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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask you what illogical thing freaks you out.

362 replies

cupidsgame · 30/06/2016 10:51

I have an illogical fear of large empty swimming pools. It's totally irrational but I'd be too frightened to look at one let alone stand in it.

OP posts:
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7
BillyDaveysDaughter · 30/06/2016 16:55

Someone else said it but wind turbines freak me out - I think it's the sheer size. Same for big ships in dock.

And huge, deep expanses of water. The thought of a depth of 5 miles of water, and seeing huge waves the size of 10 houses, just scares the shit out of me.

BillSykesDog · 30/06/2016 17:09

Polystyrene. Can't touch the stuff.

2016Bambino · 30/06/2016 17:24

I can't stand eating from a wooden fork / lolly sticks. Yuck - goes through me!

soapydopeybubbles · 30/06/2016 17:26

I don't like buoys, particularly the ones eith the big chains going into the water to anchor them in place. I went on a pedalo abroad once and we went right along side one. Even just looking at creeped me out and the thought of having to get into the water and it touching me, urgh.

I also don't like swimming near boats, even ones that are safely anchored and in no danger of moving.

TBH I don't tend to to swim in the sea as I freak out if my feet can't touch the bottom but I'm quite happy paddling even when the water is right up under my arms.

I also hate seeing mirrors or blank screens at night as I'm convinced that one day I will see something looking back. But during the day I'm not remotely afraid, it's all v odd.

ImogenTubbs · 30/06/2016 17:28

Voicemail. I HATE getting voicemail on my phone and have a real feeling of dread every time I have to listen to one - I have no idea why!

Ezzie29 · 30/06/2016 17:51

Remembered another one - I'm another one who is scared of balloons. Well, specifically, them popping. I try to hide it from my niece because I know popping them near me would become her favourite game!

HoggleHoggle · 30/06/2016 18:00

Marmite I'm the poster who said I was scared of the front of ships and oh my fucking god you almost gave me a heart attack with those!

HoggleHoggle · 30/06/2016 18:05

Also, I've added buoys to my list of Bloody Horrible Things after reading this thread.

Shouldwebeworried · 30/06/2016 18:10

Balloons! Hate the texture, the sound, they make my skin crawl and give me yukky goosebumps!

Shouldwebeworried · 30/06/2016 18:13

Oh yes and that Trypophobia thing ....anything involving lots of circly, round things all clustered together urghhh makes me feel so sick!

EvansOvalPies · 30/06/2016 18:23

Beards. OMG - beards! I cannot stand them, make me all shivery. As the Mum of a young adult DS, most of his friends have horrible hairy beards, because it's the fashion nowadays and they all want to give me a quick kiss as they come into the house. (Nice of them, BUT Bleurghhh! (I've told them I don't like them, they think it's funny). It's not, it's really not, and if one more of them comes up to peck me on the cheek with his revolting facial hair, I swear I will not be responsible for my actions. Angry

Totally irrational, but there we have it.

EvansOvalPies · 30/06/2016 18:29

Other posters have said these, so I'm agreeing:
My Dad has the cotton wool phobia, also the sound of something being spread on toast.

DS doesn't like the feel of a wooden stick in his mouth, so never did and still won't, eat ice-lollies on sticks

(And, curiously, when he was little, always took the beards off his Playmobil people, even though he didn't know I had the beard aversion). I asked him why once, and he just answered with "I don't like beards". Weird ...

LittleMissUpset · 30/06/2016 18:30

Clowns
Hair in my food, even my own make me gag, and if I get a hair in my mouth, even mine, I am nearly sick!

Cheese graters freak me out, I'm shuddering just typing it Shock I caught my finger on one once and even though it was a small graze it makes me feel funny using them!

quencher · 30/06/2016 18:31

Snakes and mushroom.

I hate to look at, no wish to touch or have any association with snakes.

Mushrooms. When I was about three I was given cold food that had mushrooms. It made me feel sick. From that day on wards I decided I was allergic to mushrooms. Am at the point now that I can't touch it. With snakes it's the thought of what they can do. I have seen people bitten by snakes. The colours look horrible and slimy. There was a point I would not touch chains that were snake shaped.

I have eaten soup with mushroom in the past unknowingly and I have been ok. I created my own fear and it's not going any where.

I also have a fear of cold food. I struggle to eat salad that have just come out the fridge. Strangely I don't have problems with deserts. Ice creams and the lot. I don't even think twice.

EvansOvalPies · 30/06/2016 18:35

Rats. I know many people don't like rats, yet I don't mind rodents or reptiles of any kind, normally. I'll happily sit with a mouse or a gerbil, a lizard or a snake of any size. But a rat is a rodent with a reptilian tail. Which is odd, to me. So that's probably an irrational reason for not liking rats.

quencher · 30/06/2016 18:36

Also the fear of toilet water splashing on my bottom. I always lay tissue on the toilets water line. This is for any toilet. Even at home. I can't remember for the many years I have been doing this going to the toilet and not lining it. I don't usually use public toilets because of how many people use it. Before sitting in public toilets I line the seat with tissue.

quencher · 30/06/2016 18:40

People who eat with their mouth open and also talk with food in their mouth. This drives me nuts.

Old dolls give me the creeps. I always think of horror movies. Always without a miss. For me old dolls equal ghost.

EvansOvalPies · 30/06/2016 18:42

Before sitting in public toilets I line the seat with tissue

I've always done this too, Quencher. I always hover above the seat, never touching it, but when DC were little and had to touch the seat, I always lined it with paper first. That seems utterly rational to me. Germs - yeuch!

Years ago (back in the 80s, when dungarees were fashionable) going to the loo was a nightmare. You had to hover, AND not allow the top half of your unbuckled dungarees to touch the floor. A friend of mine wouldn't even touch the flush button with her hands - she used to reach it with her foot to flush.

CremeEggThief · 30/06/2016 18:42

Cloths and washing up sponges in anywhere other than my house. I can't stomach touching them.

I also cannot bear the sight of iceberg lettuce. It doesn't freak me out, but it disgusts me so much I have to hide it with a napkin.

Feefeefs · 30/06/2016 18:48

Insects in rice

TrionicLettuce · 30/06/2016 18:59

Quilling. It's the idea of manipulating those little strips of paper that does it, seems like a recipe for horrendous paper cuts. I've only got to think about it and my fingers start aching/throbbing/tingling.

Shame really as some of the results are pretty gorgeous but as soon as I remember how they're made, there go my fingers twitching away in horror.

I also hate touching my own shins, having anyone else touch my shins or seeing someone touch their own shins. I don't know why, it just freaks me right out. DH likes to rub his knuckles up and down his shins in front of me when he's feeling particularly devilish Hmm It's making me shudder just imagining it.

To ask you what illogical thing freaks you out.
Ladybirdbookworm · 30/06/2016 19:01

Marmite I could start sweating just reading your post . I've read it twice because I'm bloody stupid.
Everything about fish freaks me out. I haven't been in the sea even for a paddle for over 25 years.

The only thing worse would be a fish in an empty swimming pool Grin

CombineBananaFister · 30/06/2016 19:07

I don't like anything between my toes, it feels obscene and wrong so flip flops freak me out. Which is odd because my toes have been broken so many times they look like they dont like each other and would fit flipflops easily Grin

Maybenot321 · 30/06/2016 19:08

Cloths and washing up sponges in anywhere other than my house. I can't stomach touching them
Yes yes.....have to go straight in the bin..........with kitchen paper over my hand so don't have to touch them.

MangoMoon · 30/06/2016 19:09

High escalators.

People 'stealing my nose' and not giving it back Blush