Just finished watching Arachnophobia - so...anyone here have any thing they are just irrationally afraid of? I have a literal paralyzing fear of those palmetto bugs/cockroaches.  I can deal with spiders, snakes, ants, scorpions, etc - but that's a big fat no on those things.  I see one and I start hyperventilating.  Thankfully, since I moved out here to Arizona where it's nice and dry I think I've come across TWO in 11+ years out here in Phoenix area. Tucson has a legit roach-filled Best Western though.  But Tucson is dirty.  eff them effers!

Not sure if this falls under the attribute of "irrationally" but do not put me anywhere too high off the ground.

When I'm on a plane I avoid looking out of the windows at all costs. I'm very aware that I'm incredibly high off the ground but if I just look forward exclusively, I can convince myself I'm on a bus on a highway that gets a little bumpy every so often.

Just now, Michael said:

Not sure if this falls under the attribute of "irrationally" but do not put me anywhere too high off the ground.

When I'm on a plane I avoid looking out of the windows at all costs. I'm very aware that I'm incredibly high off the ground but if I just look forward exclusively, I can convince myself I'm on a bus on a highway that gets a little bumpy every so often.

I take it that new movie, Fall, would probably not go over well for you in an immersive environment like IMAX?

I have an irrational fear of heights. Like to the extreme. I can't even be close to a railing at a stadium or mall because I start to feel like I am losing my balance even if I am not. I just always see myself falling over the railing.

4 minutes ago, SonOfJack said:

I have an irrational fear of heights. Like to the extreme. I can't even be close to a railing at a stadium or mall because I start to feel like I am losing my balance even if I am not. I just always see myself falling over the railing.

how far up a ladder can you and @Michael tolerate? 

 

Personally, heights don't bother me at all but I hate ladders with a passion because I just think they're going to fall over, collapse or break.  I'm perfectly fine sitting on the edge of a cliff though for instance. I did the CN Tower in Toronto too which has a glass floor observation deck about 50 stories or so up so it kinda looks like you're floating 50 stories up.  No issues for me on that one but man there were a lot of terrified folks hugging the wall immediately when they stepped off the elevator.

2 minutes ago, hovertical said:

how far up a ladder can you and @Michael tolerate? 

Zero if you mean a regular sized ladder. I won't get on one.

I don't even like step ladders or whatever they are called, the short ones. I'll only stand on the first step so they really serve no purpose to me. I know it is irrational but I can't do anything about it.

4 minutes ago, SonOfJack said:

Zero if you mean a regular sized ladder. I won't get on one.

I don't even like step ladders or whatever they are called, the short ones. I'll only stand on the first step so they really serve no purpose to me. I know it is irrational but I can't do anything about it.

who changes the light bulbs in any ceiling fixtures or stuff like the batteries in smoke alarms?  See, my wife and I work the whole insect thing well - she seems to be terrified of every insect BUT palmetto bugs so I'll go take care of the others and if we see one of those she always took care of that for me. Your wife take care of the light bulbs, etc then at your place?

I'm just pleasantly amazed that you watch Arachnophobia in the year 2022. 

Just now, hovertical said:

who changes the light bulbs in any ceiling fixtures or stuff like the batteries in smoke alarms?  See, my wife and I work the whole insect thing well - she seems to be terrified of every insect BUT palmetto bugs so I'll go take care of the others and if we see one of those she always took care of that for me. Your wife take care of the light bulbs, etc then at your place?

The only bulbs I will change are the ones I can reach without a ladder. I can stand on a bed for the ones in the bedroom, my fear doesn't kick in there because it is a large surface area. There are only a couple I can't do, she does those.

I killed a million leg bug the other day. I hate those things but I hate heights more.

1 minute ago, SilverBullet said:

I'm just pleasantly amazed that you watch Arachnophobia in the year 2022. 

So what's your phobia?

3 minutes ago, SilverBullet said:

I'm just pleasantly amazed that you watch Arachnophobia in the year 2022. 

that movie is a classic and I'll watch it a couple times a year.  Never gets old.  For some reason when I was a kid and saw it in the theater I thought it was amazing that the photographer guy in the beginning was wearing a Miami Dolphins hat.  I guess I was easily amazed as a child.

I'm definitely claustrophobia. Even thinking of being in a tight space wigs me out.

As a kid I was irrationally terrified of dogs and clowns. Got over the dogs thing and love them now because my parents wisely got me a puppy to help me get over it and it worked wonderfully, I now sleep with a nearly 100 lb bag of fleas, and my dog sleeps with us too. 

I'm OK with clowns now but I just don't like them and never will so they still kinda give me the creeps.

