Do you have a phobia that seriously affects your life?

LadyJ · 27-02-2008 8:18pm #1

Emetophobia, as someone pointed out in the "Stranges Phobias" thread, has a serious effect on their life. Was just wondering are there any other boardsies who have a phobia that really controls them on a daily basis?

Also to the emetophobic poster, have you ever tried to get help?

I guess my fear of death and the dark are two fears that crop up most days, they can send me into a real panic. Of course I can always try to block out my thoughts of death (albeit it can be very hard when I start thinking about it to just stop) and my fear of the dark is solved by leaving the light on but something like emetophobia would surely have to be faced head on if you ever needed to vomit.

So I'm wondering how people with phobias that are severe and that have to be faced on a daily basis deal with things? Feel free to vent here.

Weidii · 28-02-2008 12:44pm

My phobia (of things submerged in water) could potentially affect me on a daily basis. I'm studying earth and ocean science and Zoology and I'd love to work with marine animals. I don't know if I'll ever get a job that requires sub-aqua work, but if I don't it's because of my phobia... I guess it does affect me in that sense.

jptk · 29-02-2008 1:12pm

LadyJ wrote: »

Emetophobia, as someone pointed out in the "Stranges Phobias" thread, has a serious effect on their life. Was just wondering are there any other boardsies who have a phobia that really controls them on a daily basis?

Also to the emetophobic poster, have you ever tried to get help?

I guess my fear of death and the dark are two fears that crop up most days, they can send me into a real panic. Of course I can always try to block out my thoughts of death (albeit it can be very hard when I start thinking about it to just stop) and my fear of the dark is solved by leaving the light on but something like emetophobia would surely have to be faced head on if you ever needed to vomit.

So I'm wondering how people with phobias that are severe and that have to be faced on a daily basis deal with things? Feel free to vent here.

I have emetophobia and was sick with a bug about 3 years ago. It certainly didnt help me and actually made my phobia worse. Im not doing too bad at the moment thankfully. I still avoid many situations and dont live the type of life I wish I could but things could be and have been alot worse.

LadyJ · 29-02-2008 2:21pm

jptk wrote: »

I have emetophobia and was sick with a bug about 3 years ago. It certainly didnt help me and actually made my phobia worse. Im not doing too bad at the moment thankfully. I still avoid many situations and dont live the type of life I wish I could but things could be and have been alot worse.

So when you had the bug, did you try to hold it all in when you felt the need to vomit or did you just do it? What kind of fear is it? Like would you have a panic attack after vomitting or if you felt sick? How does the fear manifest itself?

TerrorFirmer · 29-02-2008 2:24pm

I'm afraid of lightbulbs. Not in the sense, that I'd freak out in a room with lightbulbs, but I freak out when I'm changing them, takes me forever. Which can be awkward, as where I work a lot of bulbs and lamps are sold. I get a lot of weird looks from customers.

The reason? When I was younger, my sister's lamp stopped working. so she turned it off and asked me to replace it - the second I touched the bulb to take it out, it exploded in my face.

I doubt there's a word for it.

LadyJ · 29-02-2008 2:33pm

Apparently a lot of people have the light bulb fear. No name that I can find, though my search wasn't too thorough. Electrophobia is the fear of electricity though but that was the nearest I found.

jptk · 29-02-2008 6:38pm

LadyJ wrote: »

So when you had the bug, did you try to hold it all in when you felt the need to vomit or did you just do it? What kind of fear is it? Like would you have a panic attack after vomitting or if you felt sick? How does the fear manifest itself?

Yes, I tried to hold it all in and fight it as much as possible but in the end I couldnt stop it.
The panic beforehand was really intense. I was physically shaking and scrathcing at my arms and pulling at my hair, holding my breath and feeling very faint.
I dont know really what cuases it, but Ive always felt in my mind that vomiting is the worst possible thing that could happen to me and ill do anything to avoid it.
I panic every time I feel ill which is almost on a daily basis. Anxiety in general makes you feel ill so its a sort of cycle.

jph100 · 02-03-2008 9:47pm

yeah ive a phobia of cats+dogs which makes it difficult walkin anywhere but i get through it by goin to the oppoiste side of the road

ergonomics · 03-03-2008 12:29am

My phobia - slugs - used to have quite an impact on my life, especially at this time of year when it's raining and that but I've gotten better.

