What is your most irrational fear?

[Frosty66612]

And could you deal with it if you absolutely had to? Mine is spiders and I have had full blown panic attacks over them before. There was a huge wolf spider in my living room earlier and I had to deal with it as my young niece was terrified and crying. Psyching myself up to put a bowl over it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Haha reading that back sounds barmy but it’s amazing how much a true phobia can affect you. My OH’s is heights and he said if it was a life or death situation and he had to jump out of a plane or do a bungee jump he’d rather just die

Oh, god. Caves. Caves and narrow spaces absolutely terrify me.

Mine is water.

The sea, swimming pools, rivers.

I actually get scared if my kids go swimming etc.

I will never get on a boat.

Floods, overflowing rivers, empty swimming pools and dry docks. Scares the wind out of me and I have no previous experience with these things negative or otherwise.

@Frosty66612 Thanks for the description. I googled them hand covered over my eyes with a slight slit between my fingers to see and I can see why you don't like them!

I know this isn't remotely helpful as phobias are phobias and can be rational or irrational but at least you know that you can put a bowl over a spider, because you did it when your niece was there.

*Mine is water.

The sea, swimming pools, rivers.

I actually get scared if my kids go swimming etc.

I will never get on a boat.*

I don’t mind being on water, like cruises and ferry trips. And I love waterfalls, could stare at them for ever. But the idea of being in water deeper than I can stand up in scares me.

Prawns!

It’s a really tricky one because I can’t even bear to see people eating them, I have to look away! Anyone I’ve dated has to know that prawns are off the table if they eat with me! Luckily I have dated understanding guys who aren’t that passionate about prawns so it’s been ok.

If my train goes by a river/canal I'm convinced it's going to fall into it. I imagine the water coming intout the carriage and everything.

Most irrational fear though is primordial black holes. They are tiny ancient black holes which could pop up right by us. I read about them long ago and it has stayed with me.

Lightening. I lose my head altogether. Remember having a GIANT panic attack on a college trip over it. A few days later I thought I heard thunder and everyone at the table told me that it was someone moving wheelie bins, that they'd seen then etc. It was thunder but 20 people were willing to make up a story in order to keep me calm.

Oh god have just googled wolf spider what a scary beast

Noy gone on baloons either. Can't stand watching them being blown up.

Not Balloons

Mine is spiders too. It's horrifying, it's an awful phobia to have as you can't really ever guarantee not to be near one.

Also, burning alive, or having to make the kinds of decisions that people do when they're trapped in a burning building and have no way out other than jumping out of the window to their deaths. I read a lot about 9/11, and other incidents where there have been fires in tall buildings, and psychologically I find it really really difficult knowing that someone's last moments alive were spent knowing death was coming, slowly and painfully, and having no chance of escape. When I think about what the residents of Grenfell went through once they realised they were going to die, it breaks my heart.

@pebbles I love thunder and lightening. The louder the better! Apparently it’s one of the most common fears though and I know 3 people In my circle of friends who are terrified of it. It’s strange how some things scare the life out of people but others aren’t remotely affected by it (like me with spiders, but my OH couldn’t care less if a huge one is running about the house and he just tells me to leave it be)

Pigeons. I hate them. They are evil. They are possessed by the souls of demons. I do not go shopping in town centres. And if I'm anywhere that kids chase one, I truly want to kick the child up the arse.

My most irrational is probably that a small shark, ray, eel or pirrhana type creature could swim through the ocean through sewers and water supply and get into the local swimming pool and bite or sting someone.

I know it can't happen but it doesn't stop me from constantly looking through the water just to be sure.

I'm not great at paddling by the sea either obviously

@Frosty That's mad. I take close up pictures of any spiders I get in the house for an invertebrate identification group I'm in on Facebook. I think they're great!

@pebbles I find them fascinating creatures to learn about, and the webs are beautiful. But my god the way they move so quickly just instantly makes me want to run for my life. I hate that they disappear somewhere if you look away for a moment too.

Medical stuff. Needles especially. I am due surgery in 5 weeks and am tearful thinking about the canula for the general anaesthetic. If they cannot do keyhole surgery, they will do open surgery and may close the cut with staples. Fucking staples. STAPLES!

I won't know until I wake up either.

I am going to be hysterical a d embarrass myself horribly.

Having a heart attack. It is irrational because I have no heart problems.

I had a lot of CBT for it and I am much better now (related to my health anxiety) but at one point I used to cry at the thought of having to go upstairs. Even walking used to scare me incase it brought on a heart attack. Thankfully it's a more of a lingering small fear now, instead of an all consuming one.

Frosty, I have exactly the same fears, spiders and flying, and I also love a good storm.
Unfortunately, I have so many other fears, too numerous (and outing) to recount here.... it might be easier to say the things I am not afraid of... the dark, snakes, bats, clowns...... brave, eh?

Being buried alive, in a coffin, so far underground nobody can hear me scream.

Thunder! 30 years old but if i could still fit under my bed i would be under there every storm!! I like lightening though🤔

SerenDIppityy.. My fear is the same as yours ..... but I am going to cut us some slack and say it's rational !!! Im a shit swimmer though !!!!

I feel so much better !!!!
I'm so scared of being out of my depth in water .... now I know I'm not the only one !!!
I'm good with boats .. I like being on water .. hate being IN it !

Being buried alive! Watched a film about it when I was way too young and it's being my biggest fear ever since!!