What is your Phobia?

[2D8HP]

Automobiles and driving.
Some of the other City plumbers ask me why I work in the decidedly unpleasant Jail instead of driving around, fixing Fire and Police Stations.
I tell them truthfully, that it's because I'm more afraid of traffic than the inmates.

[Velaryon]

I have a mild trypanophobia (which is what Google tells me the fear of needles is called). I have to tense up, turn my head away, and close my eyes for something as simple as getting blood drawn. It's not a fear of pain because I have been punched and kicked many times in the course of 20+ years of studying martial arts, but something about being pierced by a needle squicks me out something fierce. One more reason I will never get a tattoo I suppose.

On a probably related subject, I have a deathly fear of things jabbing into my eye. I can touch my own eyeball with my bare fingertip like nothing, but the very thought of anyone else doing so, let along a needle or blade or anything, absolutely terrifies me. This would probably count as just a healthy rational fear if it weren't for the amount of time I've spent thinking about it when there's no chance of it actually happening.

Heights is a weird one for me. I don't have a true phobia of heights I think, but if I'm by a railing I have a tickling feeling in the back of my mind like I'm going to fall/jump/be pushed/be pulled over the railing. This can happen even in a relatively minor place like an average stairwell. I can shrug it off and move on, but I'm a little more comfortable walking along the outside railing of a stairwell as opposed to the inside. I don't typically end up in situations where I'm by a drop without a railing, so I don't know whether the feeling would happen there, nor do I care to find out.

Bugs are also not exactly a phobia, but they gross me out a bit and I dislike them. I can tolerate spiders because at least they eat bugs so I think of them as on the same anti-bug team as me, though I dislike them anyway and their webs. There are a few types of insect that I have a stronger aversion to, but that's less a phobia and more a pathological hatred. Especially flies. If ever I obtain ultimate, godlike power I will use it to make all forms of fly extinct, and fill their place on the food chain with something less disgusting and annoying.

[Malacronious]

1. I have arachnophobia which, ironically, started shortly after I watched the move Arachnophobia as a child. I blame that movie for all my creepy crawly fears.

2. I also have an extreme fear of sharks. The irrational part of it is when I am swimming in a lake where there couldn't possibly be any sharks and I still get anxiety. I also had to close my eyes just to get through the Sewers of the Imperial City mission in Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire and still have a tough time with anything underwater related in movies or video games. Needless to say, I don't go in water much. Pools are ok though.

[Generic-Guy]

1. Jellyfish
2. Life-like puppets
3. Goo... less phobia than the others than just... urgh...

[togapika]

I almost drown as a kid in a swimming pool. To this day I love showers and baths, but avoid any actual swimming.

[Flemkopf]

I have a very specific fear of the floor falling out from under me. It's odd, but I kind of seek out heights, and I love being on top of a mountain or tall building and just looking over a landscape, but if I can see that what I'm standing on is less than a good six inches to a foot, I get really nervous. I was in a college library a few weeks ago, and they'd bored some some holes in the concrete floor to string wiring through, and my fear of floors collapsing suddenly struck when I saw that it was only about three inches thick.

[neverjust]

Woman with little ears.....

[Smitemeister]

I'm scared of heights. There's no specific reason really; it has always been that way. If I am standing on a firm structure it's not really a problem but if things get shaky I'm wrecked. You don't want to sit next to me on a plane. D:

[Laylyn]

I fear the loss of an internet connection.

/salute

[Angelika Tatsu]

The sight of my own blood.

[JeenLeen]

I have a few minor ones that I think are all linked to lack of control (or perceived lack of control.)

Minor, conditional claustrophobia. I can be in a small space fine, but if I get the feeling I can't get out, I start to panic. Not full-on freeze and hyperventilate panic, but freaking out some. I remember a few years ago I tried to scare a roommate by hiding in a closet, and was gonna jump out when he came by. I was fine in it. When I jumped out, though, he slammed it back shut and held me in. I started to freak and eventually got him to let me out by saying how I was minorly claustrophobic and was freaking out. I don't try doing anything in the crawlspace under my house since I'm sure I'd freak out.

