Illogical fears/things that make you anxious

[purplehaze]

I don't like sleeping with any part of my body exposed except my head. Fingers and toes can be chomped by monsters. I am purely secular and don't believe in ghosts, but I do believe in protecting my tiniest extremities from being nommed by them just in case they do exist.

Totally me! I have never been able to sleep without a sheet over me no matter how hot it might be. The monsters will surely get me.

 

I'm also afraid of dogs, but that isn't totally irrational, since it stems from being badly bitten by my aunt's dog when I was about 5.

[LibbyLishly]

My sister-in-law's boyfriend.

 

Something feels off about him, I can't pin down in what way I feel that he's got a high potential to be dangerous, I feel the need to keep younger people away from him to protect them, and about half the family doesn't see the problem with him. The other half has the same weird "off" feeling too.

 

It's currently a major source of frustration and anxiety and I've been giving it WAY too much freaking headspace tbh.

[Nyxity]

I have plenty of logical fears and anxieties... hm...

 

Illogical: Bright Green Insects. Grasshoppers are harmless. Praying mantis can bite you, but are harmless. It may have something to do with the bulging eyes... and not being able to predict where a grasshopper will hop to or where a mantis may flutter to...

 

Strangely, I tend to be fine with spiders and I'm so used to roaches I'm only leery of one in the position where it, again, could end up fluttering and thus landing somewhere unfavorable... like my person.

[hedy]

10 hours ago, Nyxity said:

Strangely, I tend to be fine with spiders and I'm so used to roaches I'm only leery of one in the position where it, again, could end up fluttering and thus landing somewhere unfavorable... like my person.

I have same kind of illogical insect fears: I'm absolutely terrified of crane flies (i have no idea if that's the right term in English but these guys) and big butterflies. I'm very fine with spiders though, and basically with all insects that don't fly. 

 

I also get very anxious if someone touches my collarbones or I accidentally touch someone else's.

 

[TerraAnne]

I have a fear of paper cuts in particular. Like the anxiety from handling paper is worse to me than handling a sharp knife. >< Not sure where I got the fear from.

[LadyLoki]

Spiders. I am terrified of spiders. And of course where I live, we have those large ugly grass spiders and writing spiders.
I also have a strange anxiety about wearing heels. I always feel like I'm going to topple over. Sad because I love heels.

[Omen]

Plenty of logical fears and a few that are a result of anxiety.

 

Illogical, though? People dressed in costume. Not cosplay style costumes, but things like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. I see anyone like that look in my general direction and I give them a wide berth. Never had any bad experiences that I can remember, so it's the most illogical as far as my fears go. Perhaps I'm wary of them due to either feigned (or excessive) happiness usually shown by them, or in some cases, because I can't see their face.

[Tetelestai]

So fascinating to read about others' phobias!

 

Most common for me: spiders. I think I'm mostly afraid of the webs. Jumping spiders don't bother me, but still wouldn't want one on me. Going down in my grandma's low ceiling basement gave me panic attacks. The entire ceiling was nothing but a giant spider web (house was over a 100 years old when she was born).

 

Less common:

talking on the phone-Like I would legit wait to talk to you in person or text. Severe anxiety when I have to make a phone call. Forget calling insurance companies or Comcast. I absolutely cannot do it.

costumes that cover faces- Easter bunny, mascots...would avoid anything where I can't see the person's face. Makes me really nervous and I still to this day do not know why

loud sounds- I will not touch a sewing machine or use a mixer. I will tire myself out and beat something by hand. I can't be around latex balloons for fear of them 'popping'. I have to have earplugs in when I vacuum.

driving in the winter- this is pretty obvious.

 

Just plain weird-

wet things-I CAN'T touch wet cloth. If someone leaves a kitchen sponge or rag in the sink and it is wet, I can't touch it. I will freak right the heck out. If I get it wet, that's fine. Like nails on a chalkboard to me.

color black- More specifically Vantablack. Darkest black that has been produced. Love the color black and wear a lot of it, but looking at pictures of Vantablack just fills my heart with dread and makes me feel like I am going blind.

stuffy nose- I have sinus issues. I get addicted to Afrin and nasal decongestants easily. But when my nostrils are plugged and I can't breathe out of them, I go into full blown panic mode. I live in fear of colds. When I was little, my dad would clamp his hand over my mouth to scare me. Having my airways cut off like left quite an impression. Constantly blowing my nose and clearing my throat. 

 

Edited December 21, 2017 by lucidapple

[Sazandora]

I'm deathly afraid of dentists and everything that has anything to do with them. I know they're really nice people who are there to just help you out, but... god, having teeth is such a double-edged sword.

 

I also have a bad habit of freezing up when someone comes to talk to me, and I have no idea what to say or do in response. So I'm very bad at answering the phone when I don't recognize the number of the person trying to reach me. Also goes in reverse -- I'm really bad at talking to total strangers if I don't have a clear idea on how I should start the conversation.

