I have a phobia, anyone else?

[HeatherLynn]

Most phobias have their roots somewhere in your past I think. I am phobic of stairs also. I fell down ours with the baby. No one was really hurt but the possibility was so strong that it could have been worse I have developed a terror of them. I watched a movie about fire ants when I was little. More like I was forced to watched by my adult brother. The people were covered by them and one person ran of screaming and was eaten. i was like 6. To this day I have issues with ants. If one is one me it freaks me out so badly. I will wake up at night thinking another got on me. Its irrational and I can tell myself that all day long. Its no help. I don't think having a phobia means you are unstable or ill. If it becomes debilitating then you might need help with it but many many people have them. Many just don't admit it or label them as a phobia. Instead of a phobia I just say I have a thing about ants and stairs. You add a little shudder and people laugh and will admit to their own "things".

 

[sumi]

Hi watched TV with my brother when I was about 4. Some people on it had a big fight and this woman threw a container of some sort with petrol over this guy and lit him up. I was so freaked out. It was, what, 26 or 27 years ago and I still remember she had long blond hair. I'm pretty sure that's where it started, but it took awhile to fully develop. When I was 19 I started getting really bad panick attacks. It happened to me in a cinema once, it was awful! Luckily with the noise and darkness no-one noticed.
What do you do when you get an attack in public? It's happened with me a few times when I was with friends and relatives and I freaked everyone out. My poor brother didn't know what to do. I'm worried it'll happen when I around strangers, like in the cinema again or in a shop or somewhere.

 

[Forrest_Flock]

so sorry about that sumi

it is good your husband is so supportive
at least you have him

I do not have any particular phobias
but I travel a lot
and I visit a lot of beaches,
I am absolutely terrified of piers with no railings...
look at me, big tall bloke, looks like he is at home in Australia, and I will not go out on a pier with no railing
if there is a railing I can go on fine, I will lean over the railing, sometimes even climb onto it...
just dumb really
sorry about everyone's phobias

 

[Chickengal505]

Quote:
I have a phobia of the dead and dieing. Anything. Right down to baby chicks. I have panic attacks and will curl into a ball and hyperventalate untill what ever triggered it is removed.

 

[HeatherLynn]

At this point I deal with the panic attacks by really stopping them before they start. Usually works. I know what my fears are and I know when I am on that edge. Its important to really know the triggers. When I am exhausted then even the smallest thing could set off panic. I am usually fine with our wide stairs but when I am just worn down to nothing even those could get me in a panic. When your exhuasted your defenses are low. So if you can avoid the things that aggravate the issue...you very well could avoid some of the panic.

As a general rule in public, I have been able to excuse myself and find a spot on my own. I don't take meds but I do have herbals that I use. Rescue remedy drops stay in the purse. I take passion flower which seems to help keep the overall edginess a bit down. If I am in a particularly upsetting environment I will take a valerian before I go. My new doc is super understanding of my issues with any mind altering drugs. She wrote me a perscription for something that would help pretty fast, non mild altering, and would not have to be taken all the time. Just as needed.

 

[cuntryuppiechick]

I would consider the natural remedy route. I have major medical problems and cannot afford most traditional medical treatments. Well guess what? A lot of the natural methods work and are cheap and don't cause the side effects of meds. I take valerian for headache and it is helpful. Catnip tea is very calming and it can also be inhaled as smoke like some native tribes do. I read a study that said that if you do natural remedy type treatments you will get well more quickly, basically because chicken soup when you have a cold is comforting and the nurturing helps us heal. The mind is an organ too. I have a bit of a fear of being caught in a house fire but I know it comes from when I was a small child and my aunt lost her house from my cousin playing with a lighter behind the sofa. It was seeing them on the news standing outside huddled in blankets that really struck me with the house in the background. Luckily I just get spells of nightmares that aren't too bad.

 

[sheila3935]

sounds like you have anxiety disorder. My younger DD has it. She is terrified of tornadoes and will litererally melt down if sirens go off. She sweats gets sick at her stomach and throw up. She is taking meds now and it helps. I have a fear of loosing one of my kids. Like last night DD was out with her boyfriend. Its midnight and she is not home and they are not answering their cell phones. She is 25 years old. I am starting to panic. I cant go to sleep and go sit on the porch watching the road. I get sick to my stomach and feel like I have to go to the bathroom. I know in my heart they are fine but cant control the panic. My oldest went to California by train a couple of years ago to visit a friend I was in panic mode the whole time she was traveling bet I called her a hundred times. I know how you feel. You are not alone in your phobias everyone has one to some degree or another.

 

[flgardengirl]

Quote:
I don't know if tall bridges is an irrational fear there is a tall bridge somewhere between Sulphur LA and Lake Charles LA that we used to drive across quite often when we lived there. Once we were stuck in traffic on top of it and it was thunderstorming. Lightening hit one of the cars a little higher up in front of us!
I guess I shouldn't have told you that lol but I don't like crossing them now either.

 

[sumi]

Quote:
My mom-in-law lived in Liberia, West Africa many years ago. She told me how this army of ants came marching through her house one day, eating everything in their path, including her poor cat! I was upset for days after hearing that. Ants can be very scary. Am not crazy about them myself. Hope I didn't upset you now!
I also hate spiders. Got bitten by one when I was about 15, don't laugh, on my mouth! Worst kiss I ever had. It took weeks to heal. So now when DH looks at me funny and say things like "don't move" I usually do the opposite! Once bitten, twice shy.

 

[sumi]

Quote:
Thanks, I will definitely look into the catnip idea. Not sure about smoking it though! Suppose there's a first time for everything! Don't you know a herbal remedy for sinus problems? I've taken so many pills I rattle when I walk. And most of them only work for a short period.