If I see one on a path I have to give it a very wide berth, normally end up walking on the road. I have to inspect handles on everything thoroughly in case one is hiding somewhere so something simple like getting into a car takes a bit longer than usual. I hate sitting down on grass in case I touch one, and I don't think I'll ever be able to camp somewhere. I often come home on a damp night and find a slug or snail crawling up my door and that causes a major problem. I can't open the door but I can't bring myself to wake people up to let me in.

Actually thought of a funny story just now. I'm also joking about how slugs are out to get me as they end up in the strangest places. (Found one in my bed once). My boyfriend always tells me I'm sad. Anyway, one night after being in the pub I crawl into bed and reach over to close the curtains and there, sitting innocently on the curtain was a HUGE snail. My boyfriend's flat was 3 floors up. I'm still very freaked out by that and it was ages before I could sleep in the bed again.

NonDrinkersClub · 03-03-2008 3:16pm

Needles are my worst nightmare - and I had to go to A&E last week cos of a wisdom tooth infection that turned into an ear infection that turned into severe vertigo and vomiting. I had to get a needle to stop the vomiting in this nurses office and I was too weak to resist so I just held on to the chair and screamed until it was done. I moved aswell half way through which made the nurse freak out a bit. All the people outside waiting heard me and looked really scared when I got outta there.

I then had to get a drip put in and I couldn't do it. They had to give me a valium which only made me giddier...as it has done before and for some reason they won't gas me. Eventually, I got it but only cos my Da was there makin' me calculate square roots(?) and the doc was from NY and reminded me of Scrubs. I cried for ages afterwards.

They wanted to give me an anti-vomiting one before I went home but by that stage I just wanted to curl up and sleep so I didn't get it. I had to get another one in A&E the next day to stop the vomiting. Thank jaysus it's all over for the moment. I can't believe I wasted about 250euro on hypnotherapy for nothing.

save_our_socks · 04-03-2008 3:12am

Gerontophobia: fear of old people.
Gerascophobia: fear of growing old.
On many occassion Ive had to get up from my seat in the bus if an eldery person sits next to me, I kinda freak out, the smell, the wrinkles, helplessness. Joke in my family is Ill top myself when Im 60 to avoid going through it all.

Couldnt find an actual name for this one, but stickers (and badges, but not as much) are my biggest phobia. Price tags, labels on apples/bannanas etc. Im known to vomit if a sticker comes near me, my boyfriend is awful for it, removing the labels on his inhalers and playing with them, the other night he looked over to find me empty reaching becuase he was playing with one!

BigPhil · 04-03-2008 2:05pm

This might sound silly to some people but job interviews are a huge phobia of mine. Okay I know nobody likes going to interviews but I have a stammer so it is 100% times worse for me. It's got to the point where if I am offered an interview I cannot sleep or eat or even think straight for the days building up to it. Then when I go for the interview I am so nervous that I usually can't get a word out. It's like getting dressed up to go and make a fool out of yourself in front of complete strangers! I really despise it.

Niamho! · 04-03-2008 2:10pm

jptk wrote: »

Yes, I tried to hold it all in and fight it as much as possible but in the end I couldnt stop it.
The panic beforehand was really intense. I was physically shaking and scrathcing at my arms and pulling at my hair, holding my breath and feeling very faint.
I dont know really what cuases it, but Ive always felt in my mind that vomiting is the worst possible thing that could happen to me and ill do anything to avoid it.
I panic every time I feel ill which is almost on a daily basis. Anxiety in general makes you feel ill so its a sort of cycle.

my god.... i thought i had that for a while but i wasn't that bad so now i realise i just went through a phase of being Scared to get sick. not half as extreme as that. and i've got better about it since.

