What are you most afraid of?

[expatgirl]

Ever since I crossed the Atchafalaya Bridge in Louisiana (extremely long and very narrow-not very safe shoulders to pull over to) in rain pouring down so hard that I couldn't even see ahead of me with 2 young children gripping the steering wheel with dear life and praying out loud for help and courage I've been deathly afraid of driving in thunderstorms. If the weather people predict thunderstorms (my main residence is Houston so you know how often that can be) my car stays home and my insurance company thanks me. And if I have bad dreams they usually involve fleeing a tornado---the Wizard of Oz's tornado scene still has my admiration for the tingling sensations it causes to this day.

 

[Reanie525i]

I agree there - would rather die then have my brain functioning and my body not be able to do anything - I would rather die then be alive but not living!!! As to the edge fear - its funny I fear the edge of a cliff BUT I want to sky dive - Go figure!!!

 

[XeniA]

Walking across bridges that wobble and/or that you can see down through / anything having to do with heights, edges, cliffs / Lulu's "downhill hills" especially those on roller-coaster-like rides where one's stomach stays suspended longer than the rest of you / very deep, dark water at night / sharks / the forces of nature in all their glory, especially earthquakes / the thought of an approaching meteor ...

 

[YT2095]

with the exception of Coffee, beer or Cigs, my fear/Phobia is Drugs, especialy anything that will mess with my head, Anaesthetics are a Big NO NO!
even stuff I may get from the doctor I have to do a days searching about it before I`ll even consider taking it, and if it says may cause drowsiness on the packet then I`ll refuse to take it. that`s why I don`t like Hospitals or dentists and such. and if I even See anyone smoking or even handling pot or similar, you won`t see me for dust!

 

[Snoop Puss]

Edges/heights. Agree with Michael over not wanting to go near the sheer drop of a facade, especially one made of glass.

A phobia that no-one has mentioned: dogs.

 

[Barb L.]

Dang ! Iam anxious just reading these threads, Don't like boats (being out in the water-can't swim) large dogs, escalators, panic attacks (use to have them- no fun) bridges riding or walking over. Had my first panic attack while driving --30 yrs. ago -haven't driven since- bummer ! I don't even ride well -- the pits.

 

[crewsk]

As a few have mentioned, I would also say being close to an edge that is high up (vertigo?), also being alone (at night), elevators (minor phobia of crashing down, not clostrophopibic), drowning, waking up in the middle of the night after a nightmare, and this one may sound really silly but I avoid walking on sewer drains (gutters) because I think they will cave in

Amber, I'm afraid of elevators for the same reason...I get as close to a wall as I can & hang on to the bar until I'm safely at my destination. I refuse to get in one if I'm alone, I'll take the staris.

 

[VeraBlue]

Neat question. As an adult it's interesting that we are still afraid of things. When we're children we always looked up to our parents to "take care" of protecting us from those things that made us afraid. We never considered that our parents had fears, too. Just different than those of childhood. And some of them the same as in childhood, too.

As for me, I can't stand bridges. Can't drive over them. When I'm a passenger, I freeze up. Can't speak. My hands sweat. I can remember, as a child, there was a big bridge we traveled over fairly regularly. As soon as I saw the approach to the bridge I'd hunker down on the floor in the back seat until we were well across it.

I don't know where my bridge phobia came from. I don't ever recall having a bad experience that could be connected to a bridge or bridges. Just me bein' me.

Ever since I was a little girl, I would have dreams that instead of driving on the road of the bridge, the car would be balancing on the cables that went all the way to the top.... I still have that dream, and am still very uneasy about traveling over bridges. I have to drive over a bridge called The Tappan Zee every day to get to work. It's over the hudson river, and close to three miles long. I hate it.

 

[YT2095]

another one I have that I can`t explain rationaly at all (even to myself), is Heights related, I can go up a tower block and look out the window just fine, even stand on a balcony and look down without too much problem, but you try and get me up a ladder! or on a shed roof and ask me to look up, dam it gives me shivers thinking about it, I`m the same watching stuff like that on TV, esp if the cam`s moving too EEK!

 

[urmaniac13]

I am also a bit particular about the issue with heights. "Looking down" doesn't give me too much of a scare, but for me it is really frightening when I am at the edge of a cliff, or top or a building/tower etc. and look "UP". I feel as if some unexplainable power would grab my hair and suck me down or something.

