To ask you if this fear is irrational or not that uncommon?

[MoveYourArmsLikeHenry]

My friends and I were having a conversation about fears and phobias. I think mine is quite odd. I have a fear of going blind, losing consciousness, any situation really where I have distorted or no vision.

So if I ever had to have surgery and needed knocked out for it, it would terrify the life out of me. Not the operation itself but the putting me under part! When I was giving birth I wouldnt take even a whiff of gas and air because I was so afraid of getting dizzy!

I know it sounds silly but obviously we cant pick our phobias. One friend thinks its irrational, the other said she has heard of worse ones.

I think all phobias are irrational by their very nature, aren't they?

The fear of passing out is something I've heard of before though, so perhaps not too uncommon.

I remember seeing a documentary about someone who had that fear. The therapist took them to a supermarket where he arranged for an actor to 'pass out'...just to show them that people would help and they wouldn't be alone.

Sorry I've waffled a bit - YANBU

If it's not irrational then it's not a "phobia".

It's not unusual or irrational to find the idea of passing out scary, but if you think about it a lot or dwell on it or actively feel scared that it is going to happen then that is unusual and irrational.

Does your friend have trouble understanding what the word phobia means?

I am terrified of having a general anaesthetic. Not because I think I won't come round but I am just terrified of the process. I've been putting off having an op that I need for about 3 years now. I'm even frightened of going to sleep if I think about it properly, I have to be absolutely exhausted to go to bed and fall asleep immediately because if I think about falling asleep and being unconscious I painc. You're not alone in having this fear.

Sounds completely understandable. Is it to do with wanting to stay in control of yourself at all times...?

I had a colleague who had a patient who was scared of yellow balloons (just yellow ones).

Phobias can be weird. They don't have to be 'real' - spiders, falling ill, death...