My “fear” post earlier this week got me thinking. I have some ridiculous phobias. (And here you thought my fear of landing on the ‘people of walmart’ website was a ridiculous phobia…unless you didn’t because you think there is a good possibility I could end up on that website, in which case, whatever.)
I’ve always been the type to struggle with over-thinking situations. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve almost passed out…or more accurately almost talked myselfinto passing out.This happens a lot at thedentist’s office. I sit in that chair and start thinking about all the things thatare happening to my teeth.My ears start ringing, my vision blurs a little bit, I feel a teensy bit faint and then…nothing. It’s all in my head.
Now, before you start saying to yourself, “M’kay…Mindy is a total head case,” let me assure you I am not. I’m just someone who has way too much time to think and a slighty overactive imagination.
I believe that putting things into words is the first step toward healing oneself. So I thought I would share with you some of the biggies. Some of the phobias I deal with on a more regular basis.
1) Nyctophobia -fear of the dark
I’m a ‘fraidy-cat, a chicken-butt, a lover of light. I despise the dark. Still. I’ve hated the dark since I was a kid and I kind of thought I would grow out of it. Haven’t.I’m a nyctophobe lifer.
2) Surophobia – fear of mice and rats
Okay, bear with me. This one’s kind of crazy and slightly irrational. When I walkdown myhallway into my bedroom at night I am afraid I will step on a mouse and it will bite my foot. Every step into that room is purposeful and calculated. My eyes never leave the carpet until I make it to my bed,narrowly escaping a brutal rodent attack. If ever I actually do get bit on the footby a mouse it will probably be the end. My last moment. Arrivaderci.
3)Microwavephobia – couldn’t find an “official” name for this (which worries me even more…am I the first one to experience this fear?)
Whenever I microwave something I stand away from the door because I’m just sure there’s something leaking out of that danged appliance trying to eat away at my brain. I’m pretty sureI can attribute most of my memory loss to over-usage of the microwave in the early years of my marriage. Dang, I wish I had cooked that chili on the stove.
4) Eisoptrophobia – fear of mirrors
I can’t pinpoint my exact fear to a phobia but this is as close as it gets. Every time I wash my face in my bathroom,I slowly open my eyes because I’mafraidsomeone will be standing behindme. I’m just sure that some psychopath/axe-murderer will be hovering behind me with a sinister look on his face that says, “Aha..I caught you when you were most vulnerable. Washing your face. Ahahahaha.” Irrational? Maybe. Freakin’ scary? You bet.
Phew. There. I already feel better. Kind of. Okay, not really. I guess these silly phobias are here to stay.Unfortunately, there are many others which I will go over on another day.
What are your phobias? Any crippling fears of the mailman, or maybe intense paranoia sets in when the dryer signal goes off?? Come on…help me out here and reassure me that I’m not alone.
Love to all, Mindy
Oh Mindy, I love reading your blog. I have a phobia about mirrors too. I dont like looking in the mirror too long. Portals, you know.
I have a phobia about pregnant women falling down on their belly. I always freak out when I see a pregnant lady with a big tummy.
I am afraid of catching on fire.
I worry A LOT about animals running in front of my car. (I think about it constantly)
Fear of flying, dont like ladders, and I worry about waking up to someone standing over me and being trapped in the covers.
Oh yeah, I got all kinds of crazy going on.
Okay…so you know what s’up Christina. And I totally understand some of your phobias! Sounds like what we are is a couple of worriers with too many possibilities! Thanks for putting it all out there for me! =)
Mindy
Okay first I want to tell you, you have an award waiting for you on my post. I’ll still be here…go ahead an get it…pause…
Now that your back..I am with you on the microwavephobia, I never stand in front of it. I know I heard somewhere that the waves will mess with your brain or something to that effect.
I have a strange fear of Grasshoppers. The feel of their “stick to you” legs, creeps me out! I look like a crazy person if one gets into the truck with me, thankfully I haven’t wrecked the truck trying to get away from it.
Oh, thank you so much Heather!!! That’s pretty darn cool and I definitely appreciate you thinking of me! Also, thank you for justifying my fear of the ‘wave. There’s just something not right about having our own radiation machines in our kitchen. Hmm. Also, completely get it about the grasshoppers! I had one jump on my back one time and I think it scarred me for life. =)
Mindy
I can attest to your fear of the dark – and I’m still sorry I wouldn’t let you leave the lamp on in our room when we were little. Seriously sorry.
I too have the mirror fear, but only when Paul is gone. I also have the pregnant lady fear, but strangely I don’t remember being particularly afraid of that when I was pregnant. Weird.
