Fear of polio (poliosophobia)

Poliosophobia is a fear of polio, short for poliomyelitis. People who grew up hearing about polio, or who have relatives affected by it, may feel strong worry when it appears in the news. If you have real symptoms or questions about vaccination, a GP or practice nurse can advise.

About this phobia

The term appears mostly on lists of phobias and is rarely reported. Polio was once a widely feared illness, so the fear of catching it is understandable given that history. Today the worry fits within health anxiety, much like other fears focused on one disease.

What it feels like

• Strong unease when polio is mentioned in the news or on social media
• Worry that muscle weakness or aches are a sign of illness
• Checking vaccination records or asking for reassurance often

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

Common questions

Is polio still a risk in the UK?

Polio is very rare in the UK, and vaccination against it is part of the routine childhood programme. A GP or practice nurse can check whether you or your family are up to date. If worry continues despite this, support for health anxiety may help.

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