What is my phobia called?

Factual Questions
1

MsWhatsIt referenced this thread in a current MPSIMS thread about Snopes.com, and it (the old referenced discussion on trypophobia [sp.?]) got me wondering what my little phobia is called.

My only real pathological fear is rather like claustrophobia, but there are some very significant differences between it and my understanding of what claustrophobia is.

Anyway, here’s my fear: I am stone cold TERRIFIED of being in places…

a) from which I cannot easily escape,
b) that are in some sort of marked acceleration (in the physics sense of the word), and
c) which are beyond my control to slow down or stop.

All three of these circumstances have to be present for the feat to be triggered. And when they are…hoo boy. Full-blown panic attack. So it’s not really claustrophobia, not really motion sickness, not really fear of heights or speed–it’s a very situation-dependent fear.

The two best examples of such situations that I can think of are:

-those centrifuge capsules that they put astronauts in and spin them around and around and around at high speeds, until the astronauts pass out from the g forces; and

-being in the back seat [!] of one of my high school chums’ two-door [!] car, as he drove around doing doughnuts at crazy-awful speed, in a parking lot.

[I’ve broken out into a sweat now, just thinking about those two things, one of which is a real memory!]

In these situations, 1) there is no easy escape, 2) there is some sort of significant acceleration occurring, and 3) I’m not at all in control of what’s happening. Take away any one of those elements, and the fear is gone.

As you can imagine, I am NO FUN AT ALL at amusement parks and fairs! :frowning:

So what’s wrong with me, technically?

2

I think the name of your fear is called “sanity”.

Afraid of being in the backseat of a car while your bonehead “buddy” races around the parking lot doing doughnuts?

Was this “buddy” also downing a bottle of moonshine, while texting? Seems like a reasonable thing to be afraid of.

I also hate many of the same things. When I went to Disney World with my kids, I told them that Daddy doesn’t ride on anything faster than an escalator. If they want to ride a coaster, they’re more than welcome too. Daddy is just going to sit and play games on his iPhone while they ride.

3

From your description, you might be diagnosed with a type of Anxiety Disorder. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSDS) is one type of Anxiety Disorder. As you said, you fear situations. Phobia names generally indicate a fear of a specific thing. But some, describe situations, like Claustrophobia. All of these are descriptive names for disorders.

You have a rational fear of dangerous things, but then you added:
[I’ve broken out into a sweat now, just thinking about those two things, one of which is a real memory!]

If you are sweating about something that is not happening now, or in the recent past, and not likely in the near future, but did happen to you, then you might fit into the PTSD category. If you have anxiety thinking about something that did not happen to you, and is unlikely to happen to you, that might be more in the general Anxiety Disorder category.

This is not a medical term, but if not enjoying carnival rides is the only harm you suffer as a result of your condition, you just have a ‘Quirk’.

The condition that put you in the car, is called ‘Adolescence’. That is usually cured by staying alive for a few years after the onset. My experience is that it takes longer for that to clear up in men, than for women. I think men have a higher relapse rate as well. Not everyone can be cured, I’ve been waiting over 40 years, and still suffer from some of the symptoms.

4

Phobia does not seem to encompass what you’ve described. It’s much more reasonable to say that you may have an anxiety disorder. With non-specific fears its often a fruitful idea to find a source to the issue. Maybe you are a person who is afraid of losing control over your self and your environment. Maybe you have experienced a loss of control and had that stamped into your psyche with a traumatic result. It would be good to consider that you fears although objectively rational are not mechanisms of self preservation. Many times people lose these fears when they find a strong purpose to follow. Maybe falling in love, or pursuing a dream you’ve always wanted. Maybe taking on a challenge would help out.

5

Are you afraid of flying?

6

You guys keep taking to anxiety disorder levels, but I’m not so sure. Balance problems can cause similar problems. Being confined will make it harder to adjust to the acceleration, as your primary balance sense may be visual. Being in control of it means you can control how big a difference there is, so you don’t feel sick, and thus anxious. Balance disorders cause a lot of anxiety.

Don’t get me wrong–PTSD is a valid choice as well. In fact, one can cause the other, because vertigo can be horribly scary.

My only advice–what ever you do, resist being put on any benzos if you go to a psychiatrist. And don’t worry about that unless it’s really impacting your life.

7

I didn’t want to advise the OP on what to do, but my personal opinion of what I would do under those circumstances are very close to yours. For myself, I would avoid medications in general, avoid long term use of them, especially if I was young, so I wouldn’t wonder later in life how they might have affected my life. Unless I didn’t care about things like that.

8

Not commercially, no. But I have ridden in the back of a single-engine Cessna, and that freaked me the hell out.

9

Have you seen a couple other of my threads? I was a hardcore benzo addict for quite a few years. Only got totally clean a few months ago.