Phobias - Updated! Pg 3 now includes names and info!

[alabamaalan]

The ferris wheel story reminded me of this:

My wife is blind and is very uncomforable in high places. When we visited the top of Stone Mountain, she literally sat at the top while I walked around. I was proud of her for even going up with me because she hates "sky buckets".

We were at Six Flags years ago riding a roller coaster when it stopped on the tracks. We didn't realize it at the time, but we were queued to enter the loading platform that was just around the last curve (we couldn't see it)

She was very shaken because she was afraid there was a problem and we would have to climb down. She felt better later when I told her there were platforms, stairs, etc. at different points on the track.

All she could remember when she could see was the old white wooden railings that you might see someone in a Scooby Doo episode climb on!

She actually enjoys thrill rides and was more scared of the idea in her mind rather than the actual danger. In fact, she absolutely LOVED Rock and Roller Coaster when we visited MGM last Dec.

 

[Lars624]

I'm okay in planes too Elaine.....but roller coasters make me nervous because I'm convinced they'll break down while I'm n them 7 then I'll have to go down the rickety little ladders & stairs & feel not secure....so I just skip them altogether. I'll do BTMR it doesn't bother me for some reason...and I'm fine with water rides...maybe I figure I can just float down Splash Mountain if it breaks....... I know it sounds silly!!

 

[CourtasanSatine]

just spiders

 

[ScarletIndigo]

My spider fear was founded when one was crawling up my leg as a little kid and it bit me. It was reinforced a few years later when I was bit again by one. Now I totally freak out when I am around them at all.

I'm with you, helenabear. I was bitten by a spider when I was young, and I've never gotten over the fear of being bitten again. In fact, last night a spider was crawling up the wall in our bathroom while I was brushing my teeth, and it startled me so much I choked on the toothpaste and ran out of the room to get DF, all the while sputtering toothpaste all over the floor. Not my finest moment!

Because of this, I'm a little un-enthusiastic about the ITTBAG attraction at AK. We'll just have to wait and see about that one!!

 

[jamsmom]

Not sure if this is a phobia, but I HATE being alone at night. When younger, I babysat late at nights and even all nighters and that never phased me.

But, back in '88 when I was married, someone came into the 1 bedroom apartment. All I saw was a shadow on the wall. Everyone says it was my ex-husband (husband at the time) that came back in to get something. After we were divorced, he told me it was him the whole time, but then laughed. Every since then, I am fearful of being alone at night of what can happen.

 

[TIdoublegaER]

I'm another one who is afraid of falling from heights. I can't even go near the rail on the second floor of the mall! For years, I just said I had a fear of heights and my DH told me I was nuts because I ride roller coasters, ski lifts, etc. In the last couple of years I have come to realize that it is more a fear of falling or someone around me falling. I have the same problem as Helenabear in the Hancock Tower, but I am fine at the top of the Empire State Building. I think the fact the on top of Empire State, the "railing" is cement that comes up to my chest and then it is enclosed with the metal bars. Glass totally freaks me out. We have a mall by us that has a catwalk area that the sides are only glass. I cannot under any circumstances walk across that. As long as I feel "secure" I am ok, its only when I think me or one of the kids will "fall" that I freak out.

I am getting better though. I force myself to try to deal with this fear because I know that it is irrational. That is the only way I will be able to overcome it. I do feel a lot better knowing that I am not the only one who has this same problem.

 

[grinningghost]

It seems we DISers have alot more in common than just our love of Disney. I am terrified of spiders and centipedes. They freak me out so bad. If I see one, I spray it with whatever chemical happens to be closest, until it dies. And usually they don't die very fast - not even with bug spray!

I also have the fear of open places that are up high. I'm also okay in the Empire State Building, and I was even okay in the glass enclosed observation deck of the WTC. But I was kind of a basket case on the roof of the WTC. That was very unnerving.

And lastly, I can't drive over large bridges unless they have VERY high sides, and even then, I'm very selective about which ones I'll drive over - there aren't many of them. I am fine if I'm the passenger though.

 

[Patio]

My phobia is cats. I am terrified of them. I would love to get over this fear, but don't know how. Any ideas?

 

[helenabear]

Lars, I am okay with coasters probably because they go so fast. I have never been on one (knock on wood) when they broke down so that thought of having to climb down never crosses my mind. Like I said though, that ferris wheel is terrible for me as are those rocket rides that go up high. They are far too slow... I even get afraid on Aladdin and a little on Dumbo at WDW

ScarletIndigo, don't fear... I have similar reactions. I was at a play rehersal when this itty bitty spider climbed up next to me... I ran out of the auditorium screaming my head off. I do that quite often So you are in very good company here!

 

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

I am scared of a whole lot of stuff but my worst ones are:

Fear of Snakes
Fear of Driving
Fear of Fire
Fear of Tornadoes

And that is all I can think of at the moment...ask my mom I am horrible!