LadyJ · 04-03-2008 2:19pm

BigPhil wrote: »

This might sound silly to some people but job interviews are a huge phobia of mine. Okay I know nobody likes going to interviews but I have a stammer so it is 100% times worse for me. It's got to the point where if I am offered an interview I cannot sleep or eat or even think straight for the days building up to it. Then when I go for the interview I am so nervous that I usually can't get a word out. It's like getting dressed up to go and make a fool out of yourself in front of complete strangers! I really despise it.

Have you tried practicing being interviewed? With a stammer, I have heard it helps to read out loud on a regular basis so maybe practicing what you are going to say in an interview might do the same job.

BigPhil · 04-03-2008 2:33pm

LadyJ wrote:

Have you tried practicing being interviewed? With a stammer, I have heard it helps to read out loud on a regular basis so maybe practicing what you are going to say in an interview might do the same job.

I have had alot of practice, I even went on an interview preparation course with FAS. My stammer is unpredictable, I could know exactly what I want to say but it just cannot express it articulately. Also the high pressure situation really gets to me, the stress of trying to sell yourself when a dream job is at stake is unbelieveable at times. Also most of the interviewers that I have met have been extremely unprofessional and instead of putting me at easy and smiling they usually look perplexed and rush me (or end the interview early) so they can get out of there as soon as possible.

LadyJ · 04-03-2008 2:38pm

BigPhil wrote: »

I have had alot of practice, I even went on an interview preparation course with FAS. My stammer is unpredictable, I could know exactly what I want to say but it just cannot express it articulately.

Have you gotten any help with your stammer? Speech therapy etc? Maybe the first step would be to learn techniques that will help you to keep the stammer under control.

Also the high pressure situation really gets to me, the stress of trying to sell yourself when a dream job is at stake is unbelieveable at times. Also most of the interviewers that I have met have been extremely unprofessional and instead of putting me at easy and smiling they usually look perplexed and rush me (or end the interview early) so they can get out of there as soon as possible.

Yes, unfortunately employers are not always the most understanding or helpful people. It's sad but true.

BigPhil · 04-03-2008 2:45pm

LadyJ wrote: »

Have you gotten any help with your stammer? Speech therapy etc? Maybe the first step would be to learn techniques that will help you to keep the stammer under control.

I went to speech therapy for years as a kid/teenager. Unfortunately the only thing that you are guaranteed out of them is a bill. I'm 34 now so I guess that I'm stuck with it. Hopefully I can can cure my interview 'phobia' sooner rather then later.

LadyJ · 04-03-2008 2:48pm

Well good luck. I hope it works out for you.

orlyice · 04-03-2008 7:58pm

i have a major phobia of rats and mice!!!!!!! i know a lot of people have a fear of them but its getting to the stage where if a rat runs across the road in front of me when i'm driving i freak out. i was convinced one day that the rat which ran in front of my car was after jumping up and holding on to the bottom of my car and didnt want to get out of the car! my boyfriend spent ages trying to convince me how stupid it sounded!! i also spent 2 days in my house and refused to leave after a rat was in the garden which my housemates promised me it was gone! want to join the gardai but dont want to be in a situation where i would run away screaming in an emergency situation!!

clicli · 05-03-2008 3:01pm

I have a phobia of escalators, I can handle ones to a first or second floor, but other than that i freak out, does my bf's head in!!! Was told by a doctor that I have phobic anxiety, anything can make me panic, seem to have better control now than when i was younger

5starpool · 05-03-2008 4:01pm

Stemming I think from an incident when I was 9, I have a bit of a fear of water (not shower, bath or drinking quatities). If I ever get into a swimming pool and the water comes up close to my face I start to hyperventilate, so I haven't done this in years. I can't swim obviously. I have meant to learn as a way of getting over this, but never quite got round to it, kept finding excuses not to really.

