Fears - what everyday things are people scared of

FairViewRosie25 · 2025-06-15T21:45:34+00:00

I’ll start - sounds stupid but I am scared of the top stair. As soon as I have started down the stairs I’m fine but it’s just that first step.

RaraRachael · 18/06/2025 13:57

When my kids were little we went into a bird enclosure at a zoo. I had to come out as I just couldn't cope with them flying freely around me.
I had no issues with a butterfly place and even had them land on me.

Snails and slugs give me the fear. I have to get somebody else to deal with them. I once couldn't go in my front door as there was a bloody great snail crawling up it. I had to use the back door until it had wended its way off the front one.

DiscoBob · 18/06/2025 13:17

shreddednips · 17/06/2025 01:44

Birds, but only birds of a certain size and type. Robin or bluetit size is fine and find them very cute. Blackbird size or larger fills me with absolute revulsion and horror, especially if the eyes are ‘beady’. I think it goes back to seeing a dead bird of this size as a child- it had been eviscerated by something, and I can remember being absolutely horrified by its innards. Poor thing.

I also think that they have an oily, sort of ‘crunchy’ look about them which I dislike. I have a recurring nightmare that a goose or albatross breaks into my house and smothers me with its horrid, greasy body (I have no idea if they are actually greasy). I’m aware this is totally irrational.

I’m also horrified by anything with a torpedo-like, tapered shape that moves in a ‘gliding’ manner through any medium. Sharks, submarines and large ships for example. But particularly jumbo jets, there’s this horrendous video of a jet coming in to land and it swoops low over a beach, and it makes me feel ill. I went to an air show once (god knows why given my particular fear) and there was a Boeing manoeuvring around low in the sky, I went all faint with fear and had to leave. Airports are a problem, I don’t like being inside planes or in close proximity to them from the outside either. I’ll avoid driving routes that take me near airports because the planes fly too low for comfort. It’s completely irrational, but they cause me to feel absolute terror. Small, Spitfire-size planes and helicopters are fine!

I think your description of the birds has made me look at them differently. I think blackbird size is ok but geese etc or big seagulls are quite gross. I once got attacked by geese as a child!

I saw a seagull eating a flattened pigeon carcass the other day. He looked so pleased with himself.

So your nightmare about the giant greasy goose is bringing back some stuff. I don't think of them as greasy, but their beaks are very sharp and their poo is vile.

SillyMillie90 · 17/06/2025 22:24

muddyford · 17/06/2025 17:25

Moths. I can cope with spiders and snakes but moths have me reduced to a gibbering wreck.

It’s because they’re insects but they’re big and furry like mammals. It’s just not right 😂

SillyMillieMops · 17/06/2025 21:49

Peacocks. There’s two of them roaming about in my village. Everyone loves them. They give me the eebies. Ugh. Shuddering just thinking about those nasty feathers on the top of their heads. And their beady eyes. And don’t even get me started on the claw feet.

GreyCarpet · 17/06/2025 20:57

FourNaanJeremy · 15/06/2025 23:08

My MIL is terrified of buttons, especially big ones. She says they make her feel physically sick

Same.

Big ones and especially small ones with 4 holes 🤮

Decorative buttons. Non functional buttons. Random buttons that appear to serve no purpose. Loose buttons. Random fell of an item of clothing buttons...

I can just about cope with military style buttons.

God they make my throat sieze up!

Judiezones · 17/06/2025 19:50

Being in a dark room with the curtains/blinds open. I feel like I'm being stalked

NormasArse · 17/06/2025 19:49

More a phobia than a fear, but belly buttons 🤮.

ladyamy · 17/06/2025 19:45

Mazzika · 16/06/2025 00:17

That's an arresting juxtaposition @LaLaLaLavaChChChChicken

For me it's driving up steep hills. Especially, but not limited to, hill starts. I have an irrational fear that that the car's engine will not be enough power to keep going, or we will somehow fall off the hill backwards.

Me too! There’s a horrible junction where where I live with a set of traffic lights at the top of a very steep hill. Always hold my breath hoping the lights won’t turn red as I’m driving up.

Itiswhysofew · 17/06/2025 17:46

BrickHare · 15/06/2025 23:34

It’s because of the scene in Final destination? Don’t look it up if not but that scared me as a child 🤣

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Looked it up. Bloody hell, that's severe!🫣

MistressoftheDarkSide · 17/06/2025 17:37

JohnTheRevelator · 17/06/2025 17:31

My granddaughter (18) has this fear too. If she absolutely has to use an escalator she has to hold onto someone and is practically having a panic attack.

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I feel for her, I really do. I have perfected an iron grip on the handrail.

JohnTheRevelator · 17/06/2025 17:31

MistressoftheDarkSide · 16/06/2025 20:54

Ooh, getting on and off escalators. Especially the really big ones into the London Underground. Probably related to the height / vertigo thing. Adding in movement and surging crowds of people gives me a really panicky feeling. Going down is far worse than going up of course. And also I have long hair and wear alot of scarves, and the horror of being strangled or choked after falling is very real.