A few other things I that really scares me

-earthquake. even a tiny one drives me to a sheer panic.
-praying mantis. what a horrid looking creature!
-when Cristiano goes out driving around after being up working all night. I know he is accustomed to it and do it regularly, it really worries me no end.

 

[BlueCat]

I am also a bit particular about the issue with heights. "Looking down" doesn't give me too much of a scare, but for me it is really frightening when I am at the edge of a cliff, or top or a building/tower etc. and look "UP". I feel as if some unexplainable power would grab my hair and suck me down or something.

I think that might be part of the vertigo sensation, which as I mentioned earlier, I don't think is so much a fear as it is an involuntary affliction. It's a dizzying feeling - I get that too. Even in the hot air balloon, looking down is no longer a fear, but looking up gets me a big woozy.

BC

 

[urmaniac13]

I think that might be part of the vertigo sensation, which as I mentioned earlier, I don't think is so much a fear as it is an involuntary affliction. It's a dizzying feeling - I get that too. Even in the hot air balloon, looking down is no longer a fear, but looking up gets me a big woozy.

BC

Interesting analysis!! Yes the action of looking up does indeed causes me a sudden oozy and dizzy sensation. wow... hot air balloon. One thing I always wanted to get on. If I ever do get a chance, like you I wouldn't have trouble looking over the grounds, but to look up the splendour of the balloon probably I will have to squat down at the corner of the basket!!

 

[YT2095]

as above but with a Parachute (and a few back-ups) :P

 

[Half Baked]

I used to run up and down the pyramids in Mexico for fun and exercise...now I'd have to crawl down - backwards.

Boats/ships bother me when I can't see the land. I feel if I can see land, at least I have a chance making it there.

 

[Constance]

Don't even contemplate the Tampa Bay Bridge. Holy Moley, it was so traumatic that I still get a sick and frightened horrible feeling when I think about it.

I've been across that bridge many times, both the old and new one, going to visit the in-laws. It did creep me out when the old one went down, taking several cars with it. A ship hit one of the pilings...bad deal. The new one is quite beautiful.

The most frightened I've ever been going over a bridge is back when I was in my early 20's. I had come up by train with my baby, from Baton Rouge, to visit my parents here in Illinois. The morning we were getting ready to go back, we had an earthquake...enough to rattle windows and dishes for several minutes and cause some minor structural damage.
Thing being, we had to cross an ancient wooden bridge high above the Ohio River gorge. The bridge always made me nervous anyway, and after an earthquake...eeek!
My dad called the railroad or state police, or someone, and they said that inspectors had gone over the bridge following the quake, and deemed it safe. We would have the honor of being on the first train to try it out.
When the train approaced the bridge, the engineer slowed the speed to a crawl, I clenched my cheeks and hung on to my baby.
Obviously, we made it.

 

[YT2095]

Which Tampa Bridge is it?
a Doctor friend of mine lives in Tampa Bay, and said there`s 3 bridges, but when I mentioned Scary, he gave me these links: http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/places/united-states/tampa/skyway-bridge-tampa-bay.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/jsuro/image/46849854/original.jpg

apparently as you get closer to the top, there are Suicide Hotline phones every so many metres also!

 

[JoAnn L.]

I used to run up and down the pyramids in Mexico for fun and exercise...now I'd have to crawl down - backwards.

Boats/ships bother me when I can't see the land. I feel if I can see land, at least I have a chance making it there.

When you were at the pyramids, did you ever have any paranormal experiences or have any thing strange happen?

 

[bullseye]

When the train approaced the bridge, the engineer slowed the speed to a crawl, I clenched my cheeks and hung on to my baby.
Obviously, we made it.

I'm sure the engineer had his reasons, but I would have put the "pedal to the metal" to get across as fast as ever I could!

 

[JoAnn L.]

Another scarey bridge is the Mackinac Bridge in upper Michigan. Some people are afraid to drive over it, so they hire someone to drive their car for them. It is about 5 miles long from shore to shore.

 

[Franca]

Its kind of like being scared of heights, except I am ok with heights, if I am facing up hill!

Same here! I can climb, and climb, and climb ... but coming back down is not always so easy.

I think there are scarier things for me, though ... I'll have to think about that.

Fun to see another horse person! No 3-day eventing in my future either, I guarantee that!