Does your phobia affect your life?

Tinky · 30-07-2006, 10:39

I have suffered for many years from claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces). I can't go in lifts, sit in the back of a 2 door car, and going on an aeroplane is just completely out of the question. My friend suffers from arachnophobia (fear of spiders) and is frightened to move things in the garden, on the off chance that one might run out. Most phobias are irrational fears, thank goodness I don't suffer from one of the rarer ones like fear of feathers, then I'd never be able to venture outdoors.

Nidge · 30-07-2006, 10:58

I have a phobia of dentists, I'll not go near one if I can help it, they scare the living daylights out of me.

greencreeper · 30-07-2006, 11:06

No - phobia free, I think

I'm not keen on the sight of banana being peeled - ewwwwww. But that's about it.

[edit] Dogs - the sound of claws on tarmac makes me shiver. And I generally leg it when a dog starts barking. Stinging flying things - usually leg it.

Ramrod · 30-07-2006, 11:08

I'm not aware of having any phobias......

Jules · 30-07-2006, 12:30

Heights! I am so bad we went out in the car the other day and we went over a bridge, talk about major panic attack! I had my eyes closed all the way over so it is a good job I wasn't driving lol

Xaccers · 30-07-2006, 12:37

I have a phobia of plasters, means if I get a cut, I won't cover it.
When I've given blood, they have to wrap a pad and bandage around my arm as I won't have the little round plaster put on the hole!

ntl customer · 30-07-2006, 12:40

I think I have some phobias.

I don't like dogs. If I see a dog walking on the same stretch of road as me and I have to walk past it, I'll go around it so as to leave enough 'clearance' between me and the dog, or simply cross to the other side of the road where it's possible. I think some friends have tried to alleviate my doggyphobia by putting their dogs near me, getting me to pet it etc and I think it's working a bit. If I am near a dog I know that is OK I am not as bad as I am when out on the street - i.e. I won't run a mile. But I am still a little twitchy around them if they get a bit raucous.

I don't like wasps or bees. The very sight of the striped yellow and black coat is enough to get me running out of the room in a state if I can't easily 'disable' it. My friend (who's doing the dog thing to me) doesn't like wasps either and is just as bad as me when it comes to them.

Heights might be another one. Whenever I go into elevators with glass outer bits (like those you see in shopping centres) I can't go right into the inside because I have some irrational fear that the panel will fall out and I will be exposed to the height. As for abseiling down Canary Wharf - f**k that.

I wouldn't say they take over my life, but I do get some odd looks especially with the dogs and wasps, with me darting out the room when there's a wasp.