Why are you afraid of that?

[Dvandemon]

I was just having a conversation with my brother about how he doesn't understand the fear of clowns. Why are people afraid of clowns? Do you have a fear that seems irrational? Explain what happened to get you so afraid.

Personally, I have slightly irrational fears. Like ever since I got my glasses I was afraid that if I fell and broke the lens, the shards would pierce my eyes. I've had dreams on the bus to school about my throat being cut and my ears being stabbed. I later came to find out that my friends were just messing with me in my sleep and I guess it crossed into my dreams as a nightmare.

[waterpenguin43]

-Anger.
-Rage.
-UFC fighters.
-Spiders.

[Emperor Ing]

A few stings in your younger years is all it takes to develop an irrational fear of anything small, flying, yellow, and with a pointy abdomen. :smallsigh:

[Starscream]

I'm not afraid of heights. I can climb a tree or a rock or stand on a rooftop and be perfectly fine.

But ladders freaking terrify me. No matter how steady they are, I feel like I'm wobbling all over the place. Don't know why, I've never fallen off of one, or seen it happen to someone else (except on movies and such). They just freak me out.

A slightly more rational fear is jellyfish. I never worry about sharks when I swim in the ocean, but the knowledge that there is a jellyfish within 50 feet of me will have me swimming for shore so fast you could use me to water-ski.

[Dvandemon]

Well then you should never go to Australia.

@V:Fear of pain is like a fear of heights. Its illogical. Maybe call it a fear of what pain means. Danger

[Yarram]

Pain. Definitely pain. Pain is very bad, and hurts a lot.

Does fear of pain count as irrational? I'm not sure.

Other than that, nothing comes to mind.

[HellfireLover]

I have an irrational and crippling fear of millipedes. It puts a crimp on gardening.

Starscream, my father was a roofer and fell off a ladder in the mid-Nineties (well, actually jumped, as it started to fall backwards when he was on it.) He made a parachute landing onto slab concrete and smashed all the bones in his heels and ankles, as well as splitting the skin on his feet. Although it healed, and he was lucky not to incur spinal injuries as well, the bones in his ankles have fused together and his gait is distinctly robotic. I realize this will probably not reassure you (sorry!) but falling off ladders does happen, and is rarely pretty.

[Jack Squat]

A few stings in your younger years is all it takes to develop an irrational fear of anything small, flying, yellow, and with a pointy abdomen. :smallsigh:

I was attacked by a swarm of yellow jackets a few years back, stung 12 times before I made it in the house (~50 yards off). I was afraid of anything stingy for awhile, as in would jump around and run like the ground was on fire if one came near me.

Now I don't care so much, but I still get a little jumpy when they come right up next to me.

[The Dark Fiddler]

Darkness. The unknown.

Sure, that right down there, the room at the end of the hallway where the bathroom is, is my parents' room, and I know that. But who's to say some stalker didn't get in the house and isn't hiding in there right now?

Needless to say, it makes going to brush my teeth at night really difficult.

Also, due to a certain video series, I am now deathly terrified of tall men in business suits (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheSlenderManMythos), particularly at night, which doesn't very much help my fear of the dark.

[Dragon queen]

WATER.

I tried to take swimming lessons over the summer but I could barely get into the shallow. I only got in after spending 10 minutes to make sure I couldn't drown and there weren't any sharks. Yes, sharks. When I was little I watched a documentary on sharks. And their victims :smalleek:. And getting into the deep was an even worse problem. One of the lifeguards had to push me in. I just scrambled to the top of the water and got out again.:smalltongue:

[comicshorse]

Spiders. Totally and uterly afraid of spiders.

Not just afaid of them I find them totally loathsome, they even make me feel phyically sick.

Not sure what it is. A friend who suffers from the same fear say's it's the number of legs for him. For me I think its that they're hairy in very creepy way

[Serpentine]

The idea of needing swimming lessons at an age where you're posting on here is bizarre to me. Not having a go at you or anything, I think it's just that Australia is so water-oriented, I cannot imagine anyone over the age of 5 not having basic swimming skills.

My mother is deathly afraid ("scream and run behind someone" afraid) of frogs, especially smooth green ones. I don't know why. Though one of her ex boyfriends is now a frog-specialising herpetologist...

[Superglucose]

I had a girlfriend who was so deathly terrified of swings that when I mentioned that I would have to float a desert on a water bath while baking it she needed me to cuddle with her on the couch for thirty minutes before she was able to get up. I also had to promise to make a different dessert.

[Trog]

I think I've stated this here before but...

I have a fear of suddenly being transported into the body of some professional who is being called on to perform a feat only he can do and having, of course, no clue how to do the thing asked.

I blame the old TV show Quantum Leap. :smalltongue:

[Serpentine]

...
That makes a lot more sense when you realise you mean "dessert", not "desert".

[Dienekes]

WATER.

I tried to take swimming lessons over the summer but I could barely get into the shallow. I only got in after spending 10 minutes to make sure I couldn't drown and there weren't any sharks. Yes, sharks. When I was little I watched a documentary on sharks. And their victims :smalleek:. And getting into the deep was an even worse problem. One of the lifeguards had to push me in. I just scrambled to the top of the water and got out again.:smalltongue:

Speaking as a former lifeguard. Ughh, you're one of them.

I kid, but this is more common than you'd first think. I remember one girl who thought she was drowning whenever she got into the water, even in the 3 foot deep end with her being well over 5 feet.

For me, drugs. I'm a teetotaler myself, when it comes to these things. I've seen many people try them and for some reason the idea of purposefully screwing with my brain terrifies me.

[Assassin89]

I used to have a fear of small dogs. It started when I was bitten by a Westie when I was young.

[Castaras]

Drugs, Medical things, and all that shizz.

Got another jab in 2 days... will be interesting to see if I faint again, have another panic attack, feel out of it for the rest of the day, or just normal.

I also don't like Butterflies, Wasps, and Bees. And Hornets.

[Serpentine]

I've seen many people try them and for some reason the idea of purposefully screwing with my brain terrifies me.That's interesting, cuz I like that sort of thing. I even like curling up in a ball before a big ocean wave because I love the feeling of being out of control. Not exactly the same, but a similar sort of mind-set.

[Dienekes]

That's interesting, cuz I like that sort of thing. I even like curling up in a ball before a big ocean wave because I love the feeling of being out of control. Not exactly the same, but a similar sort of mind-set.

You see, what you describe there sounds ok. Not being in control doesn't bother me, not being rational does. The truly odd thing is I'm probably one of the least rational people you'll meet, but there it is. Why my fear is a nonsensical one.

[Mauve Shirt]

I'm not afraid of the rain, I just really don't like it and absolutely hate going out in it.
I'm afraid of bugs crawling on me while I sleep.
And I'm afraid of failure and change. Which is a problem, because I'll have to change in order to avoid failure, or fail in order to avoid change. :smalltongue:

[Serpentine]

You see, what you describe there sounds ok. Not being in control doesn't bother me, not being rational does. The truly odd thing is I'm probably one of the least rational people you'll meet, but there it is. Why my fear is a nonsensical one.I like the idea of having one's conceptual restraints removed, but I understand how others wouldn't. Best leave it at that :smallwink:

[Thajocoth]

Food.

You read that correctly.

And the cause of this fear is something I'd never be willing to get rid of...

The cause is an increase in my nervous system's volume. By this I mean how strong the signals are between senses, nerves, and neurons. Sometimes this is great. I've got at least 20/15 vision if not 20/10 (in an industry where it's exceedingly rare not to need glasses too). But it does alter the body's natural reactions.

There's a reaction we're supposed to have to putrid odors. Putrid odors can be actually dangerous, so the body will try to cut them off. Close off the throat... Put your mind into a panic mode to get you to flee the area. (Fight or flight, and how do you fight the smell of a rotting corpse or of someone covered in poop or of a large pile of filth... You can't, so flight is what's left.)

Now, what if the input is multiplied? What if the reaction is multiplied? The body will now react very strongly to odors that are not nearly as strong. Thanks to man's mastery of fire, the strongest odors that are not putrid are culinary.

It took a couple decades to realize exactly what was occurring. It wasn't until a man walked onto the subway covered in poop, and I felt the same exact reaction, and saw, for the first time, everyone else reacting the same as me (though they were not used to the reaction as I was, as it's a daily thing for me)... That let me figure it out.

Over time, this has crippled my diet. I eat very few flavors, tending towards blandness. The repetition makes them even blander. For some odd reason, garlic bread is an exception here. Stronger than other things I eat/tolerate the presence of, but accepted by my senses.

I can taste the difference between when McDonald's cooks my double cheeseburger as I ordered it, or when they remove the pickles/onions afterward. I can taste the difference between a plain slice from a half-pepperoni pizza than from an all-plain one... And I know the workers at these places think I'm being <not sure of the word here> when I order "I'd like a plain slice from an all-plain pizza, 3 garlic knots and a medium Pepsi." It'd be so much easier if I could gain my nutrition through some way that is not eating...

On top of all this, there are some other unpleasant effects from culinary odors... For example, spicy food will burn my throat from across the room. And, of course, as the years have gone by I've grown more intollerant of anything that comes anywhere remotely near being a problem, instead of just that which is a problem. I especially will not tolerate any culinary odors that are not of something I'd be willing to EAT when in my own home.

So when I see somebody pull out a paper bag, or some Tupperware... I get a jolt of fear. What am I about to be forced to breathe in? I find eating in public places (like on trains or in elevators), especially when eating things that smell stronger, to be incredibly rude.

As much as it sucks though, I wouldn't trade the way my nervous system works for anything. The effects on my other senses, as well as many aspects of my mental ability, are all great. Sure, I want to eat right and not get choked... But even if it was all cured tomorrow, I've grown such a mental blockade over the whole subject over the years, that I'd need years of therapy to eat normally anyway, and it's not worth sacrificing the rest of the benefits of my situation.

This situation is not uncommon among those with Asperger's Syndrome or other levels of Autism. Pretty much every behavior associated with the spectrum can be explained with increased volume of the nervous system IMO.

-----

Also, while I'm fairly ok with most pain, needle pain is somehow different in my mind. I know most of the pain is my fear of the needle, not the needle itself, and yet the fear persists. Fear of bees is the same fear for me, as they've got little needles, though I know for them the poison being injected and the swelling certainly add to the pain, so not so irrational there...

It's not so much the heights themselves as the idea of falling from them that I fear. If I'm secure enough, I'm fine.

[Krade]

That's interesting, cuz I like that sort of thing. I even like curling up in a ball before a big ocean wave because I love the feeling of being out of control. Not exactly the same, but a similar sort of mind-set.

Yeah, you're wierd. Being even remotely out of control of my thought processes scares me enough to not even have ever tried marijuana (despite all of my brothers and father smoking it).

[Tirian]

I was just having a conversation with my brother about how he doesn't understand the fear of clowns. Why are people afraid of clowns? Do you have a fear that seems irrational? Explain what happened to get you so afraid.

Just to keep from leaving this alone, a fear of clowns is totally understandable. Clowns are almost exclusively a self-selecting bunch, and I think it takes someone with issues to choose to conceal their identity under ghoulish makeup in order to interact with young children, and young children pick up on those issues. Honestly, I think that it is irrational to NOT be afraid of clowns.

In fact, the University of Sheffield did a survey of hospitalized kids a couple of years ago to see what sorts of entertainment would be appropriate for the children of today. Go ahead and guess what percentage of the kids reported hating clowns.

One. HUNDRED. Percent. Seriously (http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=854F6609-BEA7-52B6-D8B5F46B7618BF07). They were more scared of clowns than they were of hospitals, and I respect that.

[Dienekes]

I like the idea of having one's conceptual restraints removed, but I understand how others wouldn't. Best leave it at that :smallwink:

Cheers, to each there own. Besides, if everyone agreed with me I wouldn't be able to laugh at the pure stupidity my drugged up roommate used to do on a daily basis. Man, some of the laughs I had made it almost worthwhile to be in his company.

[Graymayre]

suddenly being plunged into darkness. I'm cool with walking into a pitch black room or anything else like that as long as I meant to do it. But if I'm alone and the lights go off I have trouble breathing, I lose all coordination, and get
very anxious.

I don't recall any traumatic events though.

[arguskos]

Needles, dear god, needles. I had a bad experience with them as a kid, and now, freak out to the degree that I have to be physically restrained when they're in my presence. Last time I had shots for something (foot surgery), the doc had to write me a prescription for lorazapam, which I took and at the point I couldn't really feel anything, we then proceeded with the surgery and I didn't open my eyes for 20 minutes. Even then, I was still absurdly tense and edgy, even through the drug-induced fog.

I hate needles. I hate them so much.

[CurlyKitGirl]

CLowns and dolls. And marionettes and puppets to a lesser degree. Stems from a terrifying encounter I had about thirteen years ago involving a possibly possesse doll, and even if it was a mechanical defect (something which is very unlikely) it doesn't matter as I was scarred for life.

Boats; but there's a specific limit to this fear. If it's going over ten miles an hour I'm fine. Speedboats, ferries, sailboats to a limited degree, all fine.
Rowing and punting boats however . . . freak me out. I think it's the falling in. And getting on and off the boat.

And horses. Hate them. Fear them. Evil creatures, they're half insane you know, and you can't trust an animal that's like that all the time. Also, they're huge and can crush your skull as easily as they breathe.

[pinwiz]

I can't believe this thread has come this far and no one's mentioned

SNAKES!!!!!

They terrify me. Not even the poisonous ones either, just all snakes. If they come on a tv show, I have to avert my eyes or for the rest of the day i'll be afraid to put my feet on the ground in front of the couch. It's a quite crippling fear, though it makes me feel good that I share a phobia with Indiana Jones. One of the things that confuses me the most about this phobia is that GIANT snake movies don't scare me at all. On the contrary, they usually make me laugh.

