Fear of the colour purple (porphyrophobia)

Porphyrophobia is a fear of the colour purple. It might mean avoiding purple clothes, flowers or packaging, or feeling uneasy in a room painted purple. Because the colour turns up in so many places, the fear can be surprisingly hard to escape.

About this phobia

The name comes from the Greek porphyra, the word for purple dye. It is a rare fear that appears mostly on phobia lists, with little clinical writing about it. It belongs with chromophobia, a wider fear of colours, and can sometimes link to a memory tied to the colour.

What it feels like

• Unease or a strong urge to look away from purple objects
• Avoiding shops, events or clothes where purple is common
• A feeling of dread linked to a memory the colour brings back

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

Common questions

Why would someone fear a single colour?

Fears of one colour often link to a particular event, place or person from the past, even if that link is not obvious at first. Others find a colour simply unsettling to look at. Exploring where the reaction began can help make sense of it.

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