FruitLover · 05-03-2008 4:10pm

Don't know if it's what I'd call 'life-affecting', but I'll never go to Australia because of the spiders...

LadyJ · 05-03-2008 4:37pm

FruitLover wrote: »

Don't know if it's what I'd call 'life-affecting', but I'll never go to Australia because of the spiders...

Ditto!

Dark Seraphim · 06-03-2008 6:24pm

I have Panic attacks which effect my way of life, not so much now as they did a few years ago. I can't do long distance travel as a result but i plan on beating this because i am going to America!! It's my goal now! Other than that i have a fear of death that seems not so bad at times but if i am panicky at all and think of death it seems so horrific but it also works the other way that if i think too much into death it can cause a panic attack. When i think about death during the day time it doesn't scare me at all, infact i can be very facinated about it and find it exciting but at night it is the most frightening thing to think about for me. (deep thinking that is) when i was 16 and first got panic attacks i remember thinking about death so much it scared me silly, i thought about the the whole goign to heaven and living for ever and ever and ever.. freaked me out. But we are all in this together so makes me feel better that no matter where i end up i am sure i will have people with me to face it too.

blackrose1 · 16-04-2008 8:08am

My phobia is of uncontroled spaces i cant go to public toilets if the door is electric it affects my life everyday i have trouble getting in lifts and im a courier have to use those things daily i use to faint ever time i went in a left was enbarresing i went to a phobia doctor for months so i could do my job im slowly learning how to cope with it ill keep at it as i love my job that helps me to get through it every day:)

giddybootz · 16-04-2008 11:57pm

my fear of helicopters can be annoying....i live in dublin so they are always around. im alot better about it than when i was a child but still its pretty obvious that i have a fear of them so EVERYbody gives me stick about it

dunno if it has a name???!

Havermeyer · 18-04-2008 4:04am

Yes. I'm in college in a class of about 70 people and have social phobia/GAD/and also mild agoraphobia. Not a good combo, but trying to sort it out.

jimpe · 22-04-2008 3:10pm

I have pretty bad agoraphobia with general anxiety and fairly severe panic attacks...I think it's fundamentally all down to a fear of death and the unknown, and when I'm in places I'm not comfortable, I automatically think about death and it gets worse. But I went to the doctor last week, and am on anti-anxiety medication, and am also seeing a counsellor, so hopefully I can get it sorted out. I find driving very difficult, particularly dual carriageways and motorways, which I have completely avoided for the past year. I can't fly anymore either, because I'm terrified I'll have a panic attack and there's nowhere to escape to. The last few weeks I find it difficult to leave the house...it's become impossible for me to walk outside, but I can still cycle and drive, so hopefully the medication/counselling will start helping before these options stop working as well. I'm actually getting pretty anxious just writing this, so I'll stop here.

BigPete · 27-04-2008 6:12am

I have a phobia of bare skin which has seriously affected any relationships that I've been in. Basically I'm resigned to the fact that a relationship won't work until I've got the phobia under control (if ever). Pretty depressing really.

nothing · 27-04-2008 9:45pm

I also suffer from agoraphobia and social phobia, and it affects my life so badly. Because of it I haven't worked in 2 years, I constantly miss college lectures and I have had to repeat so many times due to falling so far behind. It's cut me off from many friends since I can't go to the pub without having a panic attack. It's been a real struggle but I'm coping a lot better with CBT, anti anxiety meds, and plenty of help from college.

mazr · 24-05-2008 4:46pm

I have an intense fear of anything dead, but mainly its dead people that freak me out the most. It sometimes gets so bad that I cant even go to funerals because just knowing that theres a body in the coffin is enough to cause a panic attack. I dont really know how I developed this phobia because the first body I ever saw was my grandad and it didnt bother me at all. Maybe it was because I was only twelve. Any suggestions on how to conquer this fear? ( and please dont mention spending time with an undertaker as this was already put to me but just the thought of it made me panic! ):eek:

Do you have a phobia that seriously affects your life?

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