 

Being anywhere near rotten food scares the everliving crap out of me. Same goes for any food item that is unusually colored, like a tomato that is not red or yellow.

 

And Playstation 1's error screens and sounds are the scariest things I've ever seen/heard. (Don't even get me started on PS2's red screen of death...)

[Cottoncat]

I'm so strongly afraid of needles that it needs just one simple blood test and I'm ready to faint almost twice. Getting injections doesn't even hurt that much so I'm not exactly sure what makes me so scared of them. Maybe it's about veins since I have a tendency to feel like passing out because of them as well.

[Coheart]

I've been afraid of my bed lately. Even though I wash the blankets and pillows, and shower before I go to bed, I have this irrational thought that it's just... dirty.... and I can't sleep.

[Nyxity]

5 hours ago, Coheart said:

I've been afraid of my bed lately. Even though I wash the blankets and pillows, and shower before I go to bed, I have this irrational thought that it's just... dirty.... and I can't sleep.

 

Maybe you should check the mattress? How old is it? *Eyes suspiciously*

 

On 12/21/2017 at 8:32 AM, lucidapple said:

Less common:

talking on the phone-Like I would legit wait to talk to you in person or text. Severe anxiety when I have to make a phone call. Forget calling insurance companies or Comcast. I absolutely cannot do it.

 

I thought of that... but mine actually has logical reasons... I have an Auditory Processing Disorder to begin with. Then... I've been "attacked" by a phone before, in truth. As a child, I was alone in the house and the phone began to ring. I picked it up, and all I heard was a beeping on the end. I gave up. It rung again. The same result. Then it kept on again and again for an hour or so. Being my paranoid self, I began thinking of that Urban Legend of the babysitter and the call that came from inside the house. How was I to know that meant someone was trying to send a fax through a landline? 

 

I only use the phone if absolutely necessary... and I actually like it when I get machines when I actually have to call someplace.

Edited December 23, 2017 by Nyxity

[Kunikunatu]

For the longest time, as a little kid, I was deathly terrified of zombies. Just the thought of them was enough to keep me up at night. I've since gotten over that general fear, but one particular zombie that always scared me was the "Buried Alive Man" creepypasta that circulated around Pokemon communities for a while. The story went that if you hacked a copy of Pokemon Green version, you could reactivate some dummied-out code, allowing the Buryman appear in place of the normal miniboss at Lavender Tower. He wasn't hard to defeat, but if you somehow managed to lose, the game would cut to an image of the Buryman eating the player character alive. There exist two images of him on the internet, allegedly ripped from the game's files - one of his "in-battle sprite", and one of him devouring you. They're fanmade, of course - even as a little nine year old, I knew the story was preposterous. But it didn't matter; what scared me most were the pictures. If you google them, you're already braver than me. Now I'm nearly seventeen years old, and I still can't bring myself to do it...

 

People in "mascot costumes" also make me deeply uncomfortable. Like, you know the people who dress up as the mascots for a sports team at the games, or get in some full-body costume at a party? I know there's just a person inside, but I can't stand to be close to them. Probably why I could never be a furry tbh

[Coheart]

5 hours ago, Nyxity said:

 

Maybe you should check the mattress? How old is it? *Eyes suspiciously*
 

 

I don't know dude, I think I'm just being crazy paranoid for no reason. Everyone in my house is clean, my space is clean. It's just.... Like how if I make a big salad at the beginning of a week, and eat lunch from it for a couple days... I feel like it's gross. Cause it's put together. It makes no seance. I'm just nuts.

[HeatherMarie]

Being introduced to strangers. Sometimes I'm okay with it, though I never like it, but sometimes (like today) it just makes me really really nervous and uncomfortable. I have anxiety, so I'm sure that has something to do with it... It's just something about the unknown in meeting someone new, not knowing what to say, not knowing anything at all about them so having no idea what may offend them, etc.

[ChesireCat13]

My major fears/anxieties are mainly spiders, talking to strangers on the phone, being on down escalators, especially with something in my hands as my balance tends to feel.. off.. in those types of situations (same with 'heights' of more than about 5 inches off the ground without hand holds), although the ones that go up are perfectly fine. Also, needles that are being used on me/other people. I can be around the ones in my Pharmacy Tech Sterile Lab class just fine though, go figure.

[13310]

Sorta make sense:

Centipedes. The ones here are harmless, but...they look like four spiders stuck together. Realllly creepy.

 

Logic thrown out the window:

Kissing, ticking, or chewing sounds. Make it stop!

Wet hands. Just washed them? Clean? Nope, grosses me out.

Talking one-on-one. Nooo thank you. Groups or presentations, though? Just fine.

Edited January 5, 2018 by 13310

[Miaplacidus]

Did you know there's a phobia called dextrophobia and it's the illogical fear of things and objects situated at the right of your body? The mind is strange.