Oh, and I fear clowns. Old creepy men who wear funny clothes and makeup to hang out with children. The movie It probably didn't help this either. Mimes to a lesser extent because they're so bloody talented (sometimes), but the whole facepaint to entertain people thing really gets me.

[Mystic Muse]

One of the things that confuses me the most about this phobia is that GIANT snake movies don't scare me at all. On the contrary, they usually make me laugh.


Ever seen the movie "anacondas hunt for the blood orchid?

Snakes bigger than that actually existed.

Yes. You read that right. BIGGER

however, none exist today.

[thubby]

spiders. even as a kid i was uncomfortable around them. but one year I went to camp, and when i climbed into my sleeping bag it was full of spiders. been absolutely horrified by them ever since.

[Murska]

Well. I don't really like insects in general, but I've never been very afraid of bees, hornets, wasps and such. I tend to kill them if they get too annoying, and even though I've been stung a few times as a kid I've never understood why people scream and run away when one appears.

I dislike spiders a lot, and they're for whatever reason one of the types of insects I can't squish with my bare hands, I use some sort of a tool such as a paper for it or just carry 'em away with a stick.

But opiliones... I've woken up a few times with one on my face and there are a lot of times when I've been writing something or reading or whatever and suddenly noticed a giant one on my arm. I really hate that, it makes me jump up and takes me a while to calm down once I shake it off. Nowadays I try to kill them with extreme prejudice if I see them around the house.

Let's not get into my vendetta against mosquitoes. Stupid bloodsucking things.

[Asta Kask]

A lot of things creep me out. But I'm really only scared of heights. And saying something hurtful to someone I like and losing them. I'm really neurotic about that, and have difficulties expressing danger.

[Derjuin]

Heights, insects, and...rejection. I've gotten better at the last one, but the first two still haunt me now and then. I have a difficult time standing at the edge of anything, as the odd thought of the structural support suddenly failing and me falling to injury/death enters my head whenever I do. I also feel extremely woozy (that's vertigo right?) when I do stand at an edge. Insects, it's mostly the feeling of them on my skin. And stingers and pinchers. But then, having been stung/bitten by a centipede and a year later having been stung by two bees probably lead to the fear.

[pinwiz]

Ever seen the movie "anacondas hunt for the blood orchid?

Snakes bigger than that actually existed.

Yes. You read that right. BIGGER

however, none exist today.

Are you trying to make me terrified to go outside my house? :smalltongue:

[Lord Fullbladder, Master of Goblins]

Bugs. Most all bugs, really. I talked myself into entering the butterfly room at the Gardenscape exhibition thingywhatsit in the city this year, and spent most of it nervously staring.

And then one literally bounced off my head.


Oh, here's an odd one for you. When I was younger I was afraid of baths. Baths.

When I was a lad we watched a lot of the Discovery Channel, and one night, on Daily Planet or something, they did a story on a sunfish in captivity. Seems the average sunfish gets pretty damn big, the largest known having actually bumped into and sunk a ship or something. (Or not, y'know, it was a long, long time ago) And I was deathly afraid that were I to have a bath one would somehow come through the faucet. In landlocked Saskatchewan.

I could shower just fine, but I couldn't have a bath for years for years.

[Asta Kask]

My mom's oldest cat was afraid of the washing room, until he discovered that the two youngsters were going in there without getting killed and eaten by the washing machine monster. And our last dog was afraid of the dark.

[Thajocoth]

My mom's oldest cat was afraid of the washing room, until he discovered that the two youngsters were going in there without getting killed and eaten by the washing machine monster. And our last dog was afraid of the dark.

I had a cat once that was afraid of heights... And his own shadow... I have seen him jump at the sight of his own shadow. I swear, sometimes it seemed like he came out of a cartoon.

[Asta Kask]

I used to be scared of the regulars in the old Crack Pairings Thread, but now that I've come to know them, I'm terrified. :eek:

[cycoris]

-clowns
-blindness
-drugs (pretty much anything that will make me less in control of my mental faculties)
-breaches of or lack of control over my privacy (including psychologists)
-swinging bridges
-having to jump across platforms

...I'm sure there are more, but I can't think of them right now.

And I don't know why clowns are scary, nor where they make balloons. I'm sorry. :smallfrown:

[Deadly]

I'm terrified of rings, the kinds you wear on your fingers. Can't wear them. I keep imagining how they'll tear the skin and flesh off my knuckles when I want to take them off, or rip the entire finger off if ever caught in something. I don't really know why, it doesn't seem like it's even possible, but I can't shake off the mental image (complete with searing pain of skin being shredded off). I have the same problem with bowling balls, imagining that my fingers will be stuck and get ripped off when I throw the ball.


Very dark or very deep waters make me uncomfortable as well. If I can't see the bottom clearly I don't like it. I would probably panic and get myself drowned if I was ever dropped into such waters with no way to get out.


Spiders, heights and darkness/the unknown freak me out too, but those are pretty common fears and probably not so strange or worthy of notice.

Not afraid of clowns. Or snakes. I like snakes, they looks so cute. I probably wouldn't like small, confined spaces much if I ever got stuck in one, but I've never really tried. Particularly I would probably freak out if I had to crawl through a narrow tunnel or something. Would keep imagining getting stuck and slowly dying. Have had some nightmares about that, in fact.

[Thajocoth]

I'm terrified of rings, the kinds you wear on your fingers. Can't wear them. I keep imagining how they'll tear the skin and flesh off my knuckles when I want to take them off, or rip the entire finger off if ever caught in something. I don't really know why, it doesn't seem like it's even possible, but I can't shake off the mental image (complete with searing pain of skin being shredded off). I have the same problem with bowling balls, imagining that my fingers will be stuck and get ripped off when I throw the ball.

This is not going to help... But the reason wedding rings contain gold is actually that the finger swells a bit around it, making it "permanent". They don't have as much gold in them as they used to, so they're a lot easier to take off. Good thing too, with the divorce rate today...

[Deadly]

If I ever get married I'll certainly insist on some other form of bonding symbol. Would even prefer having the "ring" tattooed on or something.

[pinwiz]

If I ever get married I'll certainly insist on some other form of bonding symbol. Would even prefer having the "ring" tattooed on or something.

I know several people who either lost the ring several times, cheated on their spouse, or just thought that a ring wasn't permanent enough and got a ring tatooed on their finger. With varying degrees of quality and coolness. The tattoo thing is very cool to me, as long as it doesn't look like you took a sharpy to your finger while drunk and lacking sleep.

[Spiryt]

Speaking about rings, I never understood concept of jewelery at all. Nothing about fear, but I just never got it. Even when I was actually small religious child I wasn't wearing necklaces which I was supposed to wear from some reason.

Even if I'm getting married some day, I'll surely dump the ring somewhere.

[Teddy]

Needles, dear god, needles. I had a bad experience with them as a kid, and now, freak out to the degree that I have to be physically restrained when they're in my presence. Last time I had shots for something (foot surgery), the doc had to write me a prescription for lorazapam, which I took and at the point I couldn't really feel anything, we then proceeded with the surgery and I didn't open my eyes for 20 minutes. Even then, I was still absurdly tense and edgy, even through the drug-induced fog.

I hate needles. I hate them so much.

Not needles, but syringes:

It all stems from a vaccination when I was younger. It was a TBE-vaccine, which is a bit nastier than the most, but I wasn't at all afraid of syringes back then, so I volunteered to go first. Naturally, the needle struck a nerve and, well, I can't really remember any longer, but it was horrible.

Nowadays, I feel uncomfortable if I see a syringe in real life, I can't watch a syringe pierce through the skin of someone (the intro to one of our news programmes on TV features a picture showing this :smallannoyed:), I can't be in the same room as objects being designed to pierce through the skin (we've had two biology laborations in the last three years where the students were to test their own blood group), and I'm mortified whenever I must be vaccinated myself (I've done it twice since I became phobic, and yes, it hurt both times since I couldn't relax).

I also have a deep respect for anything sharp waved in my direction, so I tend to stay way out of arms reach from anyone pointing a knife towards me. I'm not afraid of needles though. In fact, I sometimes use needles to punctuate pimples if they get to large, which is somewhat ironic.


I've also got a very irrational fear for "initiating" social situations. It's lessened over time, but for a while in my life, I couldn't walk up to the counter in a shop and ask for assistance, and I rarely said hi even to my classmates. Now I can and do these things, but I'm still bad at initiating conversations, and I never ask a friend if we might do something this evening/weekend, even if I want to. I don't even own a mobile phone (I say that I don't need one, but I think it's because I'm afraid of using it). I should note that I'm neither an agoraphobic nor afraid of taking place in social situations, and I really do love to be social, but I just can't. Stupid fear.

[Dvandemon]

The idea of needing swimming lessons at an age where you're posting on here is bizarre to me. Not having a go at you or anything, I think it's just that Australia is so water-oriented, I cannot imagine anyone over the age of 5 not having basic swimming skills.

Oh man, fear of the water is right up there. Not just any body though, deep places like the sea or ocean. Nothing for me to stand on, no place to rest. All alone around sunset. Its so bad I can't even close my eyes in the shower lest I get visions of sharks and giant squids.

On another note I get the paranoid feeling there are ants (read:bugs) in my clothes, usually from a random irritation I get. Old style realistic paintings, Like Sistine chapel old and up. They're just disturbing. Also thanks to Cracked.com I'm afraid of Australia no offense Serp.


A lot of things creep me out. But I'm really only scared of heights. And saying something hurtful to someone I like and losing them. I'm really neurotic about that, and have difficulties expressing danger.

Me to a T

[Mystic Muse]

Are you trying to make me terrified to go outside my house? :smalltongue:

well, like I said, none exist today. However, yes, yes I am.

[Dvandemon]

If I ever get married I'll certainly insist on some other form of bonding symbol. Would even prefer having the "ring" tattooed on or something.

Well you'd never lose it :smallbiggrin: but it might be awkward with ex's

[SweetLikeLemons]

Crowds. This is a relatively new thing. I mean, being in large crowds of strangers has always made me a little uncomfortable, but I could deal with it. I guess living in a rather rural area for the past few years has let me avoid dealing with it and now I am out of practice. I visited Washington, DC recently and almost had a panic attack in a Whole Foods market. Not fun.

A very similar thing applies to traffic, now, too. When I visit the rest of the country, freeways freak me out. I guess I am just not used to being on any roads wider than two lanes each way, or to having lots of cars around me.

[Dihan]

Clowns and dolls. And marionettes and puppets to a lesser degree.

This is one of mine. I have no idea where it stems from though. On a semi related note, I am also afraid of those people who dress up in those full body costumes (like Mickey Mouse); not the actual people inside, but the presence of them itself. I always used to run away from them when I was younger.

I am also afraid of not being in control of my own actions; hence why I do not drink alcohol and will never do drugs.

I'm pretty much afraid of any insect, winged or not, and spider. I just find them creepy. Bag-worms, wasps and daddy-long-legs terrify me the most.

I am also afraid of the possibility of something bad happening. For example, I will not go near the edge of a cliff just in case I fall off or I drop something or I slip. I always get scenarios in my head whenever I'm faced with such things; usually involving me dying or losing something that means a lot to me. I probably haven't explained that very well.

[Mystic Muse]

I'm pretty much afraid of any insect, winged or not, and spider. I just find them creepy. Bag-worms, wasps and daddy-long-legs terrify me the most.

Just FYI, Daddy long legs aren't nearly as poisonous as most people believe.

[LurkerInPlayground]

The dark.

I comfort myself by thinking that I'm not a total wuss, since humans aren't actually built to see-in-the-dark. So this is actually a rather sensible and common fear to have from an evolutionary and practical standpoint. Either because a predator will get you or because you'll do something stupid like fall down a pit.

Fear of insects and other tiny non-mammalian vermin are easy to understand. They're alien. And possibly poisonous. They also have alien motivations. It's better to assume the worst. Survival mechanism.

Marionettes and creepy dolls in general:
Since our first instinct is to anthropomorphize everything and look for human motivations, you get that eerie feeling that they are capable of thinking and staring. I think it's mostly the feeling of being watched that gets people. People don't like to be spied on by weird strangers.

It's also our first instinct to fear strangers or people who are unusual. That is, to assume that there's something fundamentally wrong happening there or that they have hostile motives. Perhaps they're diseased. Or they mean you no good. Again, they might have alien motivations. So that really helps potentiate the staring doll effect.

Again, this is a usually sensible survival mechanism. But it also helps cause racism and fear of dolls and fear of people with noncommunicable diseases (leprosy being the classic example).

Clowns probably follows the same general principle. The whole point of war paint is to make yourself seem alien and dangerous to your enemy. Clowns wear face paint. So you get all the same reactions as you would with creepy dolls. So the attempt at self-caricature occasionally backfires.

I think a lot of the fears expressed so far on this thread can be summarized as a fear of a hostile alien, perhaps even an unnatural, presence.

[Syka]

Insects. We're talking deathly afraid. Termites decided to take over a portion of the front register a few months back at my job and I was very proud that I only managed to be paranoid and that I didn't have an all out nervous break down.

I saved that for 10 minutes after my discovery (of course, I was the one to discover it) when I finally went on break. I was literally crying in the break room.

Because we had termites.

CRYING.

I couldn't go to the front register for 3 hours. My manager told me I couldn't ring from the second register all day and I swear, if she had made me go back over there before they were gone (well, except for the stragglers we got about once an hour...we'd get one every now and again), I would have quit. Yes, I would have quit over having to deal with bugs. I had a similar crying fit when I walked into a giant swarm of gnats that wouldn't stop clinging to me for half an hour about 2 years ago.


