Irrational Fears (phobias and the like)

StephC · October 8, 2007

Exposed heights - I'm fine in an airplane, helicopter, etc. - and will stare out the window all day, but I'm enclosed. If you put me on the edge of a cliff, that's a different story. I don't think I could do a hot air balloon. I like roller coasters (if they don't drop), but freak on the ferris wheel. (I will also get mild vertigo in these situations, sometimes a really long stairway is enough to do it).

Me too! Thats exactly how I feel - we went to Bermuda and climbed a lighthouse - something I've always wanted to do - I was fine going up the stairs, then when we got out to the walkway - I couldn't do it. My husband the ironworker - walked all the way around it, another man there was leaning against the railing and said I figure its been here for this long its safe, I said thats exactly why I would never lean on it, who knows how safe it may be!! Makes me kinda sick thinking about it now.

My son is terrified of spiders - and he's been bite a 2 or 3 times. He just said the other day that millions of people have no fear of spiders and have never been bit and yet here he is with this fear and has gotten bit twice! Whats the odds of that?

Snakes are 2nd for me - even if I run one over with the car I'm freaked out.

My husband has claustraphobia - he can't do elevators so when we go to a hotel he always requests the bottom 2 floors. So we take the stairs where ever we go - needless to say we don't live in a city. I figure as long as he doesn't expect me to hot air balloon with him I won't expect him to ride the elevator with me.

claramae · October 8, 2007

They don't HAVE to make sense your just uneasy with certain things. Mine are:
Chainsaws, I can be around them and work right alongside them with no problem whatsoever BUT I am extremely nervous when I operate one.

Spiders, I blame my upbringing! when the person that you trust most is holding you and runs away screaming bloody murder when she/he sees a spider it does tend to impress upon you. :tired

My greatest fear is snakes. I cannot even look at a picture of one. And I live in the country, so you can imagine what lurks outside of my house. My son-in-law was bitten by a copper head, not once, but twice, the same snake!!!

Also, mice. My God, I scream so loud, it bends metal. It makes DH so mad, but I tell him that he is the man of the house and it is his duty to protect me. Living in the country, when the weather starts turning cold, I can expect at least one of these little visitors. Plus, I have 4 cats!!! They are use less.

Also, I am scared of Water. I cannot swim and have no interest in learning.

Also, tornado terrify me. We live in Texas and we get our share. Last spring, one came to within a mile of our house, I have never been so scared in my life. I was in the closet with my precious dog. DH was standing at the open front door, keeping a lookout!!! (or maybe he was trying to keep the mice outside!!!)

jetti · October 8, 2007

I am semi paranoid of getting in a car accident - I blame this on a few accidents that I was involved in and I saw that accident coming. If I see a car behind me when I am stopped my heart starts to race because I was hit from behind while stopped at a red light and I saw that the car was not going to stop but I couldnt move because there was a car in front of me. I also get scared when I see a car coming out of a side street and not looking like it is going to stop.

I also have the usual fears of bugs - all kinds - disappointing my family, drowning - i cant even watch a movie when people are underwater - and all that good stuff.