Needles. I am terrified of needles. I avoid them at all costs. I only have blood drawn if it is just absolutely necessary.
Besides needles, the only thing that can scare me to the point of feeling sick or wake me up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat is thinking about something happening to my kids. I can’t imagine losing one of my babies. I don’t know how people go on who have. 
Put me on the heights list. I can’t climb a ladder, I can’t look down from a roof, none of it. A couple years ago, when they started showing commercials for the Superman rollercoaster at Great Adventure, my friends started bugging me about riding it. We were sitting in the middle of my living room, and they actually made me cry at the thought of going on the rollercoaster. I was once thrown out of the Washington Monument because somebody accidentally knocked me off the little stool I was standing on to look out the window, and I screamed because I thought I was falling all the way to the ground. They do not take kindly to screaming inside national monuments.
I don’t like bugs, but as a woman living alone, I’ve learned to kill them. Or sic the cats on them. I usually use the compromise technique. I address the bug directly, and tell him that he’s welcome to go about his business as long as he stays out of my hair and my food. It seems to work.
Other than that, the only thing I’m truly afraid of is being alone for the rest of my life.
Heh. Might it be a dental thing? Dentists all seem to own Kenny G and Rod Stewart’s greatist hits, and play them endlessly. Billy Joel too, sometimes.
This is so random that it’s embarrasing sometimes to admit it. I have no good earthly reason to be so, but I am TERRIFIED of horses. Must be the “Little Hans” in me or something.
Lakes and oceans (I can get my feet wet, but I can’t go in them).
Underwater scenes in movies.
Being in a swimming pool alone.
Sharks.
Moths.
Top of the list is Heights. Although I work on the 8th floor, as long as I don’t get TOO close to the window, I’m okay. However, I have a balcony off my bedroom (second floor) which I simply cannot go to the edge and look over. It completely freaks me out and although I like the idea of sitting on the balcony, among the trees and reading a book, actually being out there terrifies me. When I’m forced to go out there (which is rarely), I stick close to the house itself and don’t go near the railing. There is no way I’d ever go bungie jumping or skydiving (although I’m okay with flying.)
Deep water I can’t see into. A swimming pool at 12 feet or whatever is okay, but deep water, such as a lake or ocean, that’s cloudy and you can’t see your hand under the water? No way. Thinking about what’s swimming in the water creeps me out, but thinking what’s laying on the bottom just freaks me out completely. I was even reading an article today about the dredging of the Mississippi, and I was getting a bad case of the willies.
Other people’s feet. Toe fungus, callouses, toenails…ewwwwwwwww. <gag>
Ooo, I’ve got one that no one’s said yet.
Suffocation. I can’t even watch it in a movie. I remember there was one movie where they stuck a plastic bag over some guys head and you could see him breathing breathing breathing for air…freaks me out to this day. And What was that movie, where the retarded girl got raped killed and came back as a ghost? They put a plastic bag over her head while they were raping her. That disturbed me as much as the rape.
Also bugs but NOT spiders. Things with lots of little hairy parts, like centipedes or roaches. But I’m only afraid to squash centipedes (them little buggers run so damn fast!) the rest just make my hair stand on end while I jump on them.
I think i have a touch of claustrophobia.
Free snakes. No, not snakes that don’t cost money. Snakes that are not confined.
Snakes in a cage? I’m cool with that.
Snakes in the control of a handler? Shoot, I’ll even touch it.
Snakes free to move about on their own? I’m outta here.
Harmlful or harmless, venomous or not, I don’t like free range snakes. I can’t even bring myself to touch an unrestrained snake that I know for a fact is well and truly dead. Pining for the fjords, even. An irratioinal fear no doubt, but it ain’t likely to change.
Anything that slithers.
So that would be snakes, lizards and a few people I’ve come across.
:eek:
I am not afraid of heights. I love to fly, being in the mountains and snowskiing. If I can go up by elevator, lift, stairs or gradual incline it’s great. However, I am terribly afraid of escalators, ladders , step stools, the odd height of the exam bed in a doctors office and (oddly for a woman from Texas) the tailgate of a truck.
I can only do an escalator with the help of one of three people and even then it is a heart pounding, knee weakening, quivering like a little girl experience. Each is aware of my great fear and know where I need them to be able to do it.
I cannot do ladders or step stools at all. Just can’t. I can do the doctors exam bed and the tail gate thing if someone holds my hand as an assist.
My greatest fear however is the death of my remaining son or my husband. I have terrifying breathless, sweaty, crying out nightmares of them being diagnosed with cancer or being in a car crash.
Bears. Fortunately there aren’t many in Houston, but when I’m hiking in Yellowstone I wish I could carry the Liberty Bell (instead of the little tinkley ones), an AK-47, and a hand grenade.
Sharks. As unpredictable as bears, but you usually can’t see them, and none of the above-mentioned weaponry would work.
Police. Also as unpredictable as bears, and they have guns.
That would be Stir Of Echoes, with Kevin Bacon and the always yummy Illeana Douglas.
For me it’s spiders and needles getting put into eyes. As you can imagine, I still have no idea what happens after twenty minutes into Arachnophobia.
Needles. Especially in my mouth. The next time I go for (long overdue) dental work, it will have to be at one of those dentists who will put you to sleep first.
Attention all those who need blood - you may not have any of mine, unless they come up with a tap that you can scotch-tape onto my arm, turn it on and get blood. If not - forget it.
Thrill rides. There is nothing anyone could do or say to get me on a roller coaster. Or a motorcycle. I’m also afraid of death by mishap on a speeding vehicle, or worse, living through the pain of being torn up and broken from mishap on a speeding vehicle.
And snakes. I nearly stepped on a water moccasin in my back yard last year. I think my heart is still pounding from it.
I’m OK with bugs, though. I can squish them, no problem. Flying cockroach? Fly on me and it’s the last mistake you’ll ever make, bug! Spiders? They eat other bugs. I leave them alone.
Hmm…a few things:
Bugs. They only bother me if they’re inside my home. Outside, I don’t really care.
The dark. My basement is quite creepy at night. I’m always afraid that someone’s going to jump out and grab me or something :eek:
Someone attacking me. I think most people to a certain extent are afraid of this, but I’m quite paranoid at times.
There might be more I’ll add, I just can’t think of any more right now.
Snails/slugs: these are the worst, as in, cold sweat panic attack
Clowns: the ones with the white painted faces and the really scary hair, I can’t handle (but would prefer not to) the sad hobo style clowns with the sad faces
Mushrooms hidden in my food: I detest mushrooms, not sure if it’s physical or psychological, but I always throw up if I happen to get one in my mouth. Sometimes I make it to the sink or bathroom, sometimes I throw up right in my plate. I’m leaning toward it being psychological, althought my mother told me I could detect even cream of mushroom soup in casseroles and wouldn’t eat it as young as 5. So the possibility of throwing up into my plate in public, makes me afraid there might be mushrooms lurking nearby.
My former (hallelujah!) housemate has a great dane. Basil is a sweet-tempered beast, but he gave me a heart attack when I came downstairs one day to see him with his mouth around the head of a little girl that my housemate was babysitting. He wasn’t biting - I want this perfectly clear, and the little girl was having a blast getting gummed. But :eek:
My own biggest fear is steam. With fire a close second. If I hear steam leaking or smell smoke, I’m unfit company until I find out EXACTLY the source of the sound or scent.
Wasps and bees. Im terrified of them.
I thought you had done 200 + parachute jumps? Wow, you’re even braver than I’d thought!
Jeez a bunch of you are what I would call sissies.
I’m only afraid of one thing: one of my children getting seriously hurt or killed.