Fear of poverty (peniaphobia)

Constant money worries, difficulty spending even on essentials, and working long hours out of fear of losing everything can all be signs of peniaphobia, a fear of poverty. Some people develop it after a period of real hardship. Others feel it strongly even when they are financially secure.

About this phobia

The name comes from the Greek penia, meaning poverty. It is not a formal clinical diagnosis but describes a fear many people recognise in some form. It is linked to financial anxiety more broadly, and is the opposite of plutophobia, the fear of wealth.

What it feels like

• Checking bank balances many times a day
• Guilt or panic over small purchases, even when money is not tight
• Holding on to savings or possessions in case hard times return

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

Common questions

How is peniaphobia different from normal money worries?

Most people worry about money at times, especially when bills rise. Peniaphobia describes fear that is out of step with your real situation or that stays high even when finances are stable. If money troubles are real, free debt advice services can help, and if the fear itself is the issue, talking therapies 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