Fear of uncontrolled bleeding. I'm fine with blood and bleeding, but if I'm bleeding and I can't get it to stop, I start to panic, get light-headed, and (if I don't lay down) tend to faint. Had a bad cut I just wrapped when it needed stitches; I went to change the bandage (causing it to bleed a lot), then realized I was out of bandages. Panicked, and woke up a few minutes later. Another time I got my finger with a potato peeler, and wound up hitting my head on the bathroom floor. (Thankfully not badly.) I tend to tense and get a little light-headed at needles now unless I keep my thoughts focused, due to a bad experience when giving blood (the person drawing it screwed something up and then told me about it in a bad way, which actually caused no big problem but made me really nervous.)

Used to be afraid of ladders. Not heights, but ladders. But I've overcome that with experience. Still uncomfortable on them and panic a bit if they get wobbly.

--
Not a phobia, but minor paranoia that now that I have published this it will some day be used against me.

A friend of mine told me he dislikes heights due to a fear of wanting to jump off them. Not in suicidal sense, but I guess a 'would be cool to jump off a roof' sense, and worried he'll act on the impulse.

[Quild]

Automobiles and driving.

Which reminds me...

Is it a phobia if there's no way I'm going on a motorbike or scooter in big towns even with someone who hasn't had any accident in his entire life?
Consider that when I'm proposed to, I'm usually wearing a suit and the only protection I would have is a helmet. But even with a solid leather jacket, I avoid it.


It looks like mere prudence, but I'm not specifically cautious otherwise. So I'm not sure.

On another hand, even in a car, as a driver or as a passenger, I'm stressed by how people drive.

[2D8HP]

Is it a phobia if there's no way I'm going on a motorbike or scooter in big towns even with someone who hasn't had any accident in his entire life?

Phobia? Perhaps.
Prudence? Definitely.
I worked seven years at a motorcycle shop in Oakland, California in the 90's.
Nine people that I knew were killed by traffic.
This is one reason that I mentally re-labeled people I know as "acquaintances" instead of "friends". It was easier that way.

[tantric]

there are two types of insects i really don't like. praying mantises, the large green kind, give the willies. it's how they turn their heads and look at you - evaluating you as possible food. i partially dealt with this by keeping a pet orchid mantis, which was tiny, but no way in hell would i let one of the big ones near me.



when i was a kid, i was utterly terrified of these little beauties:



it's actually a moth, but they are diurnal and hover like hummingbirds. just creepy.

note that this is coming for a guy who had a class whose textbook was 'a field guide to southeastern wildlife diseases'

[AuthorGirl]

Hello! So, I was sitting in my room, and I was wondering about something, and that turned into something else, which finally ended up with me thinking about my very irrational phobias. I have three, that are really funny, but true for me.
#1: The fear of spiders. I know that is called arachnophobia, and I know many people who have it as well. When I see a spider, I pull back, and I just can't think straight. When it moves, it makes me very nervous.
#2: (Don't laugh), the fear of Farris Wheels. When I was a little kid, I used to go on all the rides, except one. I had no problem going on roller coaster, but when I was one the Ferris Wheel, I always would feel SO unstable, especially when it gets close to the top. Does anyone know what the fear of Ferris Wheels are? Please tell me if so.
#3: (I am dead serious about this one)... Sunscreen... It is not that I am scared of it exactly. I won't be worried if someone holds up a bottle of sunscreen. It's just when I apply it to my skin, it bothers me, and makes me shudder. I feel like it digs so deep into my skin, that I would never be able to get it out. Again, I have never heard anyone have the same problem, so if anyone knows, what is the fear of sunscreen called?

Finally, share some of your phobias here. What type of fears do you have?

May I ask whether the Ferris Wheel thing is to do with heights, or the ride in particular?

I have so many phobias. Maybe it will help to get them out there:

Fear of needles. SO BAD. I see a needle, think about a needle, even catch a glimpse of something that glints sort of like a needle? I freak out. I cry. I need to get out of that room right now. After my immunizations (yeah, those are fun) I can never con myself out of the idea that the needle broke off in my arm and it will always be inside me forever. It's not just that, though; even when I know that nobody is going to stab me, I can't stop my heart rate from skyrocketing. I have nightmares, even. I'd like to know the word for this so I can just use that word, not be some wimpy kid who never stopped crying during flu shots.

