The Irrational Fears Thread

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

I have a shade of the bridge thing, and it's pretty close to this. It's not that I actually think that the bridge is going to collapse (though I do have those thoughts, I guess), it's more that it just seems to be too easy for a driver, like me, to turn the wheel abruptly (or something) and plunge.

I believe there's a complicated French term for the feeling, I don't know of an English counterpart. Camus talked about it, and I think nailed it...paraphrased as "it's not fear of falling, it's fear of jumping."

There have been a lot of studies on this. I don't have it in an enclosed space, but if I'm on a high spot, I feel the urge to jump. Never done it, not suicidal, don't want to die. . . but get me on a high spot and I feel like I'm going to do it. Even my balcony at home, I have to avoid looking over the edge or I'll feel like I'm going to just do it.

I think it's a form of "intrusive thought" though most of those are religious or violent in nature.

My other irrational fear is like some of the others here. Bees, wasps, anything that looks like it can sting. Scares the hell out of me.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

I have a shade of the bridge thing, and it's pretty close to this. It's not that I actually think that the bridge is going to collapse (though I do have those thoughts, I guess), it's more that it just seems to be too easy for a driver, like me, to turn the wheel abruptly (or something) and plunge.

I believe there's a complicated French term for the feeling, I don't know of an English counterpart. Camus talked about it, and I think nailed it...paraphrased as "it's not fear of falling, it's fear of jumping."

I don't really get this on bridges, but I definitely do if I am approaching an unprotected/guardrailed cliff edge on a road or highway. I was in Yosemite over the weekend and did a lot of driving on mountain roads with curves with no guardrails. It's pretty freaky; makes me drive like a grandma.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Julio Riddols

I have a severe case of omphalophobia. That one scene from 'The Cell' almost made me throw up when I first saw it. People who know what omphalophobia is will know exactly which scene I speak of.

I am guessing your fear there is so severe, you couldn't even actually write it what it was, making us Google it? That's not a judgment; I'm just acknowledging that you did that, and I get it.

[Chief Rum]

I have a big fear of heights (among other things). But I have been working on this one a lot, and I think I have made real strides.

This week in Yosemite, a friend of mine wanted to go rock hopping up a stream to see if we could get behind a waterfall. We weren't actually able to do that, and we came back down the stream a different way. That way ended up involving crossing the stream on a fallen log, maybe 10 feet above the water. Crossing that (slowly) for me was an accomplishment.

Even have video of it (although my friend turned her video off before I said "Fuck you, fear of heights! lol)

[Julio Riddols]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

I am guessing your fear there is so severe, you couldn't even actually write it what it was, making us Google it? That's not a judgment; I'm just acknowledging that you did that, and I get it.

I don't know why I didn't explain it, but I did know there were some interesting articles that come up when you google it so I guess maybe subconsciously I wanted everyone to enjoy the discovery.. I don't know, but now that you mention it I have acknowledged it as well. My brain makes choices sometimes that I don't really know the motives behind.

[Julio Riddols]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

I don't really get this on bridges, but I definitely do if I am approaching an unprotected/guardrailed cliff edge on a road or highway. I was in Yosemite over the weekend and did a lot of driving on mountain roads with curves with no guardrails. It's pretty freaky; makes me drive like a grandma.

Nothing wrong with driving like a grandma in those situations if you ask me. Never know when there might be a blowout or some other unknown freak event, and I would kick myself if I was driving faster than I needed to and had something like that happen on a treacherous road. I don't even have that fear and I still drive extra cautious on those roads too.

There are a couple other things I fear, but I don't consider flying or bees/wasps irrational fears because they are inherently dangerous things. There is a reason to fear them.

[Butter]

Somebody throwing a lit cigarette out of their car window, it bouncing up into my engine and catching it on fire.

I've been told that's a pretty stupid one.

[Autumn]

Somebody throwing a lit cigarette out of their car window, it bounces up and lands on my lips, and now I'm addicted to cigarettes.

