Fear of spirits (pneumatiphobia)

Dark rooms, old buildings and being alone at night can feel frightening for someone with pneumatiphobia, a fear of spirits or unseen presences. Some people notice it after a bereavement, others after a scary film or story. It can make sleep and time alone at home harder than it needs to be.

About this phobia

The name comes from the Greek pneuma, meaning breath or spirit. It is rarely reported and appears mostly on phobia lists. It is close to phasmophobia, the fear of ghosts, and spectrophobia, which is listed as a fear of ghosts or of mirrors.

What it feels like

• Feeling watched in an empty room
• Needing a light on or company in order to sleep
• Avoiding old houses, ghost stories or places said to be haunted

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

Common questions

Why do some people feel spirits more after losing someone?

After a loss, it is common to sense the person nearby or to feel more alert at night. For some this is comforting, while for others it brings fear. Bereavement support services can help if grief and fear are mixed together.

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