Fears/Phobias?

[Gráinne]

Originally Posted by always2late

I'm afraid of heights. Well...actually afraid is a bit mild, I have full-blown panic attacks. The strange thing is, I love roller coasters, and have no problem on them, no matter how high they are, but it is only recently that I was able to force myself to ride escalators. And I can only step on the down escalator if I'm not looking down. I can't climb high ladders without starting to shake, or look over the side railings of staircases, and when driving across a bridge I have to be on the inside lane and white knuckle it until I'm across. But...I have no trouble flying and love to sit in the window seat on planes. My fear of heights is totally bizarre and arbitrary and without logic or reason.

I don't feel so alone or illogical!

*Love roller coasters, but down escalators or super steep up ones make me search for the elevator (which I also don't like, but dislike the least?). It's only been in the last few months that I can do a down escalator at all.

*Hate bridges, ladders, narrow cliffs (hard when most of your rocks are on cliffs), narrow stairs, stairs with the back of the step knocked out so it's just the step.

*Balloons. I don't like it when they pop. I can't stand next to a carnival game with balloons of any kind. I forbid anyone to bring a balloon in my house.

*I think the balloon thing is related to my fear of explosions and loud noises. Even in a movie, when there's a threat of an explosion (nearly any action movie, anything with gasoline, fire, etc.) I'm plugging my ears and whimpering in my seat like a puppy until explosion all gone. Needless to say, this limits the movies I'll watch.

*Mushrooms. I can be around mushrooms in the store, but start to get antsy around the ones with big caps. But out in the wild, forget it. I will go to any length to go around a mushroom, or to avoid sitting on a log with fungus on it.

[always2late]

Originally Posted by Gráinne

I don't feel so alone or illogical!

*Love roller coasters, but down escalators or super steep up ones make me search for the elevator (which I also don't like, but dislike the least?). It's only been in the last few months that I can do a down escalator at all.

*Hate bridges, ladders, narrow cliffs (hard when most of your rocks are on cliffs), narrow stairs, stairs with the back of the step knocked out so it's just the step.

*Balloons. I don't like it when they pop. I can't stand next to a carnival game with balloons of any kind. I forbid anyone to bring a balloon in my house.

*I think the balloon thing is related to my fear of explosions and loud noises. Even in a movie, when there's a threat of an explosion (nearly any action movie, anything with gasoline, fire, etc.) I'm plugging my ears and whimpering in my seat like a puppy until explosion all gone. Needless to say, this limits the movies I'll watch.

*Mushrooms. I can be around mushrooms in the store, but start to get antsy around the ones with big caps. But out in the wild, forget it. I will go to any length to go around a mushroom, or to avoid sitting on a log with fungus on it.

Ohhhh...those stairs! I know just the kind you mean (I call them hollow stairs). Ugh!