Phobias - what are you scared of?

I want to talk about phobias. I suppose one could be afraid of just about anything.

According to the NIMH (source: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/statistics/1SPEC_ADULT.shtml) ....

Phobias are said to be marked and persistent fear and avoidance of a specific object or situation.

I found this list of phobias: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_phobias

Do you have any phobias?

Have you ever gotten treatment for a phobia?

How do you know the difference between a phobia and a rational fear of something?

I have an irrational fear of men and I'm trying to work through it....but I hope the discussion can help anyone with a phobia open up. I hope we can laugh a little too....I remember so many little things I've been "afraid" of only to laugh at myself later. That ever happen to you? Or is it just me? Lol.....


Oh yah, can phobias be HEALTHY? Why did phobias evolve?

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Reg The Fronkey Farmer on January 26, 2014 at 5:27am

There is also a fear of Atheists called Atheophobia.. 

Permalink Reply by _Robert_ on January 26, 2014 at 6:57am

Lets not "send in the clowns", please. Well, time has made them tolerable and even mildly entertaining. I attribute it to a horrid clown painting on the wall in my crib room, visible in some baby pics.

Permalink Reply by _Robert_ on January 26, 2014 at 5:16pm

Didn't catch that movie, guessing it's not all about Milla Jovovich wasting clowns by the dozen but if it was, I'd like to see it...;) Let's give the zombies a break already.

Permalink Reply by Mary Adams on January 27, 2014 at 8:57am

Yeah.  It ruined clowns for me, too.

Permalink Reply by Doug Reardon on January 27, 2014 at 9:59pm

In Europe, clowns don't wear makeup as it frightens the children.

Permalink Reply by Kairan Nierde on January 29, 2014 at 11:02pm

See, there they go again, being all practical and forward thinking.

Permalink Reply by Unseen on January 30, 2014 at 8:25am

Oh, and children should never be frightened, right?

Permalink Reply by Pope Beanie on January 30, 2014 at 12:01pm

Are we talkin' like, Unseen Scary!?

Permalink Reply by Gregg R Thomas on January 30, 2014 at 12:54pm

Unseen frightens me...he's...like...well...unseen...and that's scary. :0

Permalink Reply by Unseen on January 30, 2014 at 7:41pm

One can hope.

Permalink Reply by Teri G on January 26, 2014 at 9:02am

I have an absolutely ridiculous fear of phone calls. I always have, since I was young. I think it's the fear of those long awkward silences when you don't know what to say. I have to plan my conversation before making a call and almost memorise it because I tend to go blank when the person on the other end answers. At least it's not a paralysing fear, I can still make a phone call if I absolutely have to but I try to avoid it any chance I can.

I think the phobia is called phonephobia or telephobia.

Permalink Reply by Pope Beanie on January 26, 2014 at 2:38pm

I've never had a clown phobia, but I'm not surprised it exists. There's a part of the brain that focuses on facial recognition, and it's easy to get weirded out by facial oddities, especially in the eyes and mouth. Cartoons, comics, and movies use this phenomenon.

What's interesting to me is why people have varying degrees of different phobias, even ones that are clearly of evolutionary origin. Maybe the variability also has survival value.

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