My granddaughter (18) has this fear too. If she absolutely has to use an escalator she has to hold onto someone and is practically having a panic attack.

JohnTheRevelator · 17/06/2025 17:27

Spiders. I think it's one of the most common phobias. I even know quite a few men who are scared of them. I'm not as bad as some people,I don't mind small ones. I just hate the way they scuttle so quickly. You take your eyes off them for a second and they're gone. 🤢 My mum was terrified of them too,as was her mother,so I definitely think it's learned,as I'm not remotely scared of any other insects.

muddyford · 17/06/2025 17:25

Moths. I can cope with spiders and snakes but moths have me reduced to a gibbering wreck.

RaraRachael · 17/06/2025 17:23

Sultanofzanzibar · 17/06/2025 16:25

Yes to the pepper seeds. Sometimes peppers have baby peppers growing inside them and they’re the worst.

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Yes to all of these. The baby peppers within bigger ones give me the fear.
With the melon seeds, it's like hundreds and hundreds of little things spying on me - ridiculous I know.

SillyMillie90 · 17/06/2025 17:19

MuffinsAreJustCakesAtBreakfast · 17/06/2025 08:53

I often have unsettling dreams about huge volumes of water generally as well! Do you?

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Yes mainly me being scared of walking near the sea at night or a reservoir. I’m never in the water but too near if that makes sense.

Sultanofzanzibar · 17/06/2025 16:25

SpookyMcTaggart · 17/06/2025 12:55

Melon pips, and the pips inside red or green peppers. Something to do with the way they are hiding in there, masses of them all clustered together, ugh.
Also tops of vine tomatoes - because they look like dead spiders.

Yes to the pepper seeds. Sometimes peppers have baby peppers growing inside them and they’re the worst.

squashyhat · 17/06/2025 13:09

Cockroaches. I'm pretty much OK with any other animal, but they absolutely disgust me. I think it's the way they scuttle and are practically indestructible. Fortunately despite a lot of foreign travel I have only encountered a few small ones outdoors. But the thought of being in a room with one.... 🤮

SpookyMcTaggart · 17/06/2025 12:55

Melon pips, and the pips inside red or green peppers. Something to do with the way they are hiding in there, masses of them all clustered together, ugh.
Also tops of vine tomatoes - because they look like dead spiders.

ISaySteadyOn · 17/06/2025 12:31

Except enclosed ones which I am mostly ok with.

ISaySteadyOn · 17/06/2025 12:30

TheCoralMoose · 17/06/2025 00:19

Zips. I only like coats with buttons or press studs.

Escalators.

Escalators! Me too. Especially ones in places like John Lewis where they look like they're just suspended in open air. I actually cannot get on them.

Ohwhatfuckeryitistoride · 17/06/2025 12:15

MistressoftheDarkSide · 16/06/2025 20:54

Ooh, getting on and off escalators. Especially the really big ones into the London Underground. Probably related to the height / vertigo thing. Adding in movement and surging crowds of people gives me a really panicky feeling. Going down is far worse than going up of course. And also I have long hair and wear alot of scarves, and the horror of being strangled or choked after falling is very real.

Getting on them at the top for me. I have to let three steps go and get on 4, which was a challenge on the tube. If they are quiet I can do it as I’m approaching, but usually have to feel them go out under my foot.

MimiGC · 17/06/2025 09:31

Birds.

BooneyBeautiful · 17/06/2025 09:30

GreenMarigold · 17/06/2025 06:37

Many elements of cooking, particularly frying in oil (fire risk) and using noisy appliances like blenders (feel like they will chop my fingers off). Cooking in front of others is a big fear too.

I am so much better than I used to be but I still find everyday cooking so stressful.

That reminds me, sharp knives. Last year I finally got round to treating myself to a very sharp, proper, chef's knife. I don't know why as I am too frightened to use it! I think DP has used it once, but otherwise it has just been sitting in its sheath in the kitchen drawer. It wasn't cheap either!

MuffinsAreJustCakesAtBreakfast · 17/06/2025 08:53

SillyMillie90 · 17/06/2025 07:43

Submechanophobia, I have it too

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I often have unsettling dreams about huge volumes of water generally as well! Do you?

Anotherdayanotherbiscuit · 17/06/2025 07:57

Byebyechicken · 15/06/2025 23:50

Anything that flaps, moths, butterflies, birds. I'm currently sweltering with every window firmly closed in case the flappy little fuckers get in!
Fear of heights, or rather a fear of falling from a height.
Fear of severe pain. I fear this more than death.
The dark.
Evil entities.
Massive spiders.
Not being safe, which covers a lot.
Living alone in my house.
I think that covers it.

I have an autistic, non verbal nephew who will happily go up to great big dogs but is terrified of butterflies love him.