And it's not just bugs like termites, roaches, and stinging critters. And I'm OK wit snakes, rats, worms, and all other manner of creepy crawlie. We're talking pill bugs, butterflies, dragon flies, the works. If it's a bug, I'll freak out if it comes near me. I'm OK if we're in nature and it's "over there" but if I'm inside or it's near me...game over. I can't look at pictures of insects for any length of time, nor can I kill them. It's like if they touch me I think the world will end.


Of course, I live in Florida. This does not help. I've got a sort of truce going on with the silverfish in my bathroom, and for some reason I'm OK with flies. I think flies are, oddly, the only bug I'm moderately OK with. I'll duck from butterflies, but flies I just swat. Still can't look at a picture, but I can swat 'em.


....I'm weird.


(I went to a butterfly exhibit once...it wasn't until we'd bought the tickets and were at the entrance that I realized what a bad idea it probably was. It was a bad idea.)

[Amiel]

I'm actually not really afraid of all that much; I like spiders, frogs, sharks, jellyfish, bears not so much. I find unnatural and clearly supernatural noises and sounds of unknown origin to be interesting but rarely terrifying.

I am however, possibly embarrassingly, afraid of the dark, or rather I'm afraid of the unknown and swift death that lurks in the dark. Darkness has that inherent mystique, that oppressive absolute blackness that renders all without darkvision whimpering wusses (me being one of them). I dearly and sincerely wish they invent some form of universal, cheap night vision for public consumption.

[Mystic Muse]

A few things I'm afraid of.
falling from heights(Not heights themselves. Just falling and injuring myself)
a long drawn out painful death.
Torture.
Being banned from this site. (I've been avoiding trouble. But this site is awesome and I don't want to be forced off for some reason. So, I'll keep avoiding trouble.)

[LurkerInPlayground]

Insects. We're talking deathly afraid. Termites decided to take over a portion of the front register a few months back at my job and I was very proud that I only managed to be paranoid and that I didn't have an all out nervous break down.
So is it because they're indelibly gross or . . . what?

[Amiel]

Insects are so full of protein that they really should considered as a viable option to solving world hunger.

[druid91]

The dark, and poison. Poison to a lesser degree than the dark, meaning once I had a dream the sun was going out, in response I lit the atmosphere on fire It makes more sense in the dream, to this very day I have oddly pleasant dreams of a city with a huge curtain of flames for a sky.

[skywalker]

Yeah, you're wierd.

She's not that weird...


suddenly being plunged into darkness. I'm cool with walking into a pitch black room or anything else like that as long as I meant to do it. But if I'm alone and the lights go off I have trouble breathing, I lose all coordination, and get
very anxious.

I mean... I prepare myself for battle haha. Have to, just in case.


spiders. even as a kid i was uncomfortable around them. but one year I went to camp, and when i climbed into my sleeping bag it was full of spiders. been absolutely horrified by them ever since.

If I've left anything unattended more than a week or two, I shake it out rather vigorously before use.


I'm terrified of rings, the kinds you wear on your fingers. Can't wear them. I keep imagining how they'll tear the skin and flesh off my knuckles when I want to take them off, or rip the entire finger off if ever caught in something. I don't really know why, it doesn't seem like it's even possible, but I can't shake off the mental image (complete with searing pain of skin being shredded off).

It is entirely possible. Well, the second one. I know people who lost fingers at their manufacturing jobs, etc. If you're planning on doing something active or involving machinery, rings especially are a bad idea.


If I ever get married I'll certainly insist on some other form of bonding symbol. Would even prefer having the "ring" tattooed on or something.

Lead singer from Linkin Park did this...


Just FYI, Daddy long legs aren't nearly as poisonous as most people believe.

Not the poison. The way their legs move...


The dark.

I comfort myself by thinking that I'm not a total wuss, since humans aren't actually built to see-in-the-dark. So this is actually a rather sensible and common fear to have from an evolutionary and practical standpoint. Either because a predator will get you or because you'll do something stupid like fall down a pit.

Fear of insects and other tiny non-mammalian vermin are easy to understand. They're alien. And possibly poisonous. They also have alien motivations. It's better to assume the worst. Survival mechanism.

All seems sensible. I know I sleep better with a lamp simulating fire next to my head. I feel warmer as well as more secure.

I think with insects, it's the legs. The more legs they have, the worse I am.


Clowns probably follows the same general principle. The whole point of war paint is to make yourself seem alien and dangerous to your enemy. Clowns wear face paint. So you get all the same reactions as you would with creepy dolls. So the attempt at self-caricature occasionally backfires.

Never have feared clowns. I mean, murderous clowns with knives, yes. Regular clowns, tho? I find them funny...

[Danne]

Ever seen the movie "anacondas hunt for the blood orchid?

Snakes bigger than that actually existed.

Yes. You read that right. BIGGER

however, none exist today that we know of.

Fixed that for you. We've found snakes bordering on thirty feet, it's not that much of a stretch that there's some anaconda lounging about in a murky puddle somewhere that's even bigger. The Amazon is deep and dark, my friends.

Anywho, I love snakes. They are actually quite cuddly. I have a six-foot-long albino black rat snake friend who likes to ride around on my shoulders. (His name is Al. :smallbiggrin:)

For me? Telephones. Yep, you heard that right. Telephones. I don't like answering them, and will let the phone go through to voicemail if there's no caller I.D. I am absolutely terrified of actually needing to place a phone call. I had to call my cousin earlier today (her birthday) and when I was done I was sweating and shaking, and some random person on the street stopped to ask me if I was okay because apparently my face was some sort of nasty gray color. :smallsigh: And that's just family! You do not want to see me if I need to, say, order takeout, or call my uni's administrative center to ask a question.

[Mystic Muse]

Anywho, I love snakes. They are actually quite cuddly. I have a six-foot-long albino black rat snake friend who likes to ride around on my shoulders. (His name is Al. :smallbiggrin:)


Daww. This sounds cute.

I used to have a big fluffy beanie baby snake that was a boa. Have yet to have a real one.

[Danne]

Daww. This sounds cute.

That's what my Mum says. :smallredface:


I used to have a big fluffy beanie baby snake that was a boa. Have yet to have a real one.

On the bright side, a toy snake will never decide to get himself tangled in your ponytail. It's very awkward when that happens, lol.

[Mystic Muse]

On the bright side, a toy snake will never decide to get himself tangled in your ponytail. It's very awkward when that happens, lol.

well, no worries there. I don't have a ponytail.

[Coidzor]

Never understood the irrational fear of dogs. They're around so often, at least in the U.S., that you'd think anyone with a fear of dogs would get desensitized. And the idea of anything but the desire to kill out of mercy being evoked by those weird purse-dogs is even stranger to me.

Then again, I'm afraid of walking alone in the dark because I start to have vivid pseudo-hallucinatory imaginings of zombies

[Zevox]

Eh, I don't have any exceptionally strong fears, but I guess I have several minor ones. Animals, mainly - I'm just not an animal person, and aside from our family's dog (whom I usually just ignore, save for the rare occasions when I need to let her outside or feed her), I tend to shy away from any I come across. Particularly insects (although if I come across those in my house, I just kill them instead). The reaction becomes genuine fear when it comes to any insect I suspect may be a bee/hornet/wasp, even though I've never been stung.

I suppose I must have a mild fear of the dark too, since I won't sleep in total darkness (I've had a black light in my room for sleeping since I was quite young), and will frequently do things like, for instance, taking a flashlight with me simply to take trash out to the side of the street at night.

Also public speaking, though I hear pretty much everyone has that one to more or less the same degree I do.

Zevox

[LurkerInPlayground]

Well, toy dogs don't count. Attack dogs. Now those can be scary if they're in your face and making it clear that they can walk away with a meaty chunk of your leg if they wanted to. But then again, being afraid of injury seems proper and normal.

Also, being afraid of bees and wasps is sensible. Stings really hurt. Let me tell you. It's livable, but not very much fun.

Fortunately, bumble bees are rather slow and you can easily outrun them if you manage to piss one off. Holding still will also avoid agitating one until they decide to move on.

[mucat]

Are you trying to make me terrified to go outside my house?well, like I said, none exist today. However, yes, yes I am.
Yes, this is true. None exist today, because today is Saturday. And for some reason that biologists cannot quite explain, giant snakes only exist on Tuesdays.

Glad to be of help, Pinwiz. :smallwink:

[Thajocoth]

Daww. This sounds cute.

I used to have a big fluffy beanie baby snake that was a boa. Have yet to have a real one.

My 5th/6th grade teacher had a pet snake she let us play with. Columbian Red Tail Boa Constrictor. He was very friendly and seemed to enjoy the attention. We just had to be careful not to let him get away, as he could get himself very hurt...

Unfortunately, the last time I spoke to that teacher, a few years ago, she said she had to have him put to sleep. :smallfrown:

Here (http://mrskingsbioweb.com/images/DSCN0066.JPG)'s a pic of a kid playing with one. If I ever got a snake, I'd try to get the same breed that my teacher's snake was.

[mucat]

I get along fine with spiders because they eat flies and mosquitoes, and I quite like snakes.

I did have a cat once, though, who was terrified of snakes. Trouble was, he had only a very vague idea of what a snake was, so he was afraid of any long, snaky object thicker than a piece of heavy string.

We had to be careful not to leave out things that would scare him. My wife once dropped a bathrobe sash/belt/whatever you call those things on the floor before leaving for work, and accidentally trapped the cat in one corner of the bedroom all day, because he could not leave that corner without crossing over the "snake". He was thoroughly spooked by the time we got home.

Of course, it's possible that his primary fear was actually of ropes, and he was only afraid of actual snakes because he considered them a type of rope, rather than of ropes because he considered them a type of snake...

[pinwiz]

Yes, this is true. None exist today, because today is Saturday. And for some reason that biologists cannot quite explain, giant snakes only exist on Tuesdays.

Glad to be of help, Pinwiz. :smallwink:

I used to like tuesdays, because my school cafeteria served tacos. (taco tuesday anyone?)

Now i'll be eating my tacos while looking over my shoulder with a terrified look of understanding at how my tacos feel.... :smallbiggrin:

[Gaelbert]

I have a terrible fear of alligator clips. I'm convinced that someone's going to take 2, stick one end in each of my eyes, and then hook the other end into a electric generator.

[mucat]

Eek!

Would it help if we put together a statement, signed by everyone in the world, that we are not actually going to do that?

[Archpaladin Zousha]

A few stings in your younger years is all it takes to develop an irrational fear of anything small, flying, yellow, and with a pointy abdomen. :smallsigh:
I've never even been stung and I have this fear. The closest I ever came was one crawling up my shirt sleeve while I was practicing the violin. I just sort of locked up. I couldn't move or even breathe as long as I felt that little tickly feeling. Eventually though she just got bored and flew away.

It doesn't help that in later years I've learned what those little creatures are truly capable of. All I can say is I'm going to stay FAR FAR AWAY from Japan for as long as I live.

Oddly enough, I'm not scared of bees anymore. I think they're cute.

[The Extinguisher]

I'm deeply terrified of bees, and wasps and really anything that buzzes and stings. I'm not allergic, and I've never actually been stung, but the thought of it scares me so much I jump if I hear anything resembling a buzz. I'm not sure why, honestly.

[Deadly]

Well you'd never lose it :smallbiggrin: but it might be awkward with ex's

"Oh honey, they have acids that'll burn that away"... or more like lasers I think, but still.


Lead singer from Linkin Park did this...

I suppose it's not an entirely original idea after all.



It is entirely possible. Well, the second one. I know people who lost fingers at their manufacturing jobs, etc. If you're planning on doing something active or involving machinery, rings especially are a bad idea.

*shivers* Yeah, second one could happen. But the first one just seems plain stupid, and yet I can't shake off the thought.

[Sereg]

I used to be scared of the regulars in the old Crack Pairings Thread, but now that I've come to know them, I'm terrified. :eek:

So, do you spend time with us because it gives you a rush when you're around those you fear?

Anyway, I am afraid of heights (That's a pretty obvious one.) I'm also claustrophobic. I didn't understand why people would be claustrophobic until I experienced it. It feels like you can't breathe because their's not enough air. (Which is ridiculous, but anyway). I also used to be afraid of travelling in elevators as I was afraid that it would plummet. I'm afraid of sudden acceleration as it illistrates that I'm not in control. The concept of infinity used to seriously freak me out as well. I also used to be afraid of bath water going down a drain (or a flushed toilet for similar reasons). When I was young, I would flush or pull out the plug and then run. I think that it was the sound and the idea that there was something down there. Also, when my duvet was stolen through my window, I was terrified of sleeping next to the window for a while. However, my greatest fear is this (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EnemyWithout). *shudder* Luckily, that doesn't actually happen, but I think that if I met a long lost identical twin, I'd attack him on sight.

[Amiel]

Speaking of monstrous reptiles, I can distinctly remember a story (a true story I might add) of a survey expedition that captured one of these creatures on film. The photographer and other passengers (who were flying in a helicopter) were nonchalant at first until they fully appreciated the size of the creature by comparing it with the terrain and features around it; they quickly realised they were flying too low when the thing reared up at them.

It was noted that the snake measured some 19 metres; I'll try to find the exact source.

[Coidzor]

I suppose it's not an entirely original idea after all.

Nothing new under the sun and all that jazz.

[Destro_Yersul]

I don't like dogs. Big dogs I am scared of, little dogs I just don't like. I like cats, though. I like spiders, though the idea of them walking on me is a little unsettling. Hate flying yellow insects of all sorts, except bumblebees. Bumblebees are adorable. Also afraid of needles.

