Fears and phobias, unfounded anxiety and paranoia

[JBC]

What scares you? From the smallest worries to the most extreme horrors.

I have a completely irrational fear of looking through windows. I think it comes from my dreams, where oftentimes if I look through a window I'll see some repulsive creature or act on the other side. I take no steps to avoid doing this in the waking world of course. I wouldn't allow such a small thing to hinder me, not to mention that windows are pretty much unavoidable. Still, alot of times when I'm approaching a window I'll feel a slight anxiety that there will be some creepy, grimacing face on the other side. It's even worse at night, where I won't look through them unless the lights are off behind me and I can see further out.

I'm also deathly afraid of the ocean and I don't feel that the fear is irrational. Just like dry land, the ocean is literally teeming with things that can kill you but the difference is how much more helpless being in water makes you as compared to being on the ground. It's better in scuba gear of course, but you can't even open your eyes beneath the surface much less run for your life or throw a proper punch without it.

[dunpeal2064]

Hospitals. I get dizzy to the point of passing out. No idea why, I am fine with sick people.

My gf has a fear of windows too.

[Vyxx]

Open Water.

Went scuba diving once in Aruba on vacation. Amazing experience, but never, ever again will I do that. Even in crystal clear water you can only see a few dozen feet in front of you and around coral reefs where sharks are known to hang out that scared the hell out of me the total 30 minutes or so I was in the water. I get shivers up my spine just thinking about it.

[emphatic]

Heights, open water, spiders, cheap horror movies, all of that scares me. I'm a huge baby.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

Bugs and spiders gross me out. It's basically "OH EM GEE KILL IT" when I see 'em so I grab a whole bunch of paper towels and try to squish 'em (to the point where I have a huge wad of the stuff so I can't feel their bodies getting crushed, it's icky). It's more the fear of getting bitten by one (having heard horror stories about ticks and brown recluses) than the bugs themselves, and I feel bad about squishing 'em because I know they're really quite harmless and likely too scared to even want to approach but seeing one in the house near me gets me instantly grossed out. Funny how fears override rationality. Bugs that don't tend to bite like butterflies, stick bugs, crickets, etc, don't have the same effect on me.

I don't get the same way with videogames though; I know some people with arachnophobia use a mod for System Shock 2 to disable the chittering spiders there, but I don't get frightened by that sort of thing, especially not when you're playing a character with plenty of health and ammo. Heck, just smack 'em with the wrench and move on.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Bugs and spiders gross me out. It's basically "OH EM GEE KILL IT" when I see 'em so I grab a whole bunch of paper towels and try to squish 'em (to the point where I have a huge wad of the stuff so I can't feel their bodies getting crushed, it's icky). It's more the fear of getting bitten by one (having heard horror stories about ticks and brown recluses) than the bugs themselves, and I feel bad about squishing 'em because I know they're really quite harmless and likely too scared to even want to approach but seeing one in the house near me gets me instantly grossed out. Funny how fears override rationality. Bugs that don't tend to bite like butterflies, stick bugs, crickets, etc, don't have the same effect on me.

I don't get the same way with videogames though; I know some people with arachnophobia use a mod for System Shock 2 to disable the chittering spiders there, but I don't get frightened by that sort of thing, especially not when you're playing a character with plenty of health and ammo. Heck, just smack 'em with the wrench and move on.

Out here in the country, during the spring time, all sorts of bugs 'n' critters emerge from their dormant sleep cycle. Not to mention them jumping spiders...fast little things with amazing range/distance with their jumping abilities. They've been known to take a sneaky ride inside my car on the way to work from time to time (especially with the bigger sized jumping spiders and their brightly irridescent colored markings). I consider them good guys though & don't kill them if I spot them. It's interesting to watch a jumping spider try to catch a fly resting on the backyard patio screen door from time to time (most of the time, the fly is too quick).

Hospitals. I get dizzy to the point of passing out. No idea why, I am fine with sick people.

My gf has a fear of windows too.

