What's Your Phobia? (poll)

By phobia I mean an extreme, irrational and, as the dictionary puts it, “morbid” fear. So, for example, if you’re nervous of large growling dogs, you’re sensible, but if you check under the bed every night in case one is lurking there, it’s a phobia.
I’m going to take a guess that the most common ones will be spiders, snakes, mice and miscellaneous insects, so it’ll be interesting to see if I’m wrong.
Also, could you kindly give your phobia a severity rating from 1 to 5?

1 = you’re horrified if you encounter the real thing, but pictures and thoughts are no problem.
5 = Even if you see a photo of the feared object (you can barely contemplate seing the real thing), you scream and claw your skin because you can’t get the image out of your mind, even though you have thrown the magazine with the photo in it across the room. You have to ask your friends to see films before you do, to check that IT does not feature. Basically, you would risk death, and endanger others, to avoid it.

(2,3,4 are gradations in between)

Thanks.
Nearly forgot, mine is spiders, and it’s a number 5. And anyone who attaches a pic to their post is a rotter.

Sorry, previewed twice but missed “seeing”

Spiders, and I rate it a 5+, if that’s possible. I get hysterical, run screaming, nearly pee my pants. I can’t view pictures, let alone video of those critters. The thought of a live one gives me nightmares, for several nights.

I have several and they’re all 5+'s - mice, rats, cats, caves, and getting out of my depth in water.

The only thing I’ve experienced was mice and I had a total panic attack for about 2 hours after finding poo in my bed (oh am gagging just remembering that) and left the house for a week and let someone else deal with it. Eventually left the house for good cos the problem was a recurring one and my nerves were shredded so badly I wasn’t eating or sleeping.

Should read "the only thing I experienced recently … oops !!

I’m afraid of cold water, like lakes with ice chunks floating in them. I just am so afraid of falling in because I know if I went in off a boat there would be NO chance of getting out.

SPIDERS. Shudder

I have two…my car plunging into a lake (or any large body of water) and me trying to get my two kids out safely in time…or getting my car stuck on railroad tracks…trying to get my kids out before the train hits…rational much? Not me! Oh I and I loathe flying, even seeing a plane in the sky makes me have a panic attack, all these are probably rated at about a 3+…as for spiders…I squish them while screaming loudly like a ninja. Walk quietly but carry a very big shoe. Margo

Sheesh, now I have to go and guzzle some boxed wine, I am all wound up…

I don’t know if it would be classified as a phobia or not but it terrifies me to have to speak in public. Fortunately I’ve never had to do it much.

Blood

I’ll rate spiders about a 2.5. I used to be much worse, but I did my best to educate myself about them. I still can’t stand seeing certain pictures…the spider scene in that Harry Potter movie really freaked me out, for instance. However, upon seeing the real thing, I need to take a few breaths before I can deal with it. However, if I ever woke up with a large spider on my face, I don’t think I’d ever recover. Basically…my rule of thumb is this: the more legs it has, the more terrifying it is. Of course, the exception there is scoprions. There is not a creature I am more afraid of…and I don’t even know what they look like. Being as how we don’t have many of them here in North Dakota, I’m not entirely sure where the fear comes from either. I had a nightmare when I was spending a night in Phoenix once, and I have never gotten over it.

I’m not especially afraid of heights or closed spaces, either. However, combine the two (in an enclosed elevator), and I’m a nervous wreck. I’d rate that one a 2.5 as well.

My biggest fear, though, is deep water. I know exactly where this comes from, too…

I am actually an excellent swimmer…or I was the last time I tried almost ten years ago. However, I had a near drowning incident when I was about 12. I still swam for quite a few years after that. However, when I was about 21, I had another accident that involved a foot cramp. I was normally able to tread water for hours on end, but I entirely exhausted myself with panic within seconds after the foot cramp set in. It was so painful, I actually forgot I was in the water. After a lungful of water, it was very difficult to get to the edge of a pool.

I tried deep water once after that. Having twice gulped a chest full of water in my life, I would panic if the taste of chlorine even touched my tastebuds.

One other time, I hit some deep water while jetskiing. The feeling of being in the water with a life-jacket was even more terrifying than being in the water without one.

I haven’t touched a pool, lake, or beach since.

I’d give that fear a 5. I never really liked to swim anyway…I was always forced to do it.

Lightning is about a 4.5 for me. I can see photos of it, but I can barely bring myself to function in a lightning storm. I have no idea where that comes from. I’ve never had a bad lightning experience.

Spiders don’t scare me so much as creep me out. They never used to, but about a year ago I put on a riding helmet and felt something crawling on my head and face. I removed the helmet to find maybe 100 baby spiders crawling around (apparently an egg sack had just hatched in that helmet). They were all over me. I think that has scarred me forever! I just get the ickies from spiders these days.

I have aibohphobia - The fear of palindromes.:smiley:

Spiders. 4 (used to be a 5) Had a recurring child-hood dream of a black widow.

Deep NATURAL water: 4. I have this thought of some ominous creature suddenly biting my leg off or pulling me under. The unseen is FREAKY man…

Margo - your car plunging into a lake, your car getting stuck on railway tracks…these sound like sensible fears to me! I would only call this a phobia if they prevented you from driving at all.

Also, you mention flying. I’m also terrified of flying, but (and I’ve had a lot of arguments with people about this) is fear of flying actually irrational?
Forgetting terrorism for a moment, let’s look at the reality of flying. You are locked (yes you are, you can’t get off) into a steel tube attached to several huge tanks of fuel, travelling at a terrifying speed 30,000 feet above the earth. You have absolutely no control in this situation, and if anything goes wrong, no amount of intelligence, physical fitness or skill will save you. I’d say this is a scenario that any rational person would avoid like the plague. This total absence of control is not true of any other form of transport. Perhaps happy fliers are people who somehow manage to block off their survival instinct?
Thanks folks, keep them coming…

Don’t laugh, but…raw meat. I’d say it’s a 2/3. I cannot bring myself to touch raw meat, and I don’t even like having to pick up a wrapped package of raw meat. That challenge on Survivor a couple weeks ago, where they had to pull chunks off of the huge piece of half-cooked beef nearly made me gag. It was sooooo disgusting.

Also, driving. I don’t mind other people driving, and I like riding in the car, but I will not drive. (Of course I am only 16 so there is plenty of time for me to learn, not that I want to.)

Here’s a peculiar one…i can’t bear to leave my fingers extended, for fear someone/thing will come along and bend the middle one back. For instance, laying my hand flat on a table. I can do it for mabey 5 seconds before i can’t stand it anymore and have to make a fist. I have no idea why it is, as it’s never ever happened (unless im seriously suppressing it or something). Definite 5+.

Also, bees, wasps or any flying/stinging insect send me running and flailing my arms in panic. I’ve only been stung twice, and while it hurt, it certainly didn’t put me in the hospital or make me swell up, etc. I’m just a big girly-man i guess :slight_smile: 5+

Dolls. 6.

Don’t make me tell my Satan Barbie story.

I have today been reminded of one fear I have - Kneeling with bear feet.

Or, to be more precise - toenails being at right angles to the ground. I get this Horrible feeling that the foot might hit the ground and the nail might come off!

eughhhhh.

Oh. The previous ‘phobia’ I give a 6 (I find even the thought of it revolting)
I also have a fear of touching clothing with short fingernails. (especially foam) - 5.