[Serpentine]

I can't believe this thread has come this far and no one's mentioned

SNAKES!!!!!Pah. Snakes are beautiful. Although I forgave my ex for being scared of them: he could trace it back to one specific day, when he had a green snake fall on him from a tree, and then very nearly brought his foot down on a brown snake (they're nasty, by the by). So I give him that.

When it comes to animals, I'm sort of excessively not scared of them. In D&D terms, any caution I have of them is all Intelligence-based, not Wisdom. If I see a snake, I won't pick it up because I know it might bite me and I don't want to look silly when I call the ambulance and they ask me why I have a bite on my hand and I have to tell them I tried to pick up a wild snake. If anything, the idea of getting bitten by one kinda excites me...
Similar sorta thing for dogs and the like. The other night I was walking home and a dog came out and approached me growling and barking, like it was about to charge. I stopped and stood there, looking at it, cuz I had a feeling that if I ran or maybe even kept walking it might chase me and snap at my feet. But I wasn't scared, I just didn't want it to do that.

I'm scared of some arthropods... in certain conditions. Mostly, I quite like them. But I don't trust huntsmen walking overhead, I don't like spiders being at risk of coming into contact with me, I don't like buzzing things near me that I can't identify, etc. I once tried to rescue a bee from a swimming pool by putting it on my finger and taking it to the edge. I was right at the side about to put it down, when it bloody stung me, right on the tip. Now, I'm pretty wary of bees and wasps being on or very near me.

[pinwiz]

Pah. Snakes are beautiful. Although I forgave my ex for being scared of them: he could trace it back to one specific day, when he had a green snake fall on him from a tree, and then very nearly brought his foot down on a brown snake (they're nasty, by the by). So I give him that.

I wish that my fear was that logical. No, i wish i didn't have the fear. Where I come from the only types of snakes are garter (or however you say it) and rattlesnakes, and no one older than ten will mistake those. But i've just always been terrified of snakes. I will admit that they are unique creatures and some of their color schemes are quite beautiful, but something about them just makes me shrivel up in horror. I've said many times that a bathtub full of snakes would be the thing that the government in 1984 would use on me.

It's also becoming apparent that i'm the only one on this forum who's afraid of snakes. :smalltongue:

[Zevox]

It's also becoming apparent that i'm the only one on this forum who's afraid of snakes. :smalltongue:
No you're not. I admitted that I shy away from pretty much any animal earlier, and I can tell you right now that I know I'd be doing more than just "shy away" from snakes, if I ever saw them. Don't really get any around here, though.

My mom's also terrified of them. Apparently there was one occasion, during a vacation to the Smoky Mountains (part of the Appalachians), where she and my dad were hiking on a trail to see a waterfall, and when they spotted a snake sitting on a rock alongside the trail, my mom would go no further, and went back to the car rather than continue on to the waterfall. I'd probably be right there with her, personally - except of course that I probably wouldn't be hiking in the mountains to begin with.

Zevox

[Mystic Muse]

I've never even been stung and I have this fear. The closest I ever came was one crawling up my shirt sleeve while I was practicing the violin. I just sort of locked up. I couldn't move or even breathe as long as I felt that little tickly feeling. Eventually though she just got bored and flew away.

It doesn't help that in later years I've learned what those little creatures are truly capable of. All I can say is I'm going to stay FAR FAR AWAY from Japan for as long as I live.

Oddly enough, I'm not scared of bees anymore. I think they're cute.

I'm debating telling you about the horror that is Africanized Honey bees. I don't know if they're in the US yet but it sounds like they're coming here.

[Adumbration]

Balloons, particularly them exploding, as well as anything pressurized.

I blame my big brother: I have a distinct memory from my childhood where he rubs a balloon against my head and it exlodes.:smalltongue:

[Danne]

well, no worries there. I don't have a ponytail.

Ah. You should be safe then. :smallwink:

[mucat]

Balloons, particularly them exploding...
First read this as "baboons". Now that was a unique phobia...

[Mando Knight]

WATER.

I tried to take swimming lessons over the summer but I could barely get into the shallow. I only got in after spending 10 minutes to make sure I couldn't drown and there weren't any sharks. Yes, sharks. When I was little I watched a documentary on sharks. And their victims :smalleek:. And getting into the deep was an even worse problem. One of the lifeguards had to push me in. I just scrambled to the top of the water and got out again.:smalltongue:

I've got a similar problem, but much more mild. Due to me trusting my older brother completely when we were kids, when his roughly 6-year-old self told my 5-year-old self (very rough estimate) that you would drown if you put your nose underwater, I was terrified of doing so. Now, it's a gut reaction, and I still can't synchronize breathing with swimming, so I can't swim for more than maybe 5-10 meters.

I've also got a subconscious fear of pain, loss, and possible death, but by concentrating I can override those momentarily. By doing so, I can flip over to a Blood Knight (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BloodKnight)-like persona, making me cease to care about any of that...

I also despise a wide variety of insects... mostly crawling ones. Wasps and bees are fine if they don't think I'm a threat, dragonflies are kinda cool, and butterflies and some moths are beautiful. Other arthropods depend on what they look like and what they're doing. Crabs and other crustaceans are kinda alien-looking, but I'm fine with them so long as I don't have to fight them or whatever. Most arachnids that are large enough to see with the naked eye are cool.

[hamishspence]

I don't know if they're in the US yet but it sounds like they're coming here.

They are definitely in the US:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africanized_bee

[Mystic Muse]

They are definitely in the US:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africanized_bee

Crap.

Never going outside again.

They've had to use flamethrowers to deal with these things. FLAMETHROWERS.

[hamishspence]

Japan has it worse:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Hornet

They kill more people than all other wild animals in Japan combined.

Though this has been mentioned before:



It doesn't help that in later years I've learned what those little creatures are truly capable of. All I can say is I'm going to stay FAR FAR AWAY from Japan for as long as I live.

[waterpenguin43]

Never understood the irrational fear of dogs. They're around so often, at least in the U.S., that you'd think anyone with a fear of dogs would get desensitized. And the idea of anything but the desire to kill out of mercy being evoked by those weird purse-dogs is even stranger to me.

I used too, before I got a dog. But it was for a GOOD REASON. A VERY GOOD REASON.

[Mando Knight]

Crap.

Never going outside again.

They've had to use flamethrowers to deal with these things. FLAMETHROWERS.

Ha! Those foolish bees cannot harm me... for I have Missouri weather on my side! :smalltongue:

[Melayl]

Water. Well, the things living in large(ish) bodies of water. I caught part of Jaws on TV when I was a kid, and had a book "Dangerous Sea Creatures." Scarred me for life.

I tried waterskiing in a local river some years back, and felt like I was bait being trolled along for some really freakin' big fish...I could even hear the "Jaws" theme in my head as I went along. Needless to say, I got out of the water pretty damned quickly. I did manage not to panic, though.

[Dvandemon]

The dark.

I comfort myself by thinking that I'm not a total wuss, since humans aren't actually built to see-in-the-dark. So this is actually a rather sensible and common fear to have from an evolutionary and practical standpoint. Either because a predator will get you or because you'll do something stupid like fall down a pit.

Fear of insects and other tiny non-mammalian vermin are easy to understand. They're alien. And possibly poisonous. They also have alien motivations. It's better to assume the worst. Survival mechanism.

Marionettes and creepy dolls in general:
Since our first instinct is to anthropomorphize everything and look for human motivations, you get that eerie feeling that they are capable of thinking and staring. I think it's mostly the feeling of being watched that gets people. People don't like to be spied on by weird strangers.

It's also our first instinct to fear strangers or people who are unusual. That is, to assume that there's something fundamentally wrong happening there or that they have hostile motives. Perhaps they're diseased. Or they mean you no good. Again, they might have alien motivations. So that really helps potentiate the staring doll effect.

Again, this is a usually sensible survival mechanism. But it also helps cause racism and fear of dolls and fear of people with noncommunicable diseases (leprosy being the classic example).

Clowns probably follows the same general principle. The whole point of war paint is to make yourself seem alien and dangerous to your enemy. Clowns wear face paint. So you get all the same reactions as you would with creepy dolls. So the attempt at self-caricature occasionally backfires.

I think a lot of the fears expressed so far on this thread can be summarized as a fear of a hostile alien, perhaps even an unnatural, presence.[/

Ladies, gentlemen we now have the science of fear ftw


It doesn't help that in later years I've learned what those little creatures are truly capable of. All I can say is I'm going to stay FAR FAR AWAY from Japan for as long as I live.

Oddly enough, I'm not scared of bees anymore. I think they're cute.

Ugh, the Japanese Giant Hornet is like the ultimate bee. Imagine if it was crossbred with African Killer Bees.


Anywho, I love snakes. They are actually quite cuddly. I have a six-foot-long albino black rat snake friend who likes to ride around on my shoulders. (His name is Al. :smallbiggrin:)

I'd like to see a picture of him :smallbiggrin:. For phones, you should probably never watch "Law Abiding Citizen"

All these stories about bugs remind of some David Lubar I read. Lets see, theres was that one where the kid got tied up by centipedes, the one where a kid spent all day covered in bees, the one where a kid lost in the forest got tied up and eaten by a giant spider. So many of his stories involve insects one way or another

[druid91]

Personally I like the creepy crawly things. Snakes, quite a few bugs, lizards... In fact small mammals freak me out more than the other small critters, they are just so fragile. I accidentally kicked a mouse across the kitchen once It was freaky.
And the only bugs that bug me are the ones I imagine as dirty and only that because of me assuming they have some disease or another on them, but ants, bees, wasps, spiders, praying mantis, grasshoppers, caterpillars, most beetles, and butterflies/moths are okay. If they bite or sting me though they die.

Water is awesome, second favorite dream is that the world is covered in water. water and glo-stick style glowing walls.

[Danne]

Water is awesome, second favorite dream is that the world is covered in water. water and glo-stick style glowing walls.

This sounds awesome. :smallbiggrin:

[waterpenguin43]

Water is awesome.

I agree most deeply.
Oh wait, that was an accidental pun. :smallsigh:

[Player_Zero]

Not too keen on heights.

Also have an aversion to going outside or talking to people in general.

[druid91]

This sounds awesome. :smallbiggrin:

Why is it that internet people say my dreams are awesome and real-life people say that they are creepy?:smallconfused:

[Danne]

Why is it that internet people say my dreams are awesome and real-life people say that they are creepy?:smallconfused:

Because you need to associate with cooler people in RL? :smallwink:

[Jokasti]

I'm afraid of pretty much anything.

[Mystic Muse]

I'm afraid of pretty much anything.

oh gosh it's, IT'S

SMELLY SOCK NOSE GUY! You afraid of him?

[Temotei]

I suppose spiders freak me out, but that's mainly because I find them mostly at night and I don't want to eat them or have them crawl all over me while I'm in stage four sleep.

I used to be afraid of heights, but after I broke my arm from jumping over the pile of leaves from a swing and falling thirty feet, hitting my arm (not breaking it) and hitting my head on my arm (breaking it), I'm just not afraid for some reason. Maybe it's because all the height did was break my arm. That's not so bad. :smalltongue:

[Crimmy]

Druid, I'd watch that "Water is awesome" stuff.

Some people could have hydrophobia, and you saying it like that might give the impression that you are dismissing their own fears.

Now, I have "half-fears", if that's at all understandable.

I fear the dark sometimes, like when I'm in almost total darkness and I look at a mirror, I think there's somebdoy there. Or if I see a doll, an animal, etc, I feel they're bigger, or maybe they can think (the dolls, I mean. I'm sure animalscan think. Not rationally, but still.).

I fear heights sometimes. I love being in high places (My roof, for one), but whenever I'm near a cliff, I feel dizzy.

Water. God, I love and hate the ocean. I once almost drowned when I was 7. I have fear of waves and drowning. Still, guess what animals and habitats I love the most? Yeah. Deep-sea creatures, octopi, fishes, eels, etc.

[druid91]

I'm afraid of pretty much anything.

What about us? Do we scare you?

[Jokasti]

If a guy surgically replaced his nose with a smelly sock and fluids and stuff were coming out, and he sneezed...
Yep.

[Mystic Muse]

If a guy surgically replaced his nose with a smelly sock and fluids and stuff were coming out, and he sneezed...
Yep.

nope. Just a guy with a smelly sock on his nose. (or in the case of the comic, an Anthropomorphic pig.)

[Jokasti]

What about us? Do we scare you?
Some, yeah.


nope. Just a guy with a smelly sock on his nose. (or in the case of the comic, an Anthropomorphic pig.)
Still pretty weird. I haven't seen it so I don't know.

[Mystic Muse]

Still pretty weird. I haven't seen it so I don't know.

It's a comic called "pearls before swine" and it might be in your newspaper. I know some papers don't run it. If you're extremely eager to check it out it's also online. I may be messing the name up.

However, if you're afraid of pig (yeah, his name is just pig) then I fear for you.

[Jokasti]

It's a comic called "pearls before swine" and it might be in your newspaper. I know some papers don't run it. If you're extremely eager to check it out it's also online. I may be messing the name up.

However, if you're afraid of pig (yeah, his name is just pig) then I fear for you.

Well, I only said most things. Like I'm ok with sleeping, but not things that could happen to you while sleeping. Like bugs crawling down your throat and laying eggs, or slowly bleeding out from biting your lip. I have some bizarrer ones to, like I can't blink too fast for fear of not being able to stop. I don't it my nail cause I'm afraid they'll fall off.

[Lord Raziere]

I just have the usual afraid of heights thing....

which translates to me NEVER EVER going skydiving and being a little nervous every time I get on a plane.

I'm also afraid of drowning, I never go into the deep end of pools.

[Mystic Muse]

Oh, I forgot. I'm afraid of horror movies.

you see, I'm kind of superstitious. Unless something is really stupid and unlikely I believe it can happen.

