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?

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Random Cairene on January 28, 2014 at 1:48am

I have cockroach phobia ... they can survive a nuclear holocaust as if they are not scary enough.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Gregg R Thomas on January 28, 2014 at 4:34pm

Hahaha...I'm betting those scientists are holding stock in Microsoft, praying to doG it gets back to the price they bought at. :D

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Royal red on January 28, 2014 at 8:03pm

I have a fear of people with brown eyes i never understood why maybe because im over sensitive to emotions and feelings.

I also have a fear of blood if i see it on tv im okay if i see it irl and its to much ill get dizzy and may even pass out. no i havent been treated for it i havent even asked and when i do people take it as just no big deal when it comes to the blood.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Royal red on January 28, 2014 at 8:48pm

I don't stay away from people with brown eyes i meant some nice people with them.

I just tend to not look them in the eyes as much as others but even with others i all ready struggle with eye contact so if its brown eyes it just adds more of a struggle. but again no problems i agree many with brown eyes are nice people.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Pope Beanie on January 28, 2014 at 9:22pm

Eye contact is a major form of body language in several species. I wonder if you're more aware of people's eye color at a distance? (And I imagine "eye contact" with anyone on TV or in a photo is not uncomfortable?) Even as an old man, I'm still dealing with eye contact issues, and I think I tend to look pretty unfriendly.

Btw, are your eyes blue? (I'm just guessing.)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Royal red on January 29, 2014 at 8:33pm

Yes my eyes are blue and eye contact anywhere i don't like even on tv i look at the direction that it isn't in but still at the things i need to or i quickly look and look away.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kairan Nierde on January 29, 2014 at 11:30pm

Eye contact used to be uncomfortable for me. I made myself do it until it became something I don't even think about.

I definitely missed out on learning the proper timing of friendly/neutral eye contact because I avoided it for so long. It's funny, now that I've lost my fear of looking people in the eye, I over do it. I have to remind myself to break eye contact when I see people looking away.