I have less fears than compulsions, however. I have to constantly count how many people are in the room. Even if it’s only 3 people and we’re in the same room for hours. I check my grades online about 50 times a day. I’m not exaggerating.
Looks like you don’t corner the market on crazy, Min.
Brandy – no worries about the nightlight. I’m over it. All accept for the crippling fear of the dark. No, seriously, given all of my other fears I’m pretty sure I would have been afraid of the dark even without the nightlight incident of 1984. Oh, and I haven’t even touched all my compulsions yet! Glad I’m in good company! =)
Mindy
Wow Mindy, you’re a total head case. Just kidding!! You should get a cat though, because the mice in my house totally don’t have time to bite me because my cats are on their tails. Occasionally though, said cats do nearly knock me down in their hot pursuit of tiny mouse.
You already know (maybe) about my totally irrational but complete fear of scarecrows. Especially trying since I’m surrounded by farms! I’m also afraid of clowns. (Damn you stephen king for writing It!) And I’m sooo afraid of birds. Like I can’t even go into the aviary thing at the zoo without having a panic attack. I blame Alfred Hitchcock’s movie The Birds. And my parents for letting a four year old watch it!!
I get creeped out by the space under the bed at night (even though there is absolutely no way anything could fit there because I have soooo much crap stuffed under there). And I have to have all closet doors closed at night. And if I’m reading a horror novel it has to be front cover down when I put out the light. (Because apparently in my bizzaro world the evil cannot escape through the back cover.) Okay…I’ve taken up enough space…I could go on and on. Scary, huh?
♥Spot
I guess we’re both a couple of “head cases”, huh? I can attribute most (if not all) of my fears to watching Poltergeist as a child. Seriously? What was my mom thinking? Of course I had to convince my kids that werewolves don’t exist after letting them watch the Michael Jackson Thriller video. Just continuing the legacy… =
Mindy
I am afraid of spiders – poisonous spiders for the most part. I’ve killed several black widows in my house, so I’m absolutely petrified they’re going to get one of us.
I have issues with mirrors. If there is a mirror in a room where I sleep, it has to be covered up. Something about some creature coming out of it while I’m asleep.
I’m with Spot in that I can’t stand clowns for the exact same reason.
I’m not super crazy about spiders, especially black widows and hobos. I don’t see very many so that’s an easily escaped phobia. Hate, hate, hate clowns. Also because of Stephen King and now I will be covering my mirror up at night, thanks to you. =)
Mindy
Oh Mindy how I love you! I think you know my greatest fear~BIRDS!!!!! Yuk they are EVIL!!!!! I just know they are all out to get us! Of course I never go to sleep without checking every part of the ceiling for spiders,bugs and creepy crawlies. I just know that one is going to fall on me in the night. Which really did happen camping one time, it was horrible.I also have lots of other phobias but too many to write about.Thanks for the blog Mindy it always seems to make me smile! ~Val
Ah, thanks Val!!! I know how you feel about birds, you and my mom. I’m actually kind of surprised that birds DON’T bother me more. God probably figures I’ve got enough going on in my head on a daily basis. =) And thanks for the kind words, friend! =)
Mindy
Well, I have to admit I am fairly fearless. My sister got all the scaredy-cat genes (thank you!).
I hate roaches, I have this fear of squishing a bug (like a roach) and hearing that sound, yeah, you know the one [crunch]! ICK! Thankful not many bugs in my house and spiders don’t make that sound.
As for the mirror, I am only scared at night in the pitch dark because of….yah….Bloody Mary, that old hag! Who made up that creepy tale anyhow??? I have to dart by the mirror, eyes down to the potty, and back the same way. Dang her hide! I just want to potty at midnight in peace. What if I accidentally said, “Bloody Mary” three times?
Sometimes I fear when I look out my window at night I’ll see two red eyes, but I still look anyway.
Lastly, I’m deathly afraid of demons. Not scared of ghosts or anything paranormal but demons. AHHHHHHHH!
Mindy, I think you are totally normal. I worry more about people like me that don’t have nerve endings or something. LOL.
i don’t know that my fears are “irrational” per se….but the biggest one is birds. i have a serious issue with any large gathering of them. I don’t care if they’re sparrows or hawks. not interested.
spiders too. I make it a point to squish them but am afraid they will somehow come back to life once left in the trash so I flush them.twice. just to make sure.
i don’t like clowns too much and pretty much avoid any kind of night critter(racoons, possums, etc.)
i could go on and on…
ur not a headcase and if u are….so am i!