What I consider possible. Nightmare on Elm Street..........

What I don't consider possible. Breaks forum rules so I won't say it.

[druid91]

Druid, I'd watch that "Water is awesome" stuff.

Some people could have hydrophobia, and you saying it like that might give the impression that you are dismissing their own fears.


Sorry, It's just always seemed to be one of the stranger things to be afraid of but I have to remember that not everyone knew how to swim at the age of six.:smallredface:

[Cealocanth]

A few stings in your younger years is all it takes to develop an irrational fear of anything small, flying, yellow, and with a pointy abdomen. :smallsigh:

You know I have a funny story behind that...........................................lon g story short, It was acutally being stung that cured my fear that sprouted from knowing that bees sting.

As for a completely irrational fear, I fear the chance of alien invasion, and like man to fire, I am fascinated by all forms of alien theory. It's more of a fear that some creature out there could be messing with me in my sleep and I'll never know or that an alien species could be living under our noses and simply decide to snuff us out before we even notice it and colonize Earth. It's completely irrational but it's not outside the realm of possibility. I guess some might call this a fear of G-d, but the aliens are more literal.
*Ksssh* Keep an eye on this Cealocanth. He knows too much. *Ksssh*

[dogmac]

I am afraid of rats.

Because they are foul horrid creatures who would chew your face off as soon as look at you, and the only reason they don't is because they aren't able to.

No, I don't want to know about your pet rats.

You keep them in CAGES when you are asleep, right? HA! My point is proven.

There is a small possiblity I may have read too much 1984 and harp in the south, but the rat thing stands. Hideous things.

[Mystic Muse]

You keep them in CAGES when you are asleep, right? HA! My point is proven.


My family keeps our COCKATIEL in its cage when we're asleep. The only thing we're afraid of it doing is chewing the paint off the walls, on the wood and on cords.

[Cealocanth]

I am afraid of rats.

Because they are foul horrid creatures who would chew your face off as soon as look at you, and the only reason they don't is because they aren't able to.

No, I don't want to know about your pet rats.

You keep them in CAGES when you are asleep, right? HA! My point is proven.

There is a small possiblity I may have read too much 1984 and harp in the south, but the rat thing stands. Hideous things.

I feel your pain. It's the tails that just plain creep me out. Sends a shiver down my spine when I see that icky worm-like tail. It ain't natural for a mammal to have baldness as creepy as that (Says the nearly completely hairless human.) Oh, and the sound of crunching ice makes my teeth hurt, and if there's enough of it I can't stand being in the sameroom with that sound.

[Pyrian]

Why is it that internet people say my dreams are awesome and real-life people say that they are creepy?:smallconfused:Because internet people are creepy. :smallbiggrin:

[Amiel]

[...]second favorite dream is that the world is covered in water. water and glo-stick style glowing walls.

Once the Far Realms usher in humanity's first dawning, this'll pretty much be guaranteed.


Have anyone of you read Rats in the Walls by any chance?

[druid91]

Once the Far Realms usher in humanity's first dawning, this'll pretty much be guaranteed.


You just gave me one more reason to think the far realms are less "scary hideous monster things" and more "awesome monster things" In other words...... GO TEAM FAR REALMS!!!:smallbiggrin:

[Serpentine]

I feel your pain. It's the tails that just plain creep me out. Sends a shiver down my spine when I see that icky worm-like tail. It ain't natural for a mammal to have baldness as creepy as that (Says the nearly completely hairless human.).The Dog (http://www.oneil.com.au/footrot/dogs_tale.shtml) feels your pain.
Alas, the above link's the best I could find. Scroll down to Vernon the Vermin's Song. The Dog hates rats, especially their tails. See Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tail for more information.

[Closak]

About the fear of clowns thing: Clowns always remind me of Kefka Pallazo from Final Fantasy 6.
Psycho killer clown that epically screws up the world and becomes the psycho clown god of magic.

About the fear of snakes: What? Snakes are cute and cuddly! *Hugs snake*


Things that i have phobias for: Drugs, cigarrete smoke, large crowds, nasty killer germs and viruses.

The cigarette smoke thing is because it makes me feel physically ill to smell it, my head hurts, my arms and legs ache, my chest burns, some of my muscles start cramping, i get a cold sweat, and i just can't breathe.

Seriously, cigarette smoke makes me really ill, and those darn smokers are everywhere, and they don't give a damn about the the fact that they are hurting me.

Heck, most smokers i have met are total jackasses who outright shove the things in my face and laugh when i fall over as a result. :smallfurious:

[Mystic Muse]

Heck, most smokers i have met are total jackasses who outright shove the things in my face and laugh when i fall over as a result. :smallfurious:

Here's my advice.
find a law that qualifies this as assault(or some other similar crime).
Get a lawyer and make sure the law applies.
Sue their ***** to kingdom come.

[albis]

I can't believe this thread has come this far and no one's mentioned

SNAKES!!!!!

They terrify me. Not even the poisonous ones either, just all snakes. If they come on a tv show, I have to avert my eyes or for the rest of the day i'll be afraid to put my feet on the ground in front of the couch. It's a quite crippling fear, though it makes me feel good that I share a phobia with Indiana Jones. One of the things that confuses me the most about this phobia is that GIANT snake movies don't scare me at all. On the contrary, they usually make me laugh.

Oh, and I fear clowns. Old creepy men who wear funny clothes and makeup to hang out with children. The movie It probably didn't help this either. Mimes to a lesser extent because they're so bloody talented (sometimes), but the whole facepaint to entertain people thing really gets me.

I used to have a snake. It was very cute, smooth like silk and very cuddly. It followed my voice, swayed to my singing and always wrapped its tail around my hand when I used to pet it... too bad snakes don't live long and they live even less when in captivity... *sigh*
Probably you aren't afraid of the giant ones because you know that the possibility of meeting a giant snake is very slim... I can't say for sure though... my mom also was afraid of snakes until she saw my pet snake Leafy... I managed to make her pet it once and wham! her fears vanished, just like that...

I'm afraid of... hm... sleeping with my back to a void (which is strange, seeing as I sleep on a loft bed at 170cm from the ground... though I never sleep with my back to the ladder and I guess the ceiling is close enough to fill the "void" when I sleep facedown)... I don't know why, I guess it's because of the nasty nightmares I have more often than not about some thing or the other attacking me... or my friends, or my family... I have a rather troubled sleep... *ponders*

I'm also slightly afraid of grasshoppers. When I was 4 years old a huge grasshopper landed rather harshly on my left arm and wouldn't get down, not even when I smacked it with my other hand... it had those little teeth-like things on its feet and they had sunk into my arm, right now I remember it as only midly annoying, but for a 4 year old it was a lot of pain... in the end, my fathersnatched it from my arm and tossed it far into the grass, and it hopped away...
Now, I can take on any kind of insect (my sister is deathly afraid of all of them and I am the one who has to "get them out" every time) but if I see a grasshopper I discreetely distance myself as much as possible and cover my arms XD

[mucat]

Here's my advice.
find a law that qualifies this as assault(or some other similar crime).
Get a lawyer and make sure the law applies.
Sue their ***** to kingdom come.
Bad advice.

First, you can't sue someone for assault. Lawsuits are civil matters; assault is a criminal charge. You could get a DA to file assault charges in an attempt to send them to prison, but the odds of that are slim. (Both of a DA filing charges and of a jury convicting. You would have to prove that he was attempting to harm or physically intimidate you, rather than just being rude.)

If you sue him in civil court, the issue wouldn't be whether he committed assault, but whether he damaged the plaintiff. If there's no damage, there's no basis for a lawsuit. And while a lifetime of being around smokers will definitely damage a person's health, it would be very hard to prove that one guy, on one occasion, caused any measurable damage.

Sometimes you just have to deal with jerks by calling them out and using social pressure, not by lawyers-at-twenty-paces.

[Coplantor]

I have a (somewhat) irrational fear of growing old and death.

Whenever I lay in silence, and I can feel my heart beating, it bothers me that one day it might fail, the same when I focus on my breathing. And I have a weird feeling around my wrists, as if they might accidentally cut themselves with something and I bleed to death without being able to do something about it.
The fact that my body is made of frail flesh and bones troubles me deeply.

[Umael]

Dark. Snakes. Heights. Water. Being tortured while lying on my back.

Had them all. Conquered them all.

Well, mostly.

I don't fear any of those as much anymore. For example, snakes. I like snakes. But if you mentioned that one of them get loose in the house, I would suddenly hover three feet into the air and then take a not-so-nonchalant stroll over to the nearest table or other high location upon which to stand.

And I can locate, in general if not pinpoint, both when this fear started in my life and when it ended.

But my biggest one remains.

The abyss.

Picture yourself 20,000 feet below sea level. You are in a metal can, effectively, that is bulky and clumsy and awkward. It is the only thing keeping you alive. One pinprick, and tons of pressure will crash through. You can't see anything because it is so dark. And cold. Bone-chilling cold. Drowning, crushing, freezing, unable to see anything, unable to move more than a slow motion nightmare... and somewhere, out there, you just know there is a kraken. Call it a giant squid, call it an octupus, it doesn't matter. Something is out there, and it knows you are nearby.

I'll stay on dry land, or at the most, in the boat.

[Dvandemon]

Umael, some snakes like to get higher up. Everyone should have a healthy fear of age Coplantor and albis, I can't sleep towards a "void" either. all this talk of pet snake makes me wish I had one :smallfrown: but i'm fine with my turtle Tim


Why is it that internet people say my dreams are awesome and real-life people say that they are creepy?:smallconfused:

Because they don't understand you like we do!


I feel your pain. It's the tails that just plain creep me out. Sends a shiver down my spine when I see that icky worm-like tail. It ain't natural for a mammal to have baldness as creepy as that (Says the nearly completely hairless human.)

Fun fact, up close rats have scales on their tails.


Oh, I forgot. I'm afraid of horror movies.

you see, I'm kind of superstitious. Unless something is really stupid and unlikely I believe it can happen.

What I consider possible. Nightmare on Elm Street..........

That's why I don't like reading scary things before I go to bed.

[Mystic Muse]

That's why I don't like reading scary things before I go to bed.

Me neither. Oddly, a few things that other people find scary I don't. Like the "I have no mouth and I must scream" story.

[Strawberries]

I have an irrational fear of bees, wasps and in general insects with a sting. I don't really know why and I don't think I've ever been stung, but I refuse to enter in a room where a wasp is if someone doesn't kill it or lets it out.

Strangely, outdoor it doesn't bother me that much. I guess it's because inside a room I feel trapped with the "threat", while outdoor I feel like I've room to escape. It's a bit silly, but it is after all an irrational fear.

Other than that, I have a reputation for being pretty difficult to scare. I can stay up late reading spooky stories and then sleep like a log, the dark doesn't bother me, I like snakes, and I'm more disgusted than scared of rats. But insects...*shudder*

[Mystic Muse]

Strangely, outdoor it doesn't bother me that much. I guess it's because inside a room I feel trapped with the "threat", while outdoor I feel like I've room to escape. It's a bit silly, but it is after all an irrational fear.

Being afraid of things that can hurt you is a rational fear I'd say.

Fear of Realtors is an irrational fear.

[Umael]

Umael, some snakes like to get higher up.

Yes, but to the best of my knowledge, none of them live in Oregon.

(Seriously, it is more of a "surprise!-Meine-Gott!" reaction than a "oh, look, a snake, I'll mosey over here" kind of thing.)


As a sidenote, rats are awesome.

[Strawberries]

Being afraid of things that can hurt you is a rational fear I'd say.

If it was only a mild fear I'd agree with you. What's irrational about it is that it's absolutely out of proportion to the danger. I'm not even allergic, the worst that could happen if I was stung is a slight pain and a bit of annoyance, but if I see a wasp I freeze up to the point of being incapable of going near it to kill it. The best I manage to do is open a window and rush out of the room shutting the door, hoping it goes away on its own. And someone else has to go check it's really gone. :smallsigh:

[Mystic Muse]

If it was only a mild fear I'd agree with you. What's irrational about it is that it's absolutely out of proportion to the danger. I'm not even allergic, the worst that could happen if I was stung is a slight pain and a bit of annoyance, but if I see a wasp I freeze up to the point of being incapable of going near it to kill it. The best I manage to do is open a window and rush out of the room shutting the door, hoping it goes away on its own. And someone else has to go check it's really gone. :smallsigh:

My fear of them isn't quite that extreme (I just hate being stung) But I still think there are odder fears. That honestly isn't that bad I wouldn't say.

[druid91]

Because they don't understand you like we do!

Or maybe its vise versa, You don't know me like they do....:mitd:

[Mordokai]

If it was only a mild fear I'd agree with you. What's irrational about it is that it's absolutely out of proportion to the danger. I'm not even allergic, the worst that could happen if I was stung is a slight pain and a bit of annoyance, but if I see a wasp I freeze up to the point of being incapable of going near it to kill it. The best I manage to do is open a window and rush out of the room shutting the door, hoping it goes away on its own. And someone else has to go check it's really gone. :smallsigh:

Having sister like that, I consider this with mixed amusement and exasperation.

[thorgrim29]

Falling, I don't get vertigo on tall buildings, but I really don't like ladders, and while I haven't tried it in years I used to be unable to jump into a pool from more then 3 meters, and when I go on the tree cable adventure things I'm ok unless I have to actually jump, the slides and cable walks are a bit scary but ok.

Also wasps, but I'm getting better at that one.

[Danne]

...

The abyss.

