Some fears make total sense, like fire, falling, or accidentally sending a message to your boss instead of your friend.
Then there are the weird ones—the ones that don’t really hold up to logic, but still creep in when you least expect it. They’re usually harmless, often unspoken, and strangely common. You know they’re silly, but that doesn’t stop your stomach from flipping. So, if you’ve ever had a totally irrational moment of panic over something small, you’re definitely not the only one. These are the most common irrational fears that way more people have than they’d probably admit.
1. Someone chasing you up the stairs
That feeling hits out of nowhere. You turn off the lights downstairs and suddenly, you’re sprinting up like a movie villain is hot on your heels. No noise, no reason, just pure fight-or-flight kicking in. It doesn’t matter how grown you are, either. The second your back is to the dark, your brain hits the panic button. You know there’s nothing there, but you’re taking those steps two at a time anyway.
2. The shower curtain hiding someone
Every now and then, stepping into the bathroom comes with a weird urge to yank open the shower curtain. You know it’s empty. It’s always empty. But what if this is the one time it’s not? There’s just something creepy about not seeing behind it. Even if you live alone, even if you checked five minutes ago. It’s the suspense that does it, not actual danger.
3. The escalator swallowing your shoelace
You step onto the escalator, glance down, and suddenly imagine your shoelace getting eaten by the bottom step. Never mind that it’s barely even loose—your brain’s already playing the disaster reel. This fear was planted young, usually by some story or warning sticker in a shopping centre. Even if it’s never happened to anyone you know, that mental image still pops up without warning.
4. Saying “you too” at the wrong moment
“Enjoy your flight!”—“You too!” Wait, what? This moment haunts people. It’s not dangerous, but it hits on that deep social embarrassment we all want to avoid. You laugh it off, but deep down you know it’ll replay in your head right before sleep in three years. It’s one of those tiny missteps that feels way bigger than it should.
5. Mirrors at night
Mirrors during the day? Totally fine. Mirrors after dark? Suddenly you’re side-eyeing your own reflection like it’s about to do something you’re not doing. Weird, but real. It doesn’t matter that it’s just glass. Once the lights are low, there’s something eerie about your own face staring back at you. You avoid eye contact like it’s going to wink when you’re not looking.
6. Accidentally pulling the emergency stop on the train
You’re just trying to find your seat, but the emergency button is right there. And for some reason, your brain whispers, “What if you press that by accident?” Suddenly, you’re hyper-aware of your arms, walking like you’ve never walked before, terrified of brushing against it. You’d never actually touch it, but the thought is weirdly loud.
7. Getting locked in public toilets
You close the door, lock it, and suddenly your brain’s like, “What if this one doesn’t open again?” You jiggle the handle a few extra times just in case. It’s not even based on experience, just a general unease. You’re fine until you think about it, and then it becomes the only thing you can think about until you’re out again.
8. Stepping onto a lift that’s just not there
The doors open, you go to step in, but you pause to check that the actual lift is there. Because somewhere in the back of your mind, you’ve seen a movie where it wasn’t. Even when you know it’s there, your foot hesitates. It’s one of those built-in safety checks your brain insists on doing just in case today is the day logic takes a break.
9. Being the last one to leave the office
When the lights are off and it’s just you and the weird hum of the vending machine, suddenly every creak sounds suspicious. You shut your laptop at record speed. You tell yourself you’re being silly, but that deep, eerie stillness is no joke. One more weird noise and you’re grabbing your bag like you’re in a thriller and not just the accounts department.
10. Getting your arm stuck in a tube turnstile
You scan your card, the gates open, and you step through… but there’s always that split second where you wonder if the gates will slam shut on your arm. It’s never happened, but the fear lives rent-free. You walk through like a spy sneaking past lasers, just in case. That turnstile will not take you down today.
11. Swimming in water where you can’t see the bottom
Whether it’s a lake, the sea, or even a murky pool, if your feet aren’t touching the bottom, and you can’t see what’s below, the mind goes straight to monsters. Rationally, you know it’s just water and sand. Emotionally, it’s full Jaws theme tune and you’re speed-swimming back to safety. You don’t even look down, just in case something looks back.
12. Someone watching you through a tiny hole
Air vents, plug sockets, or even the tiniest crack in a wall—there’s something about small, dark holes that makes your brain whisper, “What if there’s an eye behind it?” Completely unrealistic. Absolutely unsettling. You’ll never find anything there, but it still gives you the ick. Just enough to make you casually turn the other way.
13. That random feeling you’ve forgotten something important
It hits out of nowhere—mid-walk, mid-sip of coffee, mid-sentence. That nagging little voice: “You’ve forgotten something.” And suddenly you’re checking your bag, your pockets, your calendar, everything. Most of the time, there’s nothing. But your brain won’t rest until you’ve done a full mental checklist twice. And even then, there’s still that lingering doubt, just to keep things spicy.
