Fear of ugliness (cacophobia)

Cacophobia is a fear of ugliness, whether in other people, in objects and places, or in yourself. It can show up as strong distress around things that seem broken, spoiled or unpleasant to look at. When it is mostly about your own appearance, it may lead to long spells in front of the mirror or avoiding being seen.

About this phobia

The word comes from the Greek kakos, meaning bad, which also gives us cacophony. It is rare in clinical writing and also goes by the name aschimophobia. When the worry centres on your own looks, it can overlap with body dysmorphic disorder, which is a recognised condition.

What it feels like

• Strong discomfort looking at things you see as ugly or spoiled
• Checking your reflection often, or avoiding mirrors entirely
• Avoiding photos, video calls or places where you feel on show

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

Common questions

Is cacophobia the same as body dysmorphia?

Not exactly. Cacophobia is a broad fear of ugliness, while body dysmorphic disorder is a recognised condition where someone is preoccupied with flaws in their own appearance that others barely notice. If worry about your looks is taking up a lot of time, a GP is a good first step.

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.

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