Picture yourself 20,000 feet below sea level. You are in a metal can, effectively, that is bulky and clumsy and awkward. It is the only thing keeping you alive. One pinprick, and tons of pressure will crash through. You can't see anything because it is so dark. And cold. Bone-chilling cold. Drowning, crushing, freezing, unable to see anything, unable to move more than a slow motion nightmare... and somewhere, out there, you just know there is a kraken. Call it a giant squid, call it an octupus, it doesn't matter. Something is out there, and it knows you are nearby.

I'll stay on dry land, or at the most, in the boat.

You had me at "a metal can." I couldn't even read the rest. *shudder* Did I mention I'm claustrophobic?

Also, I freak out whenever people come near my eyes. Which makes glaucoma tests a bitch. *cringe*

[ForzaFiori]

Insects bother me. Not a horrible fear, but I hate being around them, and I can't stand when they touch me (Some of my friends have had stick bugs, etc as pets, and let them crawl all over them. FREAKY).

Spiders and other arachnids are my kryptonite though. I CAN"T STAND THEM. If I know a spider or scorpion (the most common ones around here) are in the same room as me, I MUST leave the room. I can't stand touching a spiderweb, or anything like that. The only exception is my bio teacher's pet tarantula, Rosy. I even started holding her before the year ended. Other ones still mess with me though.

Oddly, unlike alot of other fears, mine have no basis. I've never had a bad experience with an insect or spider (aside from a few stings, but who hasn't been stung by something?) I just find them EXTREMELY creepy and weird looking. Things should have 4 appendages. No more, no less (only counting arms and legs)

[druid91]

The abyss.

Picture yourself 20,000 feet below sea level. You are in a metal can, effectively, that is bulky and clumsy and awkward. It is the only thing keeping you alive. One pinprick, and tons of pressure will crash through. You can't see anything because it is so dark. And cold. Bone-chilling cold. Drowning, crushing, freezing, unable to see anything, unable to move more than a slow motion nightmare... and somewhere, out there, you just know there is a kraken. Call it a giant squid, call it an octupus, it doesn't matter. Something is out there, and it knows you are nearby.

I'll stay on dry land, or at the most, in the boat.

Sounds like an awesome place to be.... as long as I bring some floodlights with blue light-bulbs.:smallbiggrin: now being trapped underground yeah I would probably freak out unless it was in the dwarven sense of underground, as in extremely high ceilings and open areas.

[Cealocanth]

:smalleek:
I have an irrational fear of bees, wasps and in general insects with a sting. I don't really know why and I don't think I've ever been stung, but I refuse to enter in a room where a wasp is if someone doesn't kill it or lets it out.

I used to be deathly afraid of bees. Anything that was black and yellow and small and flying scared me to death. And then I got stung on my achilles tendon by a wasp and I realized that it's really not that bad. I'm not allergic, and wasps are a part of the natural world (They also make really cool nests.)

My advice, get stung. :smalleek: Either go to a Halloween exhibit where they have you stick your hand into a glass box filled with bumble bees or stop running from them. You'll get over it very fast. I doubt you'll heed my words but that's my advice.

[Serpentine]

The abyss.

Picture yourself 20,000 feet below sea level. You are in a metal can, effectively, that is bulky and clumsy and awkward. It is the only thing keeping you alive. One pinprick, and tons of pressure will crash through. You can't see anything because it is so dark. And cold. Bone-chilling cold. Drowning, crushing, freezing, unable to see anything, unable to move more than a slow motion nightmare... and somewhere, out there, you just know there is a kraken. Call it a giant squid, call it an octupus, it doesn't matter. Something is out there, and it knows you are nearby.

I'll stay on dry land, or at the most, in the boat.I totally feel you here, though slightly different I think. I don't think I'm particularly claustrophobic (although I also don't remember being in a particularly enclosed place at any point, so I could be wrong), but I think I have a bit of a fear of getting stuck, of being unable to escape, specifically. In a submarine or a spaceship, you don't have anywhere else to go if something goes wrong. There's no way I could ever go cave diving - I saw The Cave the other day, and I was more... thrilled (in the older sense) by the normal cave diving sqeezing-through-tunnels parts than the monsters. This makes me sad, cuz I'd love to dive through the caves in the Amazon basin.
I also get somewhat freaked out when I get stuck in clothes. Once I was trying on an Asian-style dress that was just too small for me. I got it part way on, so my arms were up in the air and it was around my shoulders. That's when I realised it wouldn't go on... and that I couldn't get it off. I struggled for a while, and finally swallowed my pride and called for the help of the shop assistant. Who had ducked out to chat with a neighbour :smalleek: :smallsigh: I got it off on my own eventually, but I was starting to panic. Think I popped some stitches in the process, but I figure it served her right.
I think this sort of thing is also why I'd prefer to live near to the ocean, or at least never in central Australia. I sort of... need there to be some different terrain within, say, 100km in every direction. In central Oz, you could travel days in any direction without seeing so much as a puddle or a hill. That doesn't scare me, exactly, but it makes me uncomfortable.

[Dusk Eclipse]

.... I must be extremely weird.

To this day I haven't had an irrational fear..... the closest thing to it isloosing someone dear to me; but I don't think that count as irrational

Oh fun fact, someone in the thread mentioned s/he couldn't sleep in total darkness, I CAN'T sleep unless I am in total darknes (I even wear a facemask ):smallredface:

[albis]

.... I must be extremely weird.

To this day I haven't had an irrational fear..... the closest thing to it isloosing someone dear to me; but I don't think that count as irrational

Oh fun fact, someone in the thread mentioned s/he couldn't sleep in total darkness, I CAN'T sleep unless I am in total darknes (I even wear a facemask ):smallredface:

Lol, having been temporarily blind as a kid because of an eye-trauma, I feel no difference between light and darkness... especially at night.
What bothers me to the point of awakening me (and when I do it's like "What the f--?") is having my back to an empty space, but I think I said it already..

[mucat]

If it was only a mild fear I'd agree with you. What's irrational about it is that it's absolutely out of proportion to the danger.
And yet, when a giant red and white pacman is chasing you and your cat, you remain perfectly rational. :smallwink:

(Seriously, what is that thing?)

[Mordokai]

A pokeball?

[Teddy]

Oh fun fact, someone in the thread mentioned s/he couldn't sleep in total darkness, I CAN'T sleep unless I am in total darknes (I even wear a facemask ):smallredface:

I need both a nigh-total drakness and a nigh-total silence, combined with a moderately comfortable temperature to be able to fall asleep. Hot summer nights combined with crickets, tents or the local reggae festival aren't good for my sleep at all.


On claustrophobia: I do actually like small dark confined spaces. I don't really know why, but I think it's because it limits the amount of impressions I recieve from the surroundings (I'm pretty sensitive to any kind of distracting element). A car ride through the dark night, with the only light coming from the car's head lamps, is like heaven to me.

[Strawberries]

And yet, when a giant red and white pacman is chasing you and your cat, you remain perfectly rational. :smallwink:

(Seriously, what is that thing?)


A pokeball?

Yep. A pokeball, for pokemon week (having no knowledge whatsoever of Pokemons, it's the best I could come up with).

[Serpentine]

I think I might be terrified of getting married :smalleek:

[Ravens_cry]

I seriously die walking though spiderweb. Walking though a spiderweb will evoke a Hanners level panic attack in me. One, the gummy mess all over your body. Two, there's is quite likely a spider on your person, and you don't know where.
You don't know where!
Spiders are beautiful and amazing creatures and are an extremely important part of our ecosystem. I just don't like them on my body.

[mucat]

I think I might be terrified of getting married :smalleek:
Hey, at least you'll know you're marrying someone with phenomenally good taste in companions! That's gotta count for something... :smallsmile:

[Serpentine]

Aw, shucks :smallredface:

Raven: yeah, I hate that. I walk home at night, and often there will be a massive spiderweb literally hanging right across the path :smallsigh: :smalleek: I've walked into a couple. Thank goodness I spotted that one with the big spider in the middle of it...

[Ravens_cry]

Aw, shucks :smallredface:

Raven: yeah, I hate that. I walk home at night, and often there will be a massive spiderweb literally hanging right across the path :smallsigh: :smalleek: I've walked into a couple. Thank goodness I spotted that one with the big spider in the middle of it...
Curse you and my most excellent imagination. I seriously jolted in shudderment upon reading that. :smalleek:

[Serpentine]

On the path towards the colleges from the university, there's big trees on either side. The spider had strung up a web from one tree to the other, straight across the path. I spotted what I thought was a bit of fluff that was oddly hanging in the air. I moved closer to investigate, and discovered it was a spider, about 1.5 inches or so from toe to toe, hanging from its web, right about face level if I hadn't spotted it and kept walking... Then later, I didn't spot a web :smalleek:
I try to remember to think about where I walk, now :smallsigh:

[Winthur]

Dogs. I still wonder why, but a bark from even the smallest - and they don't like me, for some reason, so I'm always woofed away - causes me to shiver. I'm feeling ridiculously uncomfortable in the vicinity of an unleashed dog of any formidable size. A big dog barking can reduce me to a whimpering victim begging for his life. And when a dog who looks twice my size is only leashed by a person who doesn't look capable enough to stop the jaws of fury, I feel like I'm playing with death.

I guess it's related to an event where I was bitten by one while 3 years old. Strangely, I don't even remember that ever happening - I was told about it a few times.

That, and internet shock sites. I hate the feeling of getting startled by one.

[Serpentine]

I find little dogs far more worrying than big ones. I saw statistics a while back, that Maltese terriers are the dogs most often given up to animal shelters, and are most often given up for aggression (or of the ones given up because of aggression, they're most common. I forget. Either way.).
Hate Maltese terriers.
Love big dogs. Most rottweilers I've come across are big dumb boofheads, and German shepherds are beautiful. Makes me sad that they're trying to ban Staffies, apparently :smallfrown:
I maintain that there are no bad dogs, only bad owners. There might be some individuals that are just mental and unfixable (much like people...), but generally, even individuals that are difficult or dangerous can have a good, safe place somewhere, with the right training and owner.

[Ravens_cry]

On the path towards the colleges from the university, there's big trees on either side. The spider had strung up a web from one tree to the other, straight across the path. I spotted what I thought was a bit of fluff that was oddly hanging in the air. I moved closer to investigate, and discovered it was a spider, about 1.5 inches or so from toe to toe, hanging from its web, right about face level if I hadn't spotted it and kept walking... Then later, I didn't spot a web :smalleek:
I try to remember to think about where I walk, now :smallsigh:
Meep!:smalleek:

[poisonoustea]

I'm afraid of dog owners :smallannoyed: you never know how they raised that poor animal.

Why spiders? Spiders are fascinating! You're a thousand times bigger than most spiders you'll find ('cept if you are in Australia), and they're generally scared when they see a human.
I usually can't manage to kill them (nor any other insect, I'm that soft-hearted). I let 'em walk on a paper sheet or into a glass and carry 'em outside when they're too big. If not, I just shoo 'em away to some corner of the room.

And I love mantises and stick insects. I love seeing 'em walk on my arm when I find 'em. Fascinating creatures.


I think I might be terrified of getting married
Definitely not an irrational fear :smalltongue:

[Serpentine]

Like I said before, I'm fine with spiders and the like, I just don't want them on me. I don't like killing them or most bugs, either. I had a little jumping spider crawling all over me, once. Seemed obsessed with me, wouldn't go away. I kept pushing it away cuz I knew it'd be at risk of besquishment if I let it climb on me. I eventually gave up. When I got up to leave, I found it tumbled around and bedeaded :smallfrown:

[Ravens_cry]

Why spiders? Spiders are fascinating! You're a thousand times bigger than most spiders you'll find ('cept if you are in Australia), and they're generally scared when they see a human.
I usually can't manage to kill them (nor any other insect, I'm that soft-hearted). I let 'em walk on a paper sheet or into a glass and carry 'em outside when they're too big. If not, I just shoo 'em away to some corner of the room.

And I love mantises and stick insects. I love seeing 'em walk on my arm when I find 'em. Fascinating creatures.

Spiders are beautiful and fascinating creatures. But the fact they are so much smaller, to the point of being unnoticeable, yet can potentially seriously mess you up is part of the fear. They are all poisonous, it is just a question of degree what it would do to you,
On the other hand, some people are afraid, even terrified, of snakes, yet I am completely OK around them. In fact, I rather like them.

[Tyrandar]

I have a memory of being held down as a toddler so that I could have blood drawn for a Lyme disease test, so needles still freak me out.

My best friend used to be scared of velociraptors because of Jurassic Park.

[Dvandemon]

Curse you and my most excellent imagination. I seriously jolted in shudderment upon reading that. :smalleek:

'Round here in Cali's chaparral environment, the spiders are big and tropical. Any areas unattended for more than a day are covered. I found a few hanging off the mirrors of our car. Don't even get me started on springtime, when they're breeding...

[Ravens_cry]

'Round here in Cali's chaparral environment, the spiders are big and tropical. Any areas unattended for more than a day are covered. I found a few hanging off the mirrors of our car. Don't even get me started on springtime, when they're breeding...
Now you're just being cruel.:smallannoyed:

[Reinboom]

Butterflies

Though I can understand the dislike of crawlies, this one almost confuses me. Mostly because when I see them, I can't help but think of misshapen shrimp with pretty wings.
And the idea of flying shrimp makes me giggle.


Water is awesome, second favorite dream is that the world is covered in water.

Is Kevin Costner there?

====

I must echo one of the first fears presented in this thread by stating that due to an irrational fear, I also am unable to swim for very long. Which is even more frustrating due to coming from an area so surrounded in water. The fear, however, is not of water but instead of instability. I freak out when anything under me shifts and I'm not properly settled. I'm not even able to bear standing on a small crate or stool that is creaks around even a little bit.

By incident, this fear means that I also can't swim. I'm fine with boats (unless they are small and rock easily) and shallow water. I can even wade out to areas where the water rises over my head. All as long as I can at least touch the ground.


