Do you have an Irrational fear?......?

cupcake1 Horrible isn't it?
I love water and have no fear at all about boats / bridges / swimming....however if I'm in a car and on a bridge (walking over is fine!) I'm so tense, likewise any road next to water.
I feel sick even writing about it.

Frogs! I hate the beady eyed, leapy little creatures.

You don't see them, then they suddenly jump and startle you so much.

I am always looking out for them when in the garden.

Crabs for me too Songstress, not to the point I wouldn’t go in the sea, but I hate the way they move. If you’re brave enough google coconut crabs. Arghhhh! I will happily eat them though. Octopi make me shudder, anything boneless........

DanniRae

Froglady - I believe that picture of the men eating their lunch sitting, high up, on a girder is genuine..........sorry!

I cannot stand sn*kes and hate even typing the word. I hate Motorway travel - even as a passenger and I hate getting on trains because of the gap.......but had to get on one on Sunday to travel to a clinic for my vaccine (it was the best way, by far, to get there.)

God, that's awful. I feel sick just thinking about that!

Spiral staircases. It started as a child when my family and I were climbing the tower at Bradda Head, Isle of Man. I had a panic attack because it was narrow and people were ahead and behind me. My daughter has the same fear. Hers started when climbing a tower in Italy. She's convinced something happened to our ancestors in a tower!

Kate1949

I'm afraid of most things as I suffer with General Anxiety Disorder but my main one is going to see a doctor or anyone medical. I go to pieces and my BP shoots through the roof.

I have GAD too, so you have my sympathies Kate.
However, I don't have any phobias of things, animals, flying etc.
My anxiety is more abstract and all pervasive.
God, I sound like a right laugh, don't I?

When I was little I was terrified of volcanoes! I knew absolutely that there were none in Britain, but it didn't change my fear, especially mountain shaped clouds in the sky. In my teens it was atomic bombs or the thought of them that scared me stiff. Though back in the 60s it was a fairly rational fear.
But the only person I know with a full blown phobia is my DH. He has a phobia of snakes. He can't even look at a picture of one and you wouldn't believe how often they pop up on the most unexpected TV programmes. Our children learnt very early to warn him of any pictures. He can just about manage the one in the Jungle Book cartoon film and the one in the Gruffalo, but that is his limit. Chester Zoo now has an absolutely enormous python in the same building as the orangutans so that is now out of bounds as well as the reptile house. I did say to him that I bet he doesn't actually know what a snake really looks like as the least glimpse and his eyes are tight shut.

Hate the dark, clowns & worst of all Spiders. Nasty ones that are huge & run at you. Luckily my cat loves playing with them till they freeze & I can get something to get rid of them outside in.

I am afraid of fish, whether they are in an acquarium or in the sea or a lake. I have no idea why. My mother didn't know either.

Not madly keen about being in water, as I am not a strong swimmer and had to work hard to learn to swim as I am slightly doubtful of my ability to stay afloat.

Darkness.....I always have to leave our hall lights on dimmed overnight.......spiders which lots of people are scared of even though they are small.I am a real worrier too & am constantly worried that something awful will happen to my children & grandchildren.....I know it’s an anxiety issue but I really cant help it......life would be so much simpler if I wasn’t so anxious all the time .

My parents brought me up not to be afraid. However I have an irrational fear of making phone calls. As does my mother but I didn’t know until I was an adult. I have to phone the DSS but I keep putting it off. Phoning family and friends is even harder bizarrely.

Mum also has a fear of the dentist. Again she never mentioned it until I’d been working as a dental assistant for several years.

My husband is terrified of all animals, big and small. Luckily I’m not.

I share that fear of dark water,Shinamae. We lived near a trout farm, and were allowed to play in the area ( doesn't sound like a good idea, but it was away from the main road , and nobody drowned !) But I hated those dark ponds and still get goosebumps thinking about it. I don't like dark woods either, and we used to play in those too, so basically my childhood was spent in a state of terror !!!!And those fears have never left me.

Feathers-but I know exactly where it came from! Feathers were used as a deterrent to stop me ‘bothering’ my mother when she wanted a break from her mothering duties when I was very young. Consequently I’ve grown up being terrified of them and now birds. Totally irrational I know but can’t do anything about it now and I’m well into my 60s.

BusterTank

I have a fear off falling over , this has only happened in the last 10 years . I now go into blind panic when there is ice about .

BusterTank you can buy crampon type things that fit on over your shoes that give you grip in icy weather. Not expensive and would give you confidence.

Dee1012 That’s my nightmare as well ! Had it for years I am driving with my daughter in the passenger seat. I wake up in a panic and it ruins my day. Hate moths, spiders, snakes - actually I could write a long list but won’t!

Flying, and falling over.

Slugs give me the heebie jeebies.
Bridges that have slats that you can see the water down below
I live on a boat and love it, but have a fear of drowning!

I have a fear off falling over , this has only happened in the last 10 years . I now go into blind panic when there is ice about .

I can't swim and don't like water in a swimming scenario. I love watching it especially if its wild but you won't get me in it at all.

The sea is full of mysterious and dangerous creatures but on holiday in the Galapagos I donned a wetsuit and snorkel and went into the sea with an instructor. When I looked under the water I was fascinated. Beautiful fish and seaweed. So not scared of the sea unless there are sharks!

I'm not scared of rodents, cockroaches or other things mentioned here. But the slightest glimpse of a largish spider nearly kills me....

GagaJo

Thank you LauraNorder. I'd like to say it gets easier, but it doesn't. On one flight, since the onset of covid, I was hyperventilating so much, the very kind steward told me I could take my mask off. I didn't, because I am also scared of covid, but...

make sure you always have a paper bag with you- you can then take off your mask and breathe into the bag until calm again, then use your mask. The bag should keep safe enough.

SznR

Centipedes and millipedes!

Definitely that one as well ???‍♀️?

Interesting discussion!

Similar to Woodmouse and others, I do not like big things in the sea. I can cope with ships, but anything hidden like wrecks or whales terrify me.

Like Jaxjacky and EllanVannin I loathe the same thing as them - can't even type it. Try not to think about them.

But unlike Jamcee I adore pigeons and used to keep them. I could pick one up dead or alive, whatever the circumstances.

Years ago my daughter had a totally irrational fear - she was frightened that she would spontaneously combust!!!

I'm terrified of loggerhead moths. I don't know why. If I know there's one in the room I have to get my husband to kill it. I have to go out of the room till it's gone.

Centipedes and millipedes!