At a local hospital, I was trying to reach the second floor via elevator and the doors would almost open but not quite on the second floor. Tried this a few times with the same elevator and no such luck. Finally got off of it on the first floor and tried the second adjacent elevator which had the same problem with the first elevator (it'd reach the right floor but the doors would almost open but then suddenly shut again, even if you pressed the "Open Door" button on the control panel itself). Got back to the first floor with the 2nd elevator and proceeded with the 3rd one and finally was able to get off at the right floor. Quite an odd eye-raising experience if this happens to you with no one else around.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[kernow]

Social environments if it's new people. Depends if they have similar interests or not I guess. When I was a teenager I used to go to the pub with my friends and end up sitting by myself and going home early while everyone else mingled and had a good time. I've sat in kitchens by myself at parties when I was a teen also as I was scared of going into the lounge where 20+ social butterflies were, and ended up just leaving.

[Friendly]

My gf has a fear of windows too.

Have her try Linux.

[louisg]

My gf has a fear of windows too.

Have her try Linux.

Perfect

[emphatic]

Social environments if it's new people. Depends if they have similar interests or not I guess. When I was a teenager I used to go to the pub with my friends and end up sitting by myself and going home early while everyone else mingled and had a good time. I've sat in kitchens by myself at parties when I was a teen also as I was scared of going into the lounge where 20+ social butterflies were, and ended up just leaving.

So basically when Morrissey wrote the lyrics for "How Soon Is Now?", he was thinking about you?

[kernow]

Maybe, I'll go and check.

edit: What a happy soul he is

[RGC]

Motorways
Heights
Depths *
Presentations
Vastness
Inexistence
Eternity


* i'm okay with widths. Stay away from drugs, kids.

Edit: Could probably sum all this up with openess, bigness, or something.

[drauch]

Balloons. I fucking hate them. If I am in control of a balloon and no one is around it I'm fine; it's more so the anxiety and build up to the inevitable popping that occurs when people play with them or get to close to them. I'm fine if I'm drunk, though.

Mainly just the anxiety of things about to make a loud noise. Fireworks are predictable so they are out of the question.

Being confined to a spot and not being able to move. I guess claustrophobia in a sense, but not necessarily.

Oh, and those girl things and the relationships that can ensue.

[xbl0x180]

I think my biggest fear is of a family member dying. Strangely enough, I'm also afraid of dying. Both things are inevitable, but the thought of it gives me a physical numb/"empty" feeling. Those would be my top two fears/phobias. A close third would be the fear of rejection

[Moniker]

Mice/rats. Couldn't say why. Maybe a successful adaption to the plague, or something.

Also, pictures of snakes eating stuff. Especially other snakes.

[Gozer]

I have a fear of being digested alive. Not many things could do this but you never know what else is out there.....

I have a completely irrational fear of looking through windows. I think it comes from my dreams, where oftentimes if I look through a window I'll see some repulsive creature or act on the other side. I take no steps to avoid doing this in the waking world of course. I wouldn't allow such a small thing to hinder me, not to mention that windows are pretty much unavoidable. Still, alot of times when I'm approaching a window I'll feel a slight anxiety that there will be some creepy, grimacing face on the other side. It's even worse at night, where I won't look through them unless the lights are off behind me and I can see further out.

I have a similar recurring dream I've been having for most of my life. I would see a humanoid figure shrouded in darkness watching from the outside and following me around the house. It has a humanoid figure but it is not human. At one point I became beyond enraged at it and pressed face against the glass and shouted and banged on the window to come confront me. It would not move. Just stare. I then turned around in frustration and noticed the front door wide open. I looked back to see that the entity was gone. The biggest wave of fear came over me and I started to pass out. That's when I woke up. Those dreams have affected me in the waking world.

[Estebang]

The standard stuff. Heights, dogs, insects larger than a gnat. Unstructured social gatherings with people I don't know.

[moh]

I have a tremendous fear of being caught watching myself on camera watching another person being caught watching themselves watching someone else being caught watching hentai.

I have a fear of being that guy in between you and the guy watching hentai.

[JBC]

I have a fear of being digested alive. Not many things could do this but you never know what else is out there.....

I have a completely irrational fear of looking through windows. I think it comes from my dreams, where oftentimes if I look through a window I'll see some repulsive creature or act on the other side. I take no steps to avoid doing this in the waking world of course. I wouldn't allow such a small thing to hinder me, not to mention that windows are pretty much unavoidable. Still, alot of times when I'm approaching a window I'll feel a slight anxiety that there will be some creepy, grimacing face on the other side. It's even worse at night, where I won't look through them unless the lights are off behind me and I can see further out.