I also have a small list of half-fears/half-desires.

The first is, I'm troubled while riding in a car and the window immediately next to me is open. The concern is is that will grab something small and chuck it out the window. Given the tendencies I have to always have a pricey electronic item on hand and it will just lead to a recipe for disaster. To make sure that I don't do something so silly, I try to avoid having the window down whenever possible if the car is moving.

The second is, when standing over high drops I keep getting the desire that I just want to jump. I wouldn't want to be killed or hurt... I just want the jump itself. In many cases, this desire can be amplified by various objects outside the window. When I lived in a 9th floor apartment, there was a large metal electric pole just out my window with the top of the pole a few floors down. I kept imagining the thrill of jumping out the window and impaling myself on it. Of course, I didn't want to be hurt if I did so. I usually kept that window closed.

[Serpentine]

I get the last one. I used to ride on the back of dad's motorbike. He talked about how I leaned into the corners like (I think) I'm meant to. In fact, I was imagining what would happen if I leaned just a bit further and touched my foot to the ground speeding by...

[Runestar]

When I was younger (~4-5), my aunt used to tease me by holding cockroaches near to me. That got me terrified and till this day, I am still afraid of larger flying insects somewhat. It has gotten better over the years, but they still tend to get to me.

[Seffbasilisk]

When I was little, climbing the bookshelves, my mom pulled me down, but dropped me and it hurt when I hit the floor.

Little thing. I doubt any but me remember it.

Years of tree-climbing later, and I still get the adrenaline spike from facing my fear.


Clowns make me want to hurt them. Mimes invite attempts to make them scream.

Losing my voice. When I don't speak, I can just dissapear from people's view entirely. My mom's completely forgotten about me sitting in the seat right to my left. Dad just assumes he's right, and you agree completely if you don't talk.

[Serpentine]

I don't get the hatred of mimes at all :smallconfused: I like 'em.

[Cleverdan22]

Used to have a big fear of dogs. This dated back to when I was but a kid, some dog having pushed me over...into a rose bush. So I guess that's that. Anyways, I started to get slowly over it, and now I have an Australian Shepherd named Kaylee!

[mucat]

Used to have a big fear of dogs. This dated back to when I was but a kid, some dog having pushed me over...into a rose bush. So I guess that's that. Anyways, I started to get slowly over it, and now I have an Australian Shepherd named Kaylee!
[Browncoat geek]Don't let her near your strawberries.[/Browncoat geek]

Nice progress (and a cool dog). So how is the fear of rosebushes coming along?

[Cleverdan22]

So how is the fear of rosebushes coming along?

They're still a...get ready for it...thorn in my side.

Yeah, I did.

[mucat]

Is it too late to register a fear of puns?

[Dvandemon]

I also have a small list of half-fears/half-desires.

I fear my desires will override my common sense. I would go on a self-destructive rampage if they did

[Elfin]

Needles, dear god, needles. I [...] freak out to the degree that I have to be physically restrained when they're in my presence.
[...]
I hate needles. I hate them so much.

This, a thousand times this. I am insanely afraid of needles; just the sight of one can get me close to tears. And needlework...just can't happen.
I guess it's lucky I'm relatively healthy.

[Asta Kask]

This, a thousand times this. I am insanely afraid of needles; just the sight of one can get me close to tears. And needlework...just can't happen.
I guess it's lucky I'm relatively healthy.

It's a fear that's relatively easy to train away, though.

[Ravens_cry]

This, a thousand times this. I am insanely afraid of needles; just the sight of one can get me close to tears. And needlework...just can't happen.
I guess it's lucky I'm relatively healthy.
Last time I gave blood, it spurted when they pushed the needle in.
Some of it got on my shirt.

[Umael]

A lot of people who are afraid of spiders are not afraid of snakes, and a lot of people who are afraid of snakes are not afraid of snakes. It is not a perfect corollary, as there are people who are afraid of both and there are those who are afraid of neither.

I happen (as I mentioned) to be a bit afraid of snakes - although it isn't a huge fear (I actually admire them and have handled them before, but anyway). Spiders though, have never provoked a fear response - other than a "whoa! too close!" kind of reaction.

It amuses me (sometimes) how my various friends react to spiders, especially the big ones. I had to use a tanto to kill one of them one time because my roommate was sehr unhappy that it was in her room. Another time, as my roommate was walking back to go inside the house, she stopped and stared at a spider. For once, I did not care about the spider's life (bad week, stress) and turned to go get a fly swatter, then decided otherwise - I turned and splatted! it with my hand.

Funny thing about enclosed spaces - I prefer them - although when they get too tight and too rigid, I do find that uncomfortable.


...I would probably not do well if I was buried alive.

Oh, hey, the movie "Buried" is coming out! Anyone interested in watching it?

[Lillith]

I'm so afraid of syringes that if I have to get a shot or have to draw blood for some reason, they need to put me in a chair first because if they don't, I'll faint.

Anything that is a bug and can sting me terrifies me. Especially wasps and bees. Never been stung by them.

I'm afraid of physical contact. I try to avoid it if I can. Though I'm at a point in my life now where there are certain people who can touch me. (Yeah being in a relationship for me is so much fun)

What is probably tying in with the above is, while I'm not really afraid of spiders, snakes or bugs or anything crawling, creepy etc. in particular. If they touch me however I'll freak out and spasm/scream/run around like crazy.

I'm afraid of failing.

Also due to watching the movie 'The Ring' when I was too young, I now am unable to sleep with my tv on standby. It has to be turned off. Yeah... I know...

[pinwiz]

Also due to watching the movie 'The Ring' when I was too young, I now am unable to sleep with my tv on standby. It has to be turned off. Yeah... I know...

Doesn't that use less electricity anyway? so that's probably a good thing. well, not the fear, but the product of the fear. :smallbiggrin:

[Drascin]

My best friend used to be scared of velociraptors because of Jurassic Park.

I fail to see why being scared of Velociraptors would be anything other than a very rational fear. They are godless killing machines, after all :smallbiggrin:.

Anyway, as for myself, it's less a fear and more a kind of weird hangup. I am horrible about my hands. I can't stand getting them dirty, and while I can stand needles and even actual wounds in the rest of my body without much more than some whimpering, the smallest cut in my hand and you can bet dollars to doughnuts I'm getting a serious low blood pressure strike and fainting. It's horribly embarrasing.

[albis]

after a particularly disturbing nightmare, I think I might be slightly afraid of my grandmother (from my father's side)... let's just call her a bad omen and leave it at that. XD

[Cleverdan22]

Yeah, I'm not the biggest fan of needles either. Also, bees I'm cool with, but wasps just freeze me. Blerrrg I don't like wasps.

[mizzim]

Needles. Not sewing ones, those are fine. Needles like getting shots, hypodermic needles, anything small and pointy and thin that pierces the skin. I'm shaking just typing this.

I'm a little bit apophobic (scared of bees and wasps), but just a bit.

I'm also... not afraid of heights and falling is the best way that I can describe it. I've had a few weird dreams about falling, and this one where I fell off a 20 foot cliff. It was a happy dream. I was happy when I woke up, and it's freaking me out.

[Serpentine]

A lot of people who are afraid of spiders are not afraid of snakes, and a lot of people who are afraid of snakes are not afraid of snakes.Oh yeah?

I used to be afraid of earwigs. Then I found out they're excellent mothers. It's hard to be really afraid of something that's an excellent mother.

[Thajocoth]

Oh yeah?

I used to be afraid of earwigs. Then I found out they're excellent mothers. It's hard to be really afraid of something that's an excellent mother.

Unless you find yourself accidentally between it and it's young... Then the fact that you know it's an excellent mother can be terrifying. (Assuming it's something you know can hurt you.)

[mucat]

I'm also... not afraid of heights and falling is the best way that I can describe it. I've had a few weird dreams about falling, and this one where I fell off a 20 foot cliff. It was a happy dream. I was happy when I woke up, and it's freaking me out.

You were happy that it was only 20 feet. That's sane enough...

And it sounds like you might really enjoy skydiving or hang gliding. As long as you're careful, that's a good thing!


I used to be afraid of earwigs. Then I found out they're excellent mothers. It's hard to be really afraid of something that's an excellent mother.

Bears are excellent mothers. Humans are afraid of bears, in part because the bears are excellent mothers. This is a perfectly reasonable point of view on the part of the humans.

[CMOTDibbler]

I am mostly afraid of bees, medical needles, and most bugs with more than six legs.

[bluewind95]

I have the faint-upon-seeing-blood issue. But it turns out it's not a phobia. It's an illness called "neurocardiogenic syncope". Basically, the unpleasant stimulus makes something called the vagus nerve go haywire and it drops the blood pressure all of a sudden. And fainting happens. Thing is... when that happens and you're about to faint, it feels a LOT like a panic attack. So you end up thinking that it was a panic attack when it really wasn't. And thus you end up dreading the thing that causes it.

[Serpentine]

People are scared of bears because they can kill you with ease (but see above re: my weird lack of fear regarding vertebrates and only intellect-based caution). That they're good mothers is both a wonderful thing and an added source of danger.
I was scared of earwigs because... I dunno, I thought they might nip with their tails or something. No good reason, anyway. Them being good mothers makes them seem more... human, to use an inappropriate term.

But yeah. You're comparing earwigs to bears, guys? :smallconfused:

[Xyk]

I'm not afraid of ANYTHING! I wrestle bears!! :smallfurious:

...

You believe me, right?

[pinwiz]

I'm not afraid of ANYTHING! I wrestle bears!! :smallfurious:

...

You believe me, right?

of course i do, you're breakfast face!!!! :smalltongue:

[horngeek]

Do you know what the wierdest phobia has to be?

Eleutherophobia- Fear of freedom.

How, exactly, are you going to avoid that?

[mucat]

But yeah. You're comparing earwigs to bears, guys? :smallconfused:
A wizard did it.

[Dvandemon]

Do you know what the wierdest phobia has to be?

Eleutherophobia- Fear of freedom.

How, exactly, are you going to avoid that?

Complete and utter subservience to someone else, constricting clothes, therapy?

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

I'm afraid of growing old. I'm not, funny enough, afraid of dying though, nor of pain. Obviously, i still want to avoid dying, but that's cause I have something planned to do tomorrow. Combine this with a love of the sensation of falling... yeah, not so hot.

[mucat]

I'm afraid of growing old.
Not necessarily compatible with the theme of this thread, because it's not an irrational fear at all. Depending on how things turn out in any individual case, some aspects of growing old are intolerable.

I'm getting old enough myself, and facing enough "interesting" health issues, that I have to give these things very careful thought. If getting old holds no fear for you, then you're either far more enlightened than I am, or you're not yet close enough to the issue to consider it real.

[Inigo Montoya]

I'm afraid of things with eyes on their hands. It started when I was five and had a nightmare about it. For example, after I saw Pan's labyrinth (At 1PM mind you) and saw this guy..http://www.sgnewwave.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/pan-2.jpg I couldn't sleep all night.

[Cealocanth]

Do you know what the wierdest phobia has to be?

Eleutherophobia- Fear of freedom.

How, exactly, are you going to avoid that?

Not really the weirdest one, it's like Claustrophobia.

In my opinion, the weirdest fear out there is Luposlipaphobia, (Try saying that 10 times fast :smalltongue:.) the fear of being chased by timber wolves around the kitchen table while wearing wool socks on a newly waxed hardwood floor.

[mucat]

In my opinion, the weirdest fear out there is Luposlipaphobia, (Try saying that 10 times fast :smalltongue:.) the fear of being chased by timber wolves around the kitchen table while wearing wool socks on a newly waxed hardwood floor.
OK, but how about the wierdest one that someone didn't make up for the hell of it, and attach a bit of mangled Latin/English to?

[Cealocanth]

OK, but how about the wierdest one that someone didn't make up for the hell of it, and attach a bit of mangled Latin/English to?

Wait, made up for the hell of it? I thought it was a real word. Give me a second to check the dictionary.

[Edit] Check this out:

1. luposlipaphobia
fear of being pursued by timber wolves around a kitchen table whilst wearing socks on a newly waxed floor.

As the dogs approached little Matty, it re-kindled his luposlipaphobia, as he sat at the table in his new fluffy warm socks.

Google it. found it on Ask's urban dictionary. Not a real word but the word exsists. And personally, wouldn't you be luposlipaphobic if you were being chased by said timber wolves in said circumstance?]

[mucat]

Not wanting to be overly cynical, but the Latin "lupo" and the distinctly English "slip" kind of raise alarm bells...

[Serpentine]

Ah, Gary Larson. Having his humorous ideas stolen and regurgitated as fact for 20 years and counting.
Can't find that one, but here's another:

http://i.imgur.com/FMQWM.png

[Cealocanth]

Ah, Gary Larson. Having his humorous ideas stolen and regurgitated as fact for 20 years and counting.
Can't find that one, but here's another:

http://i.imgur.com/FMQWM.png

You just made my day. That's hard to do. Congradulations! :smallcool:

[mucat]

Thank you, Serp!

I knew I'd heard that "luposlipa" thing before, but until you reminded me, I couldn't remember that it was a Gary Larson cartoon! I also can't find the exact Far Side reference, but I can visualize the picture clearly now. You have put my mind at ease.

[Pyrian]

Anitadaephobia and its sponsor, AFLAC:

http://failblog.org/2009/10/23/ad-placement-fail-4/

[Ravens_cry]

Anitadaephobia and its sponsor, AFLAC:

http://failblog.org/2009/10/23/ad-placement-fail-4/
*wipes a tear*
That, was beautiful.
ANother Gary Larson great is the fact the term Thagomizer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thagomizer)has been adopted as an official description for the spikes on the end of (among others) a Stegosauruses tail.

