Fear of houses and home (domatophobia)

Domatophobia is a fear of houses and home surroundings. It might mean feeling tense or trapped indoors, finding it hard to stay home alone, or dreading going back to a particular house.

About this phobia

It is a rare term found mostly on lists. A related word, oikophobia, from the Greek oikos, meaning house, is used in the same way but is also used politically to describe a dislike of one’s own culture. The fear can overlap with claustrophobia or link to difficult memories of a home.

What it feels like

• Restlessness or a need to get out of the house
• Unease in certain rooms, or when alone at home
• Dread when heading back to a home tied to bad memories

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

Common questions

Can a fear of home come from past experiences?

Yes, sometimes it does. A home can hold memories of stress, conflict or times that felt unsafe. If this fear is linked to past mistreatment, a GP or a specialist counsellor can help, gently and at your own pace.

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