I just heard something clicking on the ceiling in here, and it was a very large wasp. I went to get spray to kill it, and in the two seconds I was gone, it disappeared. (Now I’m cautiously sitting here with the spray no less than 2 inches from my hand.) I got to thinking that it would be interesting to see what people’s top fears are (even if they’re kind of stupid). Mine are (in order):
Somehow becoming disabled in a way that prevents me from playing flute & whistle (My TMJ is almost constantly with me, and I cringe at the thought of it. My biggest fear, though, is getting a finger cut off in an accident.)
Tornados (I live in Illinois, and every year there is a tornado within 20 miles of my house.)
Stinging insects (This is kind of stupid, but I am really freaked out by them. I’ve never been stung, but I think that being stung might actually cure my fear.)
Come on, it should be interesting to see what people say.
I can’t think of anything I ordinarily encounter–bugs, animals, etc–that scares me. I actually really like bats, spiders, and snakes.
The idea of huge waves, like the kind mega-surfers crave, which are so big the surfer is dwarfed in the curl—those are really scary. Getting whacked by Atlantic 5 footers is unpleasant enough.
Open steps. I have no idea why, although it may have something to do with the old house my grandparents had. Heights don’t bother me at all - I have no problems running around on the roof of a house, putting shingles on.
Needles…bad phobia…even when I’m able to ‘control myself’ (by definition: hold still and let the nice phlebotomist do what s/he needs to do) I’m a basket case, I babble semi-coherently, my blood pressure goes through the floor, I have cold sweats and racing heart.
I haven’t decked anyone yet, but I’m close to refusing medical treatment under most circumstances. I do nearly take out the a#$%^&* who has the stupidity to say ‘calm down’ or ‘it doesn’t hurt’ or ‘its not that bad’ or some other thoughtless quip. I’m not afraid, and pain isn’t the issue. Everyone who is any way related to the medical field should have some training in what a phobia is and what can and can’t be done.
On the other side of the coin, I’m perfectly, utterly entirely comfortable with public speaking. I have no problem standing in front of people and giving a speech, teaching, reciting, or taking questions. Public speaking is still considered to be one of the all time fears.
Heights. At the San Diego Zoo I rode the sky-tram and as soon as it lifted off the ground, I sunk to the floor and clutched the pole going through the center of the car we were in. My sister-in-law kept telling me to get up, I was scaring my daughter, but I couldn’t do it. I stayed where I was.
And for the same reason - airplanes. A friend of mine was flying me and my daughter in a small plane from San Diego to San Francisco and we made it as far as Palomar (about 5-10 minutes into the flight). I made him turn around and take us back. I was an absolute basket case. I used to fly on the big airlines when I was younger, but only if I was drunk. I couldn’t do it now that I’ve stopped drinking.
And of course the standard - claustrophobia. I used to be unable to ride in an elevator, but I can do that now.
There is only one thing that freaks me out and that is speed.
Speed as in fast cars.Aeroplanes and trains are no problem but on the rare occasion I have to be in a car,I get scared s***less at anything over fifty miles an hour.It takes me fifteen minutes to cycle to work along a nice leafy green side road and the train station is ten minutes away.
I have never driven a car in my life.
Desparate claustrophobe. Started after a training exercise in which we had to go through an obstacle course that included tunneling through a fifty foot 16" drainpipe half filled with sand. Naturally I got stuck, and had to wait for my squad to dig/drag me out. I still wake up in a sweat even though it was 30 years ago.
The usual fears of spiders(can’t stand to touch a paper with a picture of one of the things- although I’ve had to work through it with all the ones I encounter in mail boxes in the fall), get weak and paralized with heights, although flying does not bother me. Bees, snakes, stuff like that dosen’t bother me.
My greatest fear is for the future of my grandaughter and daughter.