 

[jamsmom]

Anyone else?

 

[LIDisneyFan]

Claustrophbic - Hated riding the NYC subways for 11 years, and elevators---well, let's say that Tower of Terror is a ride I'll never go on!

 

[julie_yet]

[color=3300ff]I'm terrified of the thought of suffocating or drowning. I'm the same way, nkjzmom. I don't like bridges that go over water because all I see in my head is our car falling into the water (another drowning thing). I can go over them without freaking out but I'm edgy the whole time.
Once my mom and I were going to St. Pete over one of the really long bridges and the traffic was backed up. I kept reminding her not to stop on the seams of the bridge lest it gives way and dumps us in the sea. Very unlikely, I know but that's why it's a phobia. I even have a special hammer I keep in the car for the windows in case that happens and the door locks won't work.[/color]

 

[Megan's Mom]

Draw bridges are the worse. Not many of those around any more but the ones that are are really scary.

 

[Gaspode]

Hiya,

I've really found this thread interesting and wish to send many ***hugs*** to all those affected by phobias at one time or another in their lives, I truly know how terrifying such situations/attacks can be.

As someone said we do have a lot in common here on the DIS!

We have:

9 Cremnophobics - Fear of precipes, I think this is the best way to define the fear of falling from a high/unsecure place, correct me if wrong please

8 Arachnophobics - Fear of spiders

5 Gephyrophobics - Fear of bridges and crossing them

3 Ophidiophobics (or Snakephobics!) - Fear of snakes

2 Selachophobics - Fear of sharks

2 Claustrophobics - Fear of confined spaces. This comes to three if you add the person phobic of elevators

2 Herpetophobics - Fear of creepy crawlies/bugs

2 Zemmiphobics (I may have got this wrong) - Fear of rodents (or Murophobics if you want to be specific to mice)

1 Enochlophobic/Demophobic or Ochlophobic (all variations of Fear of crowds/mobs)

1 Aviophobic/Aviatophobic or Pteromerhanophobic - Fear of flying

1 Pteronophobic (by way of AlabamaAlan) - Fear of feathers (and being tickled by them)

1 Gatophobic - Fear of cats (there are too many variations on the name to list)

1 Arsonphobic/Pyrophobic - Fear of fire

1 Coulrophobic - Fear of clowns

1 Lilapsophobic - Fear of tornados/hurricanes

1 Thalassophobic/Hydrophobic - Fear of oceans and water respectively

1 Autophobic/Monophobic or Isolophobic - Fear of being alone (sorry, I couldn't find it specific to at night)

1 ToTaphobic (a name of their own choosing ) - Fear of TOT

1 Batrachophobia - Fear of frogs


What was interesting was that there is no official/formal phobia name for the fear of bats.

Nor could I find a name for: fear of squirrels, fear of possums, fear of driving (strange I thought to not find one for this), fear of suffocating, fear of drowning, fear of basements or fear of elevators... but I did find plenty of references to them all and ppl who suffer from them even if they have no official name!

I found most of the names out on
this page, a really useful site

I would recommend you go take a look... there are many links on there to find out more about phobias, how they get their names and where to find help/how to try to overcome your phobias, which is of course something very positive in your life if you can do it! Good Luck to all those who try!!!

Cya,
Gaspode

 

[Aurora63]

I have one that no one has mentioned yet, I am terrified of frogs. I can slightly tolerate the little, cute, bright green ones, but the big, slimy, bumpy, others really freak me out. I have always been like this, I think in part because when I lived in Miami as a child, we had a canal right behind our house, and every once in awhile, a frog would squeeze its way in through the sliding glass door.

Don't ask me how, but we would wake up and find them (BIG ones, mind you) bathing in the dogs water dish. After we moved to a less frog-friendly home, I would have nightmares of frogs completely covering me, or that frogs were climbing up the walls and into my bed. I still have nightmares with frogs from time to time, usually when I am very stressed out. And I cannot deal with having a frog in front, or near, me. Even watching them on TV is difficult.

So, I am a frogophobic, or whatever the scientific name is!

 

[Gaspode]

Hiya,

Well then, I'll have to add:

1 Batrachophobia - Fear of frogs to our list!

***hugs*** to you!
Cya,
Gaspode

 

[jamsmom]

So, since I am hte only one thus far with Autophobic/Monophobic or Isolophobic, how should I overcome it? I HAVE stayed many times by myself

 

[Gaspode]

Hi Jamsmom!

If you've stayed many times by yourself and remained calm then it sounds to me like you have overcome it! Or at least that you can 'manage' your phobia so it doesn't upset your daily life, which is a great achievement.

If you want to know more about overcoming fears, check out the links on this site which may well give you some ideas! Good Luck!

Cya,
Gaspode

 

[helenabear]

Very cool, Melissa!! Thanks for getting those listed for us