Fear of sunscreen. (Yes, I have this too.) It makes me want to tear gaping holes in my skin and peel myself down to raw flesh.

Fear of heights. Yeah, kinda mundane.

Fear of beetles and funny-looking alien bugs. All normal bugs, including spiders, are okay; even most beetles, actually. But large beetles and unidentifiable, malevolent-looking bugs make me tremble from the inside out, if you know what I mean.

Fear, and I'm not even kidding about this, of taking off my glasses. I literally cannot stand the feeling of vulnerability. The room has to be dark, so I don't notice my lack of vision.

[AuthorGirl]

there are two types of insects i really don't like. praying mantises, the large green kind, give the willies. it's how they turn their heads and look at you - evaluating you as possible food. i partially dealt with this by keeping a pet orchid mantis, which was tiny, but no way in hell would i let one of the big ones near me.



when i was a kid, i was utterly terrified of these little beauties:



it's actually a moth, but they are diurnal and hover like hummingbirds. just creepy.

note that this is coming for a guy who had a class whose textbook was 'a field guide to southeastern wildlife diseases'

OMG a bee-moth! Not to be insensitive, but I love those!

[Prince Zahn]

I have some phobias, I think.
Since I was a child I have a big fear of bees. I've been stung by them at an early age and have kept my distance from any flying beast with a stinger ever since. It's been a little better in recent years but I'm still not at ease if there's a bee or wasp in the room.

In recent years, I find that I have a strong fear of silence (I think it's called Sedatephobia). When I am alone I listen to music, I talk or write for myself, text somebody up or make a phone call. It makes me especially anxious when I speak my mind or voice my feelings, and don't hear a response. That's when thoughts overcome me and I tend to imagine the worst - that I said something hurtful, or that the person on the other end of the line is judging me, or even hates me. It happens often that when I don't get an answer, and usually I just keep talking anxiously or apologize until somebody else responds.

[darkrose50]

Thinking about things that should not be thought about witch causes one to think about them.

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Flowers and anything perfumed as I can be allergic.

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Being sticky, mostly from food or drinks. If I have to use a napkin, then I am extremely likely to go wash my hands. This occurs often when one has kids.

Solutions:

[1] An advantage of drinking water is that one can use water rinse ones hands if they get sticky.

[2] Also I drank from Gatorade Bottles for many years (rinse and wash them out) because they have a screw top that stops spills (that can be sticky), they are perfect for drinking out of as they are designed to drink out of quickly (good for guys).

Now that my kids are in first and fourth grade I have gone back to drinking out of glasses and cups. I should really go back to drinking out of Gatorade bottles as they often spill my drinks, but to a lessor extent.

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Girls used to scare me in high school as I am rather bad at reading body language. Mostly I did not know what to do when they made advances. The girl voted most attractive in my class chased me for several years. I would have gone out with her if she came out and asked me directly.

For junior prom I needed a date, and my best friend suggested that I should ask his sister. I thought that this would not be accepted, and would break some social convention, and so I never considered it. I always liked her, I found her to be intelligent, fun to talk with, and attractive. She agreed to go with me to prom because her friend was also going. We ended up getting married. This was definitely the best thing that ever happened to me. I joke that I owe my wife's best friend and her brother livestock. My friends would joke that I made her in my basement.

In and around college I would accidentally ask girls on dates. I have Asperger's Syndrome, so this was an odd side effect. The girls I accidentally asked out were quite attractive, smart, and well educated. It was odd showing up with my girlfriend to what was expected to be a date. So many slashed tires. After this happened a few times I made sure to bring up my girlfriend (or fiance) in conversations with women.

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Sometimes I do not want to deal with people when shopping. I find it annoying or intrusive to be approached in stores and to be asked if I need help. Wearing overalls seems to keep people at bay. So I wear overalls when I want to be left alone. Khaki pants and a button down shirt attracts sales associates like crazy. When going to a museum a Chinese tourist was fascinated by my overalls, and I do not think she expected to see any on vacation.

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As a child I would handle tarantulas with my bare hands. I am not so sure that I would do so now.

An interesting fact is that Australia banned an episode of Peppa Pig that teaches that spiders are our friends. Being Australia . . . where everything can kill you . . . this was not a good thing to teach children.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...arachnids.html

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Butterflies.
Don't ask.

https://www.google.com/search?q=lune...HfUMCvUQsAQIGQ

That Lunesta butterfly is creepy. It sucks your life force and makes you sleep.

