<p>You know, sharks have been kind of keeping me out of the water for a few years. My daughter used to surf but about 6 yrs ago, there were more than a few around the area and one of her friends was nipped …she sold her boards after that. I am more comfortable in my pool ;)</p>
<p>Nrdsb4 … I don’t know why I clicked on your link. Ugh.</p>
<p>^^^^Gulp. Sorry. :o</p>
<p>My phobia is heights which I first noticed when driving over bridges, but later really understood on the ski slope, I skied much faster and more aggressively when it was snowing and I could not see how far there was to “fall” (as if somehow I would fly off the mountain and fall down to the bottom? Not fear of rolling down the mountain. Since then I have systematically worked at not giving in to the fear of heights. Once, when being harassed by DH, I made him pull over and I walked across the Forest Hill bridge [Foresthill</a> Bridge](<a href=“http://www.foothill.net/~andreaj/Bridge.htm]Foresthill”>http://www.foothill.net/~andreaj/Bridge.htm). It is truly a subconscious irrational phobia more than a fear. It does not make me change what I do or how I act, but it can still affect my enjoyment. I confess I can still break out in a sweat when driving over a bridge, especially if I can see out the sides.</p>
<p>It was mentioned above that feeling some invisible force would tug you off and that is so true.</p>
<p>My real fear, though, is throwing up; I just hate it.</p>
<p>Only half in jest - I am most afraid of parenting. Honestly, we are guaranteed to make mistakes with these precious children, and while I try my best, it can be so difficult! World’s toughest job. I’ve been through some tough things but this one takes all I’ve got. That’s why I’m on CC :)</p>
<p>Nrdsb4 … I didn’t mean to make you feel bad about my phobia, I am kind of chuckling to myself that even clicking on those cliffs and heights photos makes me have that weird nausea feeling. </p>
<p>And to another poster, Going to the Sun Road in Montana is the one that made me panic! I’ll never forget that drive. When I went to Montana the 2nd time, I forced myself to hike up and down the switchback part of the trail until I could breath normally. In the meantime, my family had hiked a lot higher, but when they greeted me on their way down, I have to say I impressed them with my calmness as we hiked the rest of the way back down. I am determined to conquer this phobia, as it’s annoying to be the scared one on a trip, but if I am not careful it sneaks up and my brain reminds me.</p>
<p>somemom, I am with you on the throwing up. Once I start, I don’t stop for 12-24 hours. I will do anything in my power not to throw up. Unfortunately, there aren’t many things in my power to prevent it! </p>
<p>My fear of heights also includes driving over bridges (not many around here) and overpasses on the freeways. I go so slow, I’m sure the drivers behind me would love to push me off!</p>
<p>MM1215- during a really bad pregnancy I became an expert on making it easier, I think I did not eat anything with sharp edges for over a year!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Well, as long as you stay to the right and out of the passing lane, I guess we’ll let you get away with that. ;)</p>
<p>My list is sooo long, that I most likely will miss something:
heights
open spaces
very tall buildings
dogs
being in tight spaes
loosing another tooth
walking in the dark
falling on stairs
forgetting important event
…
tons of other things that (I am afraid) I do not remember</p>
<p>“My fear of heights also includes driving over bridges (not many around here) and overpasses on the freeways. I go so slow, I’m sure the drivers behind me would love to push me off!”</p>
<p>HAHA I do the opposite! I drive as fast as I possibly can so I can get off the bridge!! Get outta my way, crazy woman coming through!</p>
<p>Fears around driving is a topic all it’s own! I dislike 18 wheelers, of being boxed in, of getting rear ended by one. Driving exhausts me & while I can easily manage the 90 minute trip to d2s school & I used to be able to drive to our winter vacation spot through mountain passes which was 7 or so hours, driving down to see d1 even though it is mostly freeway fills me with dread. Last month I fainted & hit my head ( unknown cause) & last week
I had to be taken to the emergency room by aid car, so I am a little worried that I will have an issue while I am driving(usually I take the train, but I needed to have my own car- cause last time I rented- they only had a HUGE truck & I didn’t want to go through that again) For those of you who will be driving I-5 on Wednesday, be assured that I will pullover into a rest stop if I need to. ;)</p>
<p>I am really afraid of driving in fog or driving rain where I can’t see. It’s all about control, and I also usually like to be the driver and not a passenger. I tend to trust business associates to drive, but not my friends or relatives. Go figure. I also hate narrow ledge driving like on some Colorado roads. I’m OK if I’m on the inside (close to the mountain) but not so great if I’m on the outer edge.</p>
<p>Well, I, for one, am really relieved that you started this thread, since I’d been going through my entire life with no idea that it is very common for very bright people to be afraid of driving high up in exposed places (ie bridges), and I have now proudly proclaimed it to be a sign of HIGH intelligence (pun intended) to my family. ;)</p>
<p>Safety in numbers, as they say.</p>
<p>^^^^To be honest, every time someone mentions a new fear, I think, “oh, yes, I’m afraid of that too!” Then I feel bad, wondering if we (and I) are not becoming a nation of fearful people. Think about it, quite often when you turn on the TV or open an online news site, you read about the latest new thing which threatens us. Ellen Degeneres did a thing on it on one of her stand up routines. Something along the lines of “Your local news flash: ‘You could be eating something which is killing you! Details at 10!’” Ellen responds, while putting her fork to her mouth, “Is it peas?”</p>
<p>Like I said, DH isn’t really afraid of anything. But I am afraid of:</p>
<p>something happening to the children
tornadoes
heights (especially mountain roads, bridges over water or bridges which are really high up, and anything where you are high without proper barriers to ‘the abyss’)
flying
rats or other similar rodents</p>
<p>Isn’t that a lot of things for one person?</p>
<p>there is not one thing on that list I find irrational.</p>
<p>all of thos things are survival instincts. Women who were not afraid of those things, from an evolutionary perspective, probably did not produce many very long lived offspring. Think of it as “natural selection” :)</p>
<p>I am also afraid of guns, btw. Is that irrational?</p>
<p>No.</p>
<p>^^^^^Oh great, add another to my list. THANKS, poetgirl!</p>
<p>:D</p>
<p>Today I saw an article about people that are afraid of spiders (count me as one of them), and how they typically estimate the size of a spider to be much larger than people that aren’t afraid of them!</p>
<p>[The</a> Body Odd - Spiders actually look bigger to arachnophobes](<a href=“http://bodyodd.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/05/10565093-spiders-actually-look-bigger-to-arachnophobes]The”>http://bodyodd.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/05/10565093-spiders-actually-look-bigger-to-arachnophobes)</p>
<p>In recent weeks, I’ve been plagued by fears of nuclear annihilation. It has to do with the whole Mayan calendar prophecy (yes, I know. Stupid and irrational). But that, coupled with Iran’s nuclear ambitions, which most certainly are primarily motivated by a strident will to possess nuclear weapons, have me very, very anxious. The fact that The US and Israel have stated in no uncertain terms that a nuclear Iran is not an option, has me imagining a scenario under which cascading actions result in a global nuclear crisis. I’m not kidding. Laugh if you must. I’ll understand.</p>
<p>Driving on the interstate (merging into traffic). I will go back roads and take longer to get where I need to go if I am driving just to avoid major highways. When husband is driving, I don’t insist he avoid highways but I tend to be nervous when we are on a highway. The stuff like the beltway things around DC make me particularly nervous.</p>