 

As far I am concerned, I can't swim. And because of that I have the fear of the water. I mean, huge quantities of water, like the sea, lakes, swimming pools, big rivers and so I fear travelling on boats and ferries and It's a shame since I live near Venice (Italy) and I have to use ferries a lot to move in the city. Also, I'm demophobic (fear of the crowd), another pain in the neck because the city is full of people every single day and I have to take alternative streets to reach my destinations. I am f***** up.

Other fears: I used to suffer from Brontophobia (thunders and lightnings) when I was a kid - but now I love storms.

I can't bear leeches. I can stand spiders, snakes, bugs, worms, bats, whatever, but not leeches.

 

 

Edited January 18, 2018 by Miaplacidus

[StormBirdRising]

My illogical fear is this: I have a giant Chevy pick up truck, the Avalanche, from the first year they were made, when they were beasts, and whenever I drive somewhere for the first time I worry from the time I leave until I actually get a parking space that my truck will be too big to fit in any of the spaces and I'll have to park way out in the back somewhere and take up 2 spaces. It has happened a few times and it is always very unsettling.

[Liger]

Illogical? Shield bugs. Those things are fricken terrifying, man. My heart will actually stop beating when I hear something that sounds like one flying around. Also, that plopping sound they make when they land? Abso-fricken-lutely disgusting. Shield bugs should not exist.

 

I'm also really anxious about posting comments on literally anything lol

[Sesshomaru]

It's not really illogical, but I'm cautious around hot things, like stove tops. I'm a secret redhead, which means I carry the gene for gingerness but don't phenotypically express it due to another gene that overproduces melanin, causing my hair to be dark brown - although I can see the fiery auburn highlights glinting in the sun. (In the case, it's the Vikings who are to blame for the ginger gene, if that fascinates anyone.) But I do express the GINGAH in about every other way, including low tolerance for certain kinds of pain, most especially heat against my skin.

[Orange Sunrise]

For some reason, I am afraid of escalators. I always have to hold someone's hand when I step onto one.

[WildestRose]

Any kind of wet fabric. If I'm already using it or if it's on me, that's fine. If I leave it for a couple of minutes, that's fine. But if it's been an hour or so, I'll treat that fabric like it's got some kind of disease on it. Even if I'm the one who used it.

[Draconiusultamius]

I love insects and one of my life goals is to be able to get an entomology degree (after I get a useful degree which I will use to earn money), but I'm absolutely petrified of dead insects.  It has to do with their legs,  they're absolutely terrifying.  I actually really want a pet spider, but I know that I will refuse to go into the room it is housed in if it dies since dead spiders are nightmare fuel for me.  My mom vacuumed up a dead spider earlier this week and I refused to go near the vacuum cleaner for a day (I'm still not touching it).  I really want to get over this fear, but I just can't. I've tried picking up tiny dead insects by using the tip of a wad of tissues and it absolutely terrified me when it dropped out of the tissue and landed near me.  Going too close to a dead bug causes me to scream like the devil himself is trying to drag me away (except for the fact that I'd probably be more ok with that than touching a dead bug).  It's becoming a serious issue since university is coming up and I'm 100% sure that I will have to do a roach dissection but I'm 100% sure that I'll end up failing due to throwing a fit of rage if I'm not allowed to skip it or having an extreme anxiety attack during it and failing since I tend to become pretty physical when I have anxiety attacks.  Even pictures containing dead bugs make me so uncomfortable that I have to attempt to click away without looking.  Strangely enough, I'm very into entomophagy and have no qualms eating crickets and am willing to eat fried spiders and the like.  It's absolutely horrible and I'm so self conscious about it since I know it's preventing me from being happy as my biggest love is also for insects (live ones, of course)  

[Sesshomaru]

You know, skimming this page alone, I've found that a lot of posters don't give themselves enough credit for logical thinking. And in my experience, what most people assume is illogical is really your instincts telling you to listen up. I'd caution anyone not to label themselves crazy unless multiple shrinks have agreed on a diagnosis.

 

Quote

Like how if I make a big salad at the beginning of a week, and eat lunch from it for a couple days... I feel like it's gross. Cause it's put together. It makes no seance. I'm just nuts.

Actually, it makes perfect sense, especially if you store ethylene-producing and ethylene-sensitive fruits and vegetables in close proximity. Your salad won't last longer than a few days if you don't keep the right foods together.

 

A lot of those mascot/full costume phobias can be traced back to premature exposure to horror/thriller movies, especially if you're emotionally sensitive (as I am).

 

Fear of dentists isn't that illogical. Most of the cheaper practitioners in America are extortionists.

 

I also don't see agoraphobia/demophobia as that strange, and not just because I have it. There are too many variables and possible dangers that can't be accounted for in a crowd setting.

 

Anyway. Can't think of any noticeably illogical ones I have at the moment. I'm not afraid of spiders, they just disgust me. Like, I can eat whole fried calamari just fine, but the thought of eating an arachnid is nauseating. I like an insect snack once in a while. Weird (according to Western culture) food is my favorite. Just not spiders.

Edited January 23, 2018 by Sesshomaru