I also have a bit of a fear of vomit or my own throwing up lol. I get abnormally freaked out about it and I avoid it like the plague and that causes me to avoid things that might lead to it like wild rollercoasters more so because I'm afraid to puke as opposed to being afraid of the rollercoaster itself. 

1 minute ago, SilverBullet said:

I'm definitely claustrophobia. Even thinking of being in a tight space wigs me out.

So you don't go on any elevators?

Oh and rodents, hamsters, anything like that. No thanks. Rather deal with spiders and bugs. I can see them but I'm afraid to touch them or be touched by them. Had a mouse problem in my house earlier this year and I was more worried about having to touch one or anything gross like that. Actually I've cleaned up a few dead mice over the years in my yard and that's zero issue for me because I know there's no chance they'll touch me so it's way different. 

1 minute ago, SonOfJack said:

So you don't go on any elevators?

Actually I meant very tight spaces. No problem with elevators. It's spaces where I can't move. So I'm not sure the levels of claustrophobia but I guess I have a mild claustrophobia? But if it's triggered I will lose my shit.

An example that I just cannot do... enclosed spiral slides, with or without water. 

2 minutes ago, SilverBullet said:

I'm definitely claustrophobia. Even thinking of being in a tight space wigs me out.

As a kid I was irrationally terrified of dogs and clowns. Got over the dogs thing and love them now because my parents wisely got me a puppy to help me get over it and it worked wonderfully, I now sleep with a nearly 100 lb bag of fleas, and my dog sleeps with us too. 

I'm OK with clowns now but I just don't like them and never will so they still kinda give me the creeps.

I also have a bit of a fear of vomit or my own throwing up lol. I get abnormally freaked out about it and I avoid it like the plague and that causes me to avoid things that might lead to it like wild rollercoasters more so because I'm afraid to puke as opposed to being afraid of the rollercoaster itself. 

I LOVE dogs and we have a 145lb Great Dane that gets her own ribeye steak cooked for her when we have steak (to give you an idea of how much we love this damn beast).  I do not like German Shepherds or Pitbulls though as I've been attacked by both.  Not to the point I needed stitches but this pit mix was just standing there and randomly ripped my whole pant leg off one time and I had a German Shepherd who I was playing fetch with just randomly lunge at me after bringing the toy back one time and it broke part of my tooth as he collided with my face so I'm real wary of those two breeds. 

 

Clowns are just freaking creepy and obnoxious in general.

 

In regard to vomit - I once had a gf who had had a little too much of the drink that night throw up all over my lap while "servicing me" haha.  First time for everything I guess.

Just now, SilverBullet said:

An example that I just cannot do... enclosed spiral slides, with or without water. 

So none of that and no rollercoasters. I need to remember to never go to an amusement park with you. Not that I'd go either since most of the rides set off my height phobia.

Just now, hovertical said:

I once had a gf who had had a little too much of the drink that night throw up all over my lap while "servicing me" haha

Did she keep going?

1 minute ago, SonOfJack said:

Did she keep going?

sure did.  like a freaking champ!

I have a friend with an irrational fear of bodies of water. Driving on the expressway as it went over water she has to cover her eyes to not see the water below us. Weird. 

3 minutes ago, hovertical said:

sure did.  like a freaking champ!

she had had chicken fajitas at Chilis earlier to answer your next logical question!

6 minutes ago, SonOfJack said:

So none of that and no rollercoasters. I need to remember to never go to an amusement park with you. Not that I'd go either since most of the rides set off my height phobia.

Yea I'm a bore at amusement parks. I'm cool with enjoying the sights the food the shows and the easy rides but I will ruin your day if you expect me to ride everything with you. When my school takes field trips to the Orlando parks I'm the teacher who stays behind with the kids who are too scared (or too short) to ride lol.

2 minutes ago, hovertical said:

she had had chicken fajitas at Chilis earlier to answer your next logical question!

Did they come out with the same sizzling sound as when they arrived at your table? 

1 minute ago, SilverBullet said:

I have a friend with an irrational fear of bodies of water. Driving on the expressway as it went over water she has to cover her eyes to not see the water below us. Weird. 

Driving over bodies of water doesn't freak me out but the idea of floating in a giant body of water where the bottom is thousands of feet below me (open ocean for example) and there's literally NOTHING to see other than open water all around you wigs me out like nothing else.  That's a huge fear of mine. I think it's called Thalassophobia (spelling).  I always envision some giant beast lurking in the depths just out of sight.  I'm totally fine on a boat (aside from seasickness) or being near water though.

Just now, SilverBullet said:

Did they come out with the same sizzling sound as when they arrived at your table? 

a true gentleman such as myself would never tell