What are your phobias?

[John Galt]

A recent thread mentioned phobias and it made me think that I’ve developed two phobia’s in my later years.

As a private pilot, I have no fear of flying or generally of heights. I always want the window seat on a plane. But recently there seem to be be many TV commercials where people are free rock climbing or sitting on the edge of a cliff sightseeing. I can’t watch these, I have to turn away. There is tourist attraction out at the Grand Canyon,I believe, where you walk out over the canyon on a glass floor. Years ago no problem, but I don’t think I could do it now. I’d freeze up. But I’d take a helicopter ride over and down into the canyon in a minute.

My other one is really strange. I don’t like to see many small holes or indentations grouped close together. I’ve seen pictures of wood that was used by woodpeckers (I think) were they bored in holes and stored acorns in the indent. Photos of that wood makes me squirm and so does seeing or handling things like corncobs and sunflower flower heads after all the seeds are removed. Totally irrational but I can’t shake it.

I think we all have some irrational fears or phobia’s. Care to share yours?

 

[Passport1]

Mine is being around people with multiphobias. BTW, a fear of holes in patterns is called trypophobia. My daughter is a coulrophobic. Can't go to the circus.

Who is John Galt?

 

[stormgol]

Wasps. if i see one, i become extremely agitated. i was attacked by an entire underground nest when i was 15 picking up wild blueberries. a swarm of yellowjackets. my dad had to remove them. the experience traumatized me.

 

[KrisZ]

Internet forums. But I’m a fighter

 

[supton]

Heights is one. When I was younger, a few times I'd get close to a cliff, and... feel like taking a flying leap. That seems to have passed. But it'd take large sums of money to get me onto a roof, and that's only for a single story. 1 story ladder, I can handle, 2 and one is amazed at how much painting I can do while holding a ladder with both hands. I still have problems staring up at something high.

Probably these days a fear of the unknown. I worry about starting a project and bricking the car, and being worse off than I am now (I'm between N and N-1 one vehicles at the moment). I need to add a water hammer arrestor but I'm concerned about how fast I could get in over my head, once I cut that copper pipe. I know once I do it once, use those shark bite things, it'll be easy. I have plans for all sorts of shutoff valves, make various plumbing circuits in the house... it's doing the first one.

Needles. Refuse to look when I get a jab. I don't mind the site of blood. But that pinprick, and the the idea of something jabbed into my arm... instant willies. I get my shots when required, I don't complain--but I stare off into space, and I don't care.

Getting sedated and knocked out. I've been under at least 3 times and all 3 times were unpleasant coming out of. Last one, at least I didn't vomit, but for a simple 30-40 minute wisdom removal, I lost about 20 hours of my life, completely out of it, sleeping it off. And another day of lethargy. It's a big reason why I'm putting off a colonoscopy.

I'm sure there are others but those are the big ones.

 

[Pew]

Spiders and my platoon gunny when I was in.

 

[Eddie]

I used to be a cave crawler for many years and then I got stuck and fear of being trapped. I don't do caves anymore and even had a dream about being trapped.

 

[oldhp]

Heights. No can do over 20ft.

 

[buster]

I don't like heights, being confined to small spaces and lightning. I love weather/storms but I am inside when a thunderstorm is going on. I will still fly and go on top of Empire State building for views. Just makes me a bit anxious.

 

[Just a civilian pilot]

None.

 

[Just a civilian pilot]

I don't like heights, being confined to small spaces and lightning. I love weather/storms but I am inside when a thunderstorm is going on. I will still fly and go on top of Empire State building for views. Just makes me a bit anxious.

Smart if there is lightening.

Just don’t be talking on the landline while taking a shower.

 

[JoelB]

Fear of inability to maintain my lifestyle. I like consistency and a big uncontrolled change in my life would be very upsetting.

 

[wings&wheels]

No phobias but a couple 'creep me outs'. Spindly legged spiders such as the Black and Yellow Garden Spider, but I am also completely fascinated by them, and clowns but not fascinated by them. Given the choice, I'd rather deal with the spider

I love heights!

 

[MrHorspwer]

Very, very few people have actual phobias.

Some things make people uncomfortable or maybe they don't particularly like them.

Those aren't phobias. Those are dislikes.

Phobias are truly debilitating clinical anxiety disorders.

Ask yourself, "Would I rather commit suicide than face a spider?" If that never crossed your mind, you're not arachnophobic; You just don't like spiders.

 

[redhat]

I have a fear against flying. With all of the news as of late with the 737 Max, even before the door plug blowout, the now known MCAS activation due to faulty AOA sensors, etc. Perhaps Airbus is better? But it just scares me thinking I can have no control on what could potentially happen in the air.

I've flown a few times in my life and I don't know if I would ever fly again. Is there even anything one could do beyond knowing exactly what model plane you'd be on and its safety/maintenance records... how would a Joe Blow even get to that knowledge.

 

[Pew]

Very, very few people have actual phobias.

Some things make people uncomfortable or maybe they don't particularly like them.

Those aren't phobias. Those are dislikes.

Phobias are truly debilitating clinical anxiety disorders.

Ask yourself, "Would I rather commit suicide than face a spider?" If that never crossed your mind, you're not arachnophobic; You just don't like spiders.

I'd rather run out towards enemy fire than have a camel spider near me

 

[Overfill]

Ask yourself, "Would I rather commit suicide than face a spider?" If that never crossed your mind, you're not arachnophobic; You just don't like spiders.

Yep.

Submechanophobia. Never understood why I was feeling the way I was as a kid, looking at pool drains. Wasn't until decades later that I learned the phobia.

Oh, and my wife has trypophobia.

 

[Just a civilian pilot]

I have a fear against flying. With all of the news as of late with the 737 Max, even before the door plug blowout, the now known MCAS activation due to faulty AOA sensors, etc. Perhaps Airbus is better? But it just scares me thinking I can have no control on what could potentially happen in the air.

I've flown a few times in my life and I don't know if I would ever fly again. Is there even anything one could do beyond knowing exactly what model plane you'd be on and its safety/maintenance records... how would a Joe Blow even get to that knowledge.

Please don’t let stuff in the news get in the way of enjoying your life as hard as that can be for people with a fear of flying.

I have been flying for 40 years, I wouldn’t hesitate, not for one second, to fly on any Boeing aircraft.

I would avoid certain airlines that operate Airbus ( other countries….even then, very few ) more than worrying about whether your next flight will be in any Boeing.

I am approaching the end of my career ( 22 years on Airbus ) , and might be switching over to the B777 ( best long haul flying at my airline….most productive ).

Pilots love the B777, and 787 ( not the 737 but that’s only because of the smaller cockpit versus A320 ) at my airline.

Enjoy life, please do not worry about stuff like that.

The media thrive on scaring people.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

I've gotten more claustrophobic as I've gotten older and heavier. I had an MRI done a few months ago and I **** near had a panic attack. I had to focus VERY hard on staying calm and telling myself it'll be over soon. That was a LONG 40 minutes.

Heights and driving over bridges never bothered me until recently. We drove over the Dames Point Bridge on 295 around Jacksonville on the way to Orlando and I was barely able to keep my foot on the gas. It felt like we were going up the first hill on a roller coaster and the irrational part of my brain was screaming at me to stop. And one we were over the top I wanted to ride the brakes all the way down the other side. It was an extremely unnerving feeling. Looking at Google Street View of the bridge it looks like nothing but at the time it was a nightmare for me.

 

[wpod]

My phobias are all of them.