Debilitating Phobias.

[KaiRai]

We all have a phobia. But do any of us have one that has seriously affected us? I understand people can be afraid of spiders, but they're not all that common.

I myself, am Testophobic (No fancy Latin name for me) which has led to me failing college and having to abandon my dream of being a Doctor or an Engineer. Which sucks. Now I'm not a dumb guy, in conversation I can bring up all the necessary information needed, I even had a conversation with a friend's dad who is a Doctor (Although I admit it, I was kind of winging it xD) and he said "Have you ever thought about becoming a doctor?" and I couldn't bring myself to say that I'm afraid of taking tests. Symptoms for me are panic attacks (though very mild) dry mouth, insomnia and forgetfulness. It seriously sucks and I wish there was some way to get over it that didn't involve drugs (legal ones people) or hypnotherapy. It also sucks because I'm 20 soon and that's far too late to re-take my A-levels and try and get into med school or uni.

So tell me escapists, what are your debilitating phobias, what are your symptoms, and how has it affected your life?

 

[KaiRai]

Acrophobia. I HATE heights over 8 feet without a secure and definitive support.

That must get annoying actually....

None. a phobia by nature is an irrational fear of something that should not illicit any fear. Like the fear of pickles.

It's more a fear to an irrational level. For instance I should panic about tests, it's a big thing. But to be unable to walk in the room is a step too far.

 

[Melian]

Wasps. *shivers* Hate the little buggers!

 

[That_Swedish_Guy]

A fear that something bad is going to happen to a loved one. Serously, it's the kind of thing that keeps me awake at night.

 

[crudus]

I actually have the fear of being ill prepared. It isn't so much a phobia as much as a compulsion to horde.

I myself, am Testophobic (No fancy Latin name for me) which has led to me failing college and having to abandon my dream of being a Doctor or an Engineer.

I had this weird anxiety about tests too. I always did well the practice tests but failed the real tests miserably. I could even go back and retake the test and get 80+ percent on it. There was one time I actually got above a 50 percent on a test (I got closer to 93) and that is when I took the test drunk. I kid you not.

 

[theonlyblaze2]

None. a phobia by nature is an irrational fear of something that should not illicit any fear. Like the fear of pickles.

PICKLES?! WHERE!?!
OT: I guess the only phobia I have is Claustraphobia, but I got over it when I got stuck in a cave.

 

[crudus]

Taking a test drunk... You crazy devil you.

I was actually just drinking with a few friends of mine before an exam[footnote]he got done with exams before I did and wanted to celebrate[/footnote]. I borrowed his cane[footnote]so it looked justified that I could not walk a straight line or stand up correctly[/footnote] and went to the exam thinking "well I can't do worse than normal". I don't even remember taking the test that well but my TA handed it to me saying something like "This is what happens when you study".

 

[Jake Stavroff]

I fall into a particular catagory of agrophobia. I am terrified of open water. Not swimming pools, mind you, but large, open lakes. Goddamnit, I hate, hate, hate open water so much. To swim in such a large, area without being as mobile...ah! What just brushed up against my leg?! Oh, my cat. Right-o, I was having a flashback...anyway. I am also very uncomfortable when it comes to climbing ladders. Emberrassing as it is, I often call on someone else to get things from our garage over-hang because that requires a blasted ladder.

 

[Cpu46]

A while back (15 years or so) I was terrified of everything; Bugs, large dogs, needles, the dark, ect. But I learned about the things I feared and about what actually could do long term damage and the fear went away.
Now I don't exactly fear anything outside of a potentially lethal situation. I get extremely nervous and I tend avoid things that cause me to be nervous like extreme hight, but if I was placed on top of a building I wouldn't freak out. Pretty much the only thing that can make me feel genuine fear now is when my life is in actual danger.
I am still really uncomfortable in complete darkness though, damn primal hard wiring.

My sister on the other hand is almost deathly afraid of needles. She once left the room she was supposed to be getting the shot in, exited the doctors office (it was in an office building), went down an elevator, left the building, and sat in the car sobbing. Sadly she is the one who always needs medical work in the family, often involving shots.

 

[Merkavar]

i dont like spiders but its not debilitating. like ill have to kill spiders for my brother sometimes, so i think spiders is a debilitating fear for him.

i havent been anyway too high like on the out side of a sky scraper but i would guess fear of death from falling would be debilitating

 

[ultrachicken]

I used to be afraid of wind, I shit you not. Even a breeze unsettled me, and strong winds sent me into panic attacks. I just got over it over time, as the fear diminished bit by bit every time I was faced with the problem, though the defining moment was when I was on top of a skyscraper being faced by huge gusts of air. After that, every wind seemed minuscule in comparison.

 

[SH4DOWSL4Y3R]

Needles, don't know why but i turn into a total pussy if i see one of them headed for my body.

 

[keve4433]

I don't know the names of any of them but I have phobias of: large groups of people, wide open rooms, the dark, I'm claustrophobic, and I can't stand stand having a room to my back. Things can get a little complicated sometimes...>.>

 

[similar.squirrel]

Dogs. It's not debilitating, but I have had to muster up courage to go on long walks just because I thought there might be a house with a vicious dog en route.
I frequently have nightmares about being attacked by them, as well. They usually end with me killing the poor things.