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A lot of sexual stuff makes me uncomfortable.

Infidelity can ruin a movie of television show for me.

[KillingAScarab]

Fear of needles.
...
I'd like to know the word for this so I can just use that word, not be some wimpy kid who never stopped crying during flu shots.

It seems there are multiple terms for that, but needle phobia seems to be accepted. Might want to be careful looking around that last link, if you follow it. However, that TED talk by Dr. Amy Baxter had at least one eye-opening moment for me (warning, there are pictures of both needles and wasps in it).

In recent years, I find that I have a strong fear of silence (I think it's called Sedatephobia). When I am alone I listen to music, I talk or write for myself, text somebody up or make a phone call. It makes me especially anxious when I speak my mind or voice my feelings, and don't hear a response. That's when thoughts overcome me and I tend to imagine the worst - that I said something hurtful, or that the person on the other end of the line is judging me, or even hates me. It happens often that when I don't get an answer, and usually I just keep talking anxiously or apologize until somebody else responds.

This was new to me, but looking into it some more, it seems as valid as any anxiety disorder I had heard of before. Thanks for sharing that.

[2] Also I drank from Gatorade Bottles for many years (rinse and wash them out) because they have a screw top that stops spills, they are perfect for drinking out of as they are designed to drink out of quickly.

Now that my kids are in first and fourth grade I have gone back to drinking out of glasses and cups. I should really go back to drinking out of Gatorade Bottles as they often spill my drinks, but to a lessor extent.

I may have to share this tip with others. Thanks!

[Prince Zahn]

This was new to me, but looking into it some more, it seems as valid as any anxiety disorder I had heard of before. Thanks for sharing that.

Thank you even more for listening, and taking the time to respond. I appreciate it very much, and it feels good to get something like that off my chest

[Strigon]

Spiders is a big one. Although, really, anything with more than six legs is right out for me (except for squids and the like.)

Also, anything medical. At all. Eye exams, dentists, routine checkups, you name it; I take ridiculous precautions to avoid having to ever see any of them.

Pretty sure I can trace both of them back to their (thankfully separate) roots in my childhood.

[dascarletm]

Like many many other, I was afraid of spiders for a long time. Being forced to deal with them since being married has desensitized me though. My phobia wasn't acute or anything.

I still get the jibblies when a black-widow gets on me. Happens almost everytime i go in my shed... I need to purge that thing.

[Lemmy]

I don't know if it counts as a phobia... But ever since I almost suffocated when molten cheese got stuck in my throat while I was eating a cheeseburger (luckily, I was able to stay calm and pull it out with my bare hands), I always eat anything viscous and/or sticky with utmost care and make sure to take small bites.

[2D8HP]

Years ago, when I was a first year plumber's apprentice the foreman ordered me to do something dangerous/stupid. When he saw me trying to take steps to prevent myself from falling to my death (actually using the body harness we were issued) he said "What's a matter with you? You afraid of heights?".
I said yes, and also:
poison,
lightning,
fire,
bullets,
motor vehicles,
knives,
rabid dogs,
"and pretty much anything else that can cripple or kill me sir".

He was not pleased.

[Celestia]

I am afraid of needles and dying alone.

[Protaygo]

Fear of heights and bugs with multiple legs, like ugh, roly pollies.

[nyjastul69]

I'm afraid of life and look foward to the oblivion of death.

[nyjastul69]

Fear of heights and bugs with multiple legs, like ugh, roly pollies.

Are there bugs that don't have multiple legs?

[Professor Chimp]

Fear of hypodermic needles. Even though I'm well aware they are pretty much harmless, seeing one I know is meant for me makes my blood pressure drop like a meteorite. Kind of complicates having blood drawn.

Used to have a fear of dogs after I got attacked and mauled by a German Shepherd as a 6 year old. I still have large scars on my back and right leg from the bites. I got over it after my parents got me a Cocker Spaniel puppy as a Christmas present. Nowadays I love dogs. No fear whatsoever.

[Ieagleroar]

Only thing I'm afraid of is Chuck Norris...like we all should be!