[Suicane75]

Somebody throwing a lit cigarette out of their car window, it bounces up and lands on my lips, and now I'm James Dean.

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

Somebody throwing a lit cigarette out of their car window, it bounces up and lands on my lips, and now I'm James Dean.

Insert a person saluting.

[cartman]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

Somebody throwing a lit cigarette out of their car window, it bounces up and lands on my lips, and now I'm James Dean.

As long as you aren't driving a 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder, you'll be ok.

[Butter]

Thanks guys, I thought this was a safe place to discuss my irrational fears, but I see otherwise now! You bunch of cockless cowards!

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

Thanks guys, I thought this was a safe place to discuss my irrational fears, but I see otherwise now! You bunch of cockless cowards!

[Suicane75]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

Thanks guys, I thought this was a safe place to discuss my irrational fears, but I see otherwise now! You bunch of cockless cowards!

OK, to go back to being serious for a moment, and just a moment. I don't know if hypochondria counts or not because I'm sure the fear of being sick or dying isn't so irrational or odd, but when I was a teenager I was so fearful of every mole and lump that I pretty much drove my mother crazy. I have a big ass mole on my pubic area and I spent a good year convinced it was cancerous and that every weird feeling in my johnson was because of cancer. Luckily I got over it but it was a fucking tiresome way to live.

[Ksyrup]

Had to dig this thread up after a discussion about this today...

Mine are:

1. Fear of breaking my hand/fingers/wrist reaching to open a door at the exact moment someone else is pushing it open from the other side.

2. Fear of a spoon, fork or some other metal utensil getting stuck in the garbage disposal when doing the dishes, turning on the disposal and getting impaled by the shrapnel.

Carry on.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Had to dig this thread up after a discussion about this today...

Mine are:

1. Fear of breaking my hand/fingers/wrist reaching to open a door at the exact moment someone else is pushing it open from the other side.

2. Fear of a spoon, fork or some other metal utensil getting stuck in the garbage disposal when doing the dishes, turning on the disposal and getting impaled by the shrapnel.

Carry on.

Regarding #1, I have this same thought every time I reach for the door handle to exit the restroom at work.Same exact fear.

[Ksyrup]

I actually do a sweeping motion to grab the handle so I don't get hit straight on and it will hopefully be more of a glancing blow.

[tarcone]

As far as the 2nd one, I refuse to put my hand down the drain where the garbage disposal. Because when I do it will just start running. Even if no one else is around. I know it will.

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

2. Fear of a spoon, fork or some other metal utensil getting stuck in the garbage disposal when doing the dishes, turning on the disposal and getting impaled by the shrapnel.

Carry on.

I always put my hand or an object in the trajectory path between the disposal and my face when I turn it on to protect my eyes

[cuervo72]

I kinda just lean back.

Re: doors - former work door is a very heavy metal one with a metal doorknob. I got in the habit of touching the back of my hand to it before grabbing it to diffuse shocks.

(Thankfully door access required card/pin entry, so you could typically hear if someone was about to open it from the outside, assuming you were paying attention. I did witness it being opened into people on a few occasions though.)

[Radii]

Originally Posted by tarcone

As far as the 2nd one, I refuse to put my hand down the drain where the garbage disposal. Because when I do it will just start running. Even if no one else is around. I know it will.

Same. Watching someone else do it scares the shit out of me as well.

[CrimsonFox]

Republicans...

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by BYU 14

I always put my hand or an object in the trajectory path between the disposal and my face when I turn it on to protect my eyes

you've seen too many movies.

But you should always turn off the Garbage disposal breaker before working on it. And even then they say to use a wooden spoon or something. Obviously take out the little rubber strainer.

[Edward64]

Before the coronavirus, I flew quite a bit. I hate it when the pilot would warn of a bumpy ride. I hate the dips. I know the plane isn't going to break apart but I'm always either pressing my foot against the "legs" of the seat in front of me and/or holding on to one arm rest, trying to be as nonchalant as possible.