[Dvandemon]

While a fan of Gary Larson and not keeping with the "theme" as mucat calls it, I fear a thread getting off track. You gotta nip these things in the bud

[Cleverdan22]

Alright, back on topic then. Let's see, I talked about my past fear of dogs, and also wasps and needles. Oh! I know! Some cats. Not all cats, only a few. Creepy cats. Cat's that look like they're from the wrong side of the tracks, cat's with horrible faces that you know have seen stuff you couldn't imagine. Those cats.

[pinwiz]

Alright, back on topic then. Let's see, I talked about my past fear of dogs, and also wasps and needles. Oh! I know! Some cats. Not all cats, only a few. Creepy cats. Cat's that look like they're from the wrong side of the tracks, cat's with horrible faces that you know have seen stuff you couldn't imagine. Those cats.

I wouldn't say i'm afraid of cat's, but I hate them and they hate me. They always claw me, and never even give me the time of day except with their cold, soulless stare. A lot of why I hate them is because i can't be around them for more than ten minutes without having an allergy attack. Last weekend i got hives from being in my girlfriend's house. her mom has like ten cats. i don't go to her house often.

cats, you are evil. i'm watching you. :smallmad:

[Cleverdan22]

I wouldn't say i'm afraid of cat's, but I hate them and they hate me. They always claw me, and never even give me the time of day except with their cold, soulless stare. A lot of why I hate them is because i can't be around them for more than ten minutes without having an allergy attack. Last weekend i got hives from being in my girlfriend's house. her mom has like ten cats. i don't go to her house often.

cats, you are evil. i'm watching you. :smallmad:

See, some cats I get along with just fine. I have three cats, myself, and they are awesome, if mostly outdoor. It's just some cats rub me the wrong way, and I don't like them.

[poisonoustea]

Cats tend to be very relaxed when I'm around. I could pet cats who wouldn't let their owners get close; and I'm only allergic to certain dark-colored cats. It's kinda strange.

[Thajocoth]

Cats tend to be very relaxed when I'm around. I could pet cats who wouldn't let their owners get close; and I'm only allergic to certain dark-colored cats. It's kinda strange.

Same here, except that I'm allergic to all cats. They all love me, but then I'm sneezing up a storm later...

Except Mouse, who never got used to ANY humans, and ran away when she was little.

I remember a cat in a bookstore that the owner said not to touch. She won't let anyone touch her head... I got kicked out after proving them wrong. Bad business sense to keep a cat in a store that will claw customers that try to pet her...

Oliver took a while. He was never scared of me, but early on he didn't let me pet him. Both of the times I got Mouse to relax enough to let me pet her (by lying completely flat on the floor & making no noise), and she was thoroughly enjoying it, when Oliver would come up, put his paws around her head, and try to pull her away from me. Then I'd try to pet him while his guard was down, and he'd drop her, block my hand with his paw, and jump to the side on his hind legs. This tiny little kitten knew how to parry... Today, Oliver practically begs me to play with him.

[Serpentine]

Cleverdan: I've read a beautiful story about just such a cat. Thusly:

Everyone in the apartment complex I lived in knew who Ugly was. Ugly was the resident tomcat. Ugly loved three things in this world: fighting, eating garbage, and shall we say, love.

The combination of these things combined with a life spent outside had their effect on Ugly.

To start with, he had only one eye, and where the other should have been was a gaping hole. He was also missing his ear on the same side, his left foot has appeared to have been badly broken at one time, and had healed at an unnatural angle, making him look like he was always turning the corner.

His tail has long since been lost, leaving only the smallest stub, which he would constantly jerk and twitch. Ugly would have been a dark gray tabby striped-type, except for the sores covering his head, neck, even his shoulders with thick, yellowing scabs. Every time someone saw Ugly there was the same reaction. "That's one UGLY cat!!"

All the children were warned not to touch him, the adults threw rocks at him, hosed him down, squirted him when he tried to come in their homes, or shut his paws in the door when he would not leave. Ugly always had the same reaction. If you turned the hose on him, he would stand there, getting soaked until you gave up and quit. If you threw things at him, he would curl his lanky body around feet in forgiveness. Whenever he spied children, he would come running meowing frantically and bump his head against their hands, begging for their love. If you ever picked him up he would immediately begin suckling on your shirt, earrings, whatever he could find.

One day Ugly shared his love with the neighbors huskies. They did not respond kindly, and Ugly was badly mauled. From my apartment I could hear his screams, and I tried to rush to his aid. By the time I got to where he was laying, it was apparent Ugly's sad life was almost at an end.

Ugly lay in a wet circle, his back legs and lower back twisted grossly out of shape, a gaping tear in the white strip of fur that ran down his front. As I picked him up and tried to carry him home I could hear him wheezing and gasping, and could feel him struggling. I must be hurting him terribly I thought. Then I felt a familiar tugging, sucking sensation on my ear- Ugly, in so much pain, suffering and obviously dying was trying to suckle my ear. I pulled him closer to me, and he bumped the palm of my hand with his head, then he turned his one golden eye towards me, and I could hear the distinct sound of purring. Even in the greatest pain, that ugly battled-scarred cat was asking only for a little affection, perhaps some compassion.

At that moment I thought Ugly was the most beautiful, loving creature I had ever seen. Never once did he try to bite or scratch me, or even try to get away from me, or struggle in any way. Ugly just looked up at me completely trusting in me to relieve his pain.

Ugly died in my arms before I could get inside, but I sat and held him for a long time afterwards, thinking about how one scarred, deformed little stray could so alter my opinion about what it means to have true pureness of spirit, to love so totally and truly. Ugly taught me more about giving and compassion than a thousand books, lectures, or talk show specials ever could, and for that I will always be thankful.

He had been scarred on the outside, but I was scarred on the inside, and it was time for me to move on and learn to love truly and deeply. To give my total to those I cared for.

Many people want to be richer, more successful, well liked, beautiful, but for me, I will always try to be Ugly.Dunno if it's true. Undecided whether I hope it is or not...

[Cealocanth]

My, that was a beutiful story, about Ugly. If you get the chance, there should be a book written about him. I was touched by that post, imagine what the readers would think about it. If there were a smiley with a small smile shedding a single tear, now would be the time to use it.

[Serpentine]

I can't find the origin, and I'm not sure a full book or short story would really work for it.

[Ilena]

And horses. Hate them. Fear them. Evil creatures, they're half insane you know, and you can't trust an animal that's like that all the time. Also, they're huge and can crush your skull as easily as they breathe.

Awww why? I love horses, they are so trustworthy, you just have to know how to talk to them :P

Anyway, I dont have much that i fear BUT, i dont think its a fear but more of a feeling of the forest itself, but whenever i walk alone in the forest i feel like im being watched, and sometimes i have a hostile feeling in the forest thats like it doesnt want me there and that if i keep going ill be attacked or something :S its really weird,

Hmmmmmm other fears, well bee's i dont fear, i had one land on my shoulder and just sat there for awhile before flying off, no big deal, i KNOW i fear change, change for me is a real big deal,

I also have a fear of losing control of my body parts, like hands and feet and legs and arms and all that, probably kept me from breaking any bones or such when i was younger :P

And fear of the unknown, probably a good one there too for me

Edit - and serp, that story made me cry,

[Cealocanth]

I fear this thread's going to die.
Has anyone out there ever feared fear itself, or is that just a storybook thing?

[onthetown]

I have an irrational fear of thunder but I'm fascinated by lightning. I've always been really sensitive to sounds and lightning looks pretty, so that's all the explanation I can come up with.

I'm also terrified of flying in a plane, but that's more from paranoia.

Needles are a big one. I used to love needles when I was a kid (free popsicles!) but now it takes two people to keep me from running and the nurse to poke me. I just somehow got the fear of god put in me about them and I can't remember how or why.

The irony? I work in a doctor's office with needles every day. If that counts as irony, anyway. I call it sadistic coincedinces. Which could be the same as irony. I don't even know anymore, people obsess over it so much...

Also, worms. One of the kids I used to play with when I was younger once picked up a handful of them and dropped them down my shirt and pants before I could run away. I cried and cried and cried for hours and it still makes me anxious thinking about it... I go out of my way to avoid the little suckers now. The worms, I mean.

[Meg]

I'm terrified of heights, and in conjunction with that, elevators. I can go in an elevator, but I always just about hyperventilate when I do so, especially if the elevator has any glass walls.

Reading The Shining did nothing to help this fear, btw.

[ApeofLight]

I used to have a fear of being alone, or alone in the dark. It's mostly gone now. I blame too many scary stories and scary movies as a kid. Luckily I have the soft glow and hum of the computer to keep me company now.

[Dvandemon]

Hye, just like me :smallwink:

[GM.Casper]

I fear this thread's going to die.
Has anyone out there ever feared fear itself, or is that just a storybook thing?

One can certainly be afraid of being perceived as a coward, but I cant really immagine how fearing fear would work.

[hamishspence]

Mandorellan in David Eddings's Belgariad came down with a case of fearing fear, for a while.

[mucat]

One can certainly be afraid of being perceived as a coward, but I cant really immagine how fearing fear would work.

Well, the original "Only thing to fear is fear itself" quote from FDR meant something along the lines of "The only way we'll fail is if we lose our courage."

But as for literally fearing fear itself...think of a person who hates public speaking, for example. Before giving a talk, he might be thinking "What if I panic up there and lose my composure? That'll be terrible!" So he's afraid that he'll be afraid.

A more extreme version can happen to people with a history of panic attacks. They can develop a phobia of having panic attacks and losing control in public, and the phobia can become a crippling problem even in the absence of actual panic attacks.

[Darklord Xavez]

A few stings in your younger years is all it takes to develop an irrational fear of anything small, flying, yellow, and with a pointy abdomen. :smallsigh:

Agreed. I agree so much with you. In fact, I am deathly afraid of any flying insect. They all look like wasps to me.
-Xavez

[Trellan]

Water I can't see the bottom of. Clear water? Perfectly fine. Whenever i can't see what's below me though, there's this constant, nagging fear that something I wouldn't like is down there. This is so irrational that it even applies in situations where something couldn't be there (such as when I was backpacking in the mountains and swimming in a small lake formed from snow runoff. Yes, it was cold). I don't know where it comes from or why it works the way it does, but it's annoying.

[Dvandemon]

It gratifies me when I find someone with similar fears. Did I mention that I can't close my eyes in the shower without having visions of aquatic monsters?

[Drakevarg]

I dunno if my reaction to bees and bee-like creatures (wasps, hornets, etc.) is fear or simply caution. I never freak out, just move elsewhere if they get too close to my personal space.

I utterly hate centipedes. Don't fear them, just want to make them dead. Disgusting things.

I have a fear of cliffs. Not heights in general, just long distances straight down.

When it's dark, pseudohumans (clowns, mannequins, dolls, etc.) make me feel uneasy.

Darkened portals. That is, doorways and windows that I can't see whats through them. Or having my back to any portal in the dark. Similarly, disembodied noises. Creaking floorboards, doors shifting from changes in air pressure, objects falling off shelves, etc.

I think it's worth pointing out that for years, I've never gotten scared in the way that I define scared. That is, panicking, hiding, shaking, etc. and so forth. When I'm "scared" my brain just goes into survival mode, a sort of hyperaware state where I'm prepping myself to fight if nessicary.

[McBish]

I had a friend who is scared of people having seizures around her and her toes being pulled of.

I am sort of afraid of heights and hate when bugs sneak up on me.

[GenPol]

Bugs and heights.

Well, I'm not scared of high places, just scared of falling off of high places, which really doesn't seem that irrational.

The bugs on the other hand... I guess I'm scared of them just because it's hard to know how they're going to get you. Like if a bear is attacking you, you know he's going to bite/scratch/maul you. There's nothing sneaky about it. With bugs, you never know if they're hiding something poisonous, or can suddenly sneak up and chomp down for a whole bunch of pain.

[Cealocanth]

I've recently developed a minor fear of those poorly drawn pokemans and other things in that style. :smalleek: (You know what I'm talking about...) I refuse to link it, it's too scary. I've had nightmares about those things....

[Grey Paladin]

Bugs crawling me in my sleep, or flying at my face. If I see a critter in my room I kill it. If it gets away I cannot sleep because it could be hiding, and usually go sleep in the living room.

Like others here, jellyfishes and anything similarly 'invisible'.

Any monochromatic field I cannot see the edge of, if I begin staring into it. I think its a somewhat primal function connected to the fear of going blind.

Used to suffer from chronophobia. It got better with time :smalltongue:

[Setra]

For me, it's most insects, anything that can bite or sting in particular.

It's odd really, I am fairly sure a sting isn't that painful, and often I'm fairly masochistic, but put me in front of a bumblebee and I WILL literally drop whatever I am doing and RUN.

I try never to carry anything important outside in the spring or summer.

As to why I have it? Not sure, I've been stung a couple times in my life before I had the phobia and it didn't hurt, only by sweat bees so there's that, but still. I think part of it is simply that in my youth, many adults would explain to me how painful a wasp or hornet sting was, and it just kinda snowballed into a full blown phobia.

As far as Spiders, I was bitten by a Black Widow when I was young once and nearly died. Amusingly, it's not a phobia so much as a normal fear of them, though I think most of that is simply they are easier to kill...

Try to kill a bee, it'll dodge your attack and sting you. Try to kill a spider and it'll either die after a few attempts or scurry away, though I do freak out a little if they manage to hide from me.

I also have a slight fear of medicine. Once when I was young I took a single pill that my mother took daily. They rushed me to the hospital and worried I might die from it (I don't remember what the doctor said, but I am fairly sure it wasn't anywhere NEAR life threatening).