Fear of making decisions (decidophobia)

Decidophobia is a fear of making decisions. Small choices, like what to order for lunch, can feel loaded, and bigger ones, such as changing jobs, may be put off for months or handed to someone else.

About this phobia

The word is usually credited to the philosopher Walter Kaufmann, who used it to describe a fear of making choices for oneself. It is not a recognised clinical diagnosis and mostly turns up on lists. It overlaps with indecisiveness, perfectionism and a strong fear of getting things wrong.

What it feels like

• Going over the same options again and again without settling
• Asking others to choose, then worrying about their choice too
• Dread or regret straight after a decision, even a small one

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

Common questions

Is decidophobia just being indecisive?

Most people are indecisive now and then. Decidophobia describes something heavier, where the fear of choosing wrongly causes real anxiety and leads to avoiding decisions altogether. It often links to perfectionism or worry about blame.

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