in the stomach on stairs, lifts or rides
• Worry about objects falling from shelves or from a height
• Unease when thinking about space, weightlessness or the planet’s pull

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

Common questions

Is barophobia really a fear of gravity itself?

For most people who use the word, the fear is about what gravity causes, such as falling or being pulled down, rather than the force itself. That makes it close to a fear of falling. Looking at which situations set it off is usually more useful than the label.

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