I have a similar recurring dream I've been having for most of my life. I would see a humanoid figure shrouded in darkness watching from the outside and following me around the house. It has a humanoid figure but it is not human. At one point I became beyond enraged at it and pressed face against the glass and shouted and banged on the window to come confront me. It would not move. Just stare. I then turned around in frustration and noticed the front door wide open. I looked back to see that the entity was gone. The biggest wave of fear came over me and I started to pass out. That's when I woke up. Those dreams have affected me in the waking world.

That sounds horrible. I can imagine the feeling of dread to see the front door open.

[xbl0x180]

On a much lower scale. I have a fear of hentai being outlawed and me getting into trouble for having 10 terrorbytes of the stuff

[xbl0x180]

Shoot, I'm downloading some hentai right now

[emphatic]

Seriously, fuck all balloons.

[AeroCityMayor]

People with disproportionately large thumbs!

Sinister!

**shudders**

I'll be awake all night now remembering that

Cheers,

Ralph.

[jonny5]

I guess I am afraid of extreme heights, but really only precarious heights; like if there is a guard rail I am fine, but no way am I going up to the edge of a huge cliff or something. Actually I probably would, but on my belly or something so I wasn't worried about falling over.

***edit for their vs. there

[Ruldra]

I know someone who's afraid of escalators.

[TrevHead (TVR)]

Spiders, large insects, Dentists, Needles, Heights, Motorways, Making mistakes or looking like an idiot in public.

Heights, but only if its unsafe. Im 6"5 and I hate how low many of the guard rails are locally. Ie theres a walk over bridge to a windy dual carrageway that I often cross. The railings are only slightly above my knees and if I lost my ballance and fell into them ild be straight over. Considering the bridge is in a town center im amazed no drunks have fallen over.

I once had a job as a UPCV window fitter, I didnt last long I couldnt overcome my fear carrying glass up a ladder with both hands. Besides I was never gifted with good ballance anyway so it was probably for the best that I quit.

Speaking of Dentists im currently getting some work done at the same dentist I went to as a young child. Im fine waiting in the reception, but as soon as I step into the dentist's room this unexplainable fear comes from nowhere. I know I shouldnt be afraid because the pain isnt that bad, but I remember been in that room as a kid, the most vivid memory is when I had sleeping gas, I hated that.

[xbl0x180]

Lotta peeps afraid of heights here and you kids have good reason for that.

I just came from a job site by the beach. You know, you hear about people working at the beach and they think it's all swanky and hunky-dory, but I was working on the edge of a cliff and at the bottom of a 40-foot drop were jagged rocks and waves crashing. I accidentally slid down some rocks as I was making my way to the other side of a building complex and quickly gripped some plants growing on the rocks. I think my heart skipped a beat when I looked at the bottom hahaha

[PC Engine Fan X!]

From time to time, I'd go on top of my former workplace's rooftop and do some annual "spring time" cleaning (raking up leaves out of the rain gutters and sweeping up broken beer bottles, soda cans & assorted balls thrown up there by the local punks in da 'hood -- their idea of a "fun time"). There weren't any guardrails the closer you approach the backside edge of the rooftop (but I'd keep my distance, anyways, just to be on the safe side, of course). It was always fun to swing the collected trash from the rooftop and see it land squarely into the dumpster bin below. Score! The rooftop access door was always under "lock 'n' key" from the inside & thus would require a portable blowtorch/grindsaw to enter the premises from the rooftop (would've made for a dramatic entry point/extraction "Hollywood film style"). It wasn't cool going up & down the rooftop access hatch if it was raining cats 'n' dogs though -- but if that was necessary to get the job done, so be it.

It was fun to see customers coming in/leaving from the parking lot with such a high viewpoint while working on the rooftop, indeed, without them noticing anyways.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Kiel]

Heights

People with hammer thumbs

[mesh control]

Social environments if it's new people. Depends if they have similar interests or not I guess. When I was a teenager I used to go to the pub with my friends and end up sitting by myself and going home early while everyone else mingled and had a good time. I've sat in kitchens by myself at parties when I was a teen also as I was scared of going into the lounge where 20+ social butterflies were, and ended up just leaving.

This is surprising, tbh. Mostly due to your posting style.

Social gatherings or interactions still scare me, unless there is alcohol. I often see someone I know in the grocery store and I'll make it a task to avoid them. taking it as far as leaving my cart in an aisle and leaving.

Also being a passenger in vehicle scares the shit out of me.