Irrational fears

[SectorZ]

Man, where the hell would I start. I not only have irrational fears, but I have irrational "lack of fears" as well.

For example, at 9 years old I was bit by a dog. Nothing horrible, but I got a good bite into my inner right thigh. To this day, if a dog runs up to me, even something aggressive like a pit bull, I barely flinch. I think it has to do with being bit by the dog because I ran, and learning that standing up to them and not being afraid discourages them from attacking.

[MNHighwayMan]

Being a passenger in a car. I know it's probably not any more statistically dangerous than driving myself, but I still dislike it strongly every time it happens (fortunately not often!)

[webny99]

Being a passenger in a car. I know it's probably not any more statistically dangerous than driving myself, but I still dislike it strongly every time it happens (fortunately not often!)

I have a mild form of this problem, but I'm not sure I'd classify it as "fear". More often than not, it's just a personal beef with other's driving habits.

As such, when I'm a passenger, I try to overcome and take the opportunity to pay additional attention to the roads themselves. I tend to plan obsessively as a driver* so I find I can focus better on other aspects of the roadgeek experience (especially signage and traffic control/flow) as a passenger.

*This is potentially another discussion altogether

[Scott5114]

Being around latex balloons puts me on edge, since they can make loud, sudden noises. Obviously, they're mostly harmless, but I still don't like to be around them, and will try to avoid them if possible. The foil kind of balloons deflate slowly and quietly when punctured, so they don't bother me.

[wxfree]

Some of these fears aren't "irrational," but are just fears, fears of things that are or potential are harmful.  I don't know if my biggest fear is irrational or not, but what I most fear is eternal life.  The idea of unending existence horrifies me.  I could see that being a rational fear, as it seems to me, or as an irrational fear, as it may seem to some others.

[Scott5114]

Some of these fears aren't "irrational," but are just fears, fears of things that are or potential are harmful.  I don't know if my biggest fear is irrational or not, but what I most fear is eternal life.  The idea of unending existence horrifies me.  I could see that being a rational fear, as it seems to me, or as an irrational fear, as it may seem to some others.

I would think that the fear of the opposite, eternal oblivion, would be quite a bit more common (sure keeps me up at night if I think about it too much!). I can see why eternal life could be a horrifying thought, but what might tip it toward the "irrational" category is that, as of yet, no human has managed to pull the feat off, so I doubt you're likely to do it on accident. (But do share if you figure it out!)

[inkyatari]

I don't know why, but dogs scare me a little.

You're not the only one... have had since I was little, and I doubt it will go away. Even "friendly" looking dogs creep me out and I do my best to avoid them.

Dogs scare me when I'm out riding my bike, but I don't think that's an irrational fear.  Needless to say, I carry mace with me on my bicycle all the time.

Irrational..  I used to think I was scared of heights, but I love rollercoasters, and have hiked a few scary trails, so that's not it. Thinking about it, it's ladders. No matter the condition, ladders scare me.  The longer the ladder, the more freaked out I get.

[LM117]

Being around latex balloons puts me on edge, since they can make loud, sudden noises.

So try a different Trojan. Different strokes for different folks.

[webny99]

Some of these fears aren't "irrational," but are just fears, fears of things that are or potential are harmful.  I don't know if my biggest fear is irrational or not, but what I most fear is eternal life.  The idea of unending existence horrifies me.  I could see that being a rational fear, as it seems to me, or as an irrational fear, as it may seem to some others.

I would think that the fear of the opposite, eternal oblivion, would be quite a bit more common (sure keeps me up at night if I think about it too much!).

Confidence, people  I'm of the belief that there is no such thing as eternal oblivion. I'm also of the belief that unending existence (in this life and on this planet, anyways) is not worth worrying about. But each to their own on this subject.

What might tip it toward the "irrational" category is that, as of yet, no human has managed to pull the feat off, so I doubt you're likely to do it on accident. (But do share if you figure it out!)

Yeah, this

[TheArkansasRoadgeek]

Being around latex balloons puts me on edge, since they can make loud, sudden noises. Obviously, they're mostly harmless, but I still don't like to be around them, and will try to avoid them if possible. The foil kind of balloons deflate slowly and quietly when punctured, so they don't bother me.

When a balloon pops and no one's around, does it make a sound?

The Balloon Debate:

Do balloons hurt people or do people hurt people?

[Beltway]

Being around latex balloons puts me on edge, since they can make loud, sudden noises. Obviously, they're mostly harmless, but I still don't like to be around them, and will try to avoid them if possible. The foil kind of balloons deflate slowly and quietly when punctured, so they don't bother me.

When a balloon pops and no one's around, does it make a sound?
The Balloon Debate:
Do balloons hurt people or do people hurt people?

If a deflated balloon gets into your mouth you could choke to death on it.

[vdeane]

Well, if unending existence were possible, it would be worth worrying about.  If humanity didn't figure out space travel, you'd have to ensure the death of the Sun destroying Earth.  Regardless, at some point you'd be floating through space on your own, with nothing but black holes to keep you company, because of proton decay.  And even the black holes will eventually fade.  The permanent isolation from the heat death of the universe would not be fun.  Plus the brain doesn't have infinite memory capacity, so eventually you'd start to forget your own past.

Granted, even Doctor Who has never experimented with this level of immortality.

[index]

Wasps. I don't know about the rest of you all, but as for me, I think that wasps can go right back to the hell they crawled out of. I had one of the bastards in my room last Friday at 4 PM, and it was this gigantic black one flying around my room. I started to scream like a little girl, got out of my room as fast as I could, and was too much of a coward to go back in until 1 AM, after trying to kill it multiple times covering my entire body in a blanket except my face and bombarding it with excessive amounts of bug spray.

[tribar]

Being around latex balloons puts me on edge, since they can make loud, sudden noises. Obviously, they're mostly harmless, but I still don't like to be around them, and will try to avoid them if possible. The foil kind of balloons deflate slowly and quietly when punctured, so they don't bother me.

When a balloon pops and no one's around, does it make a sound?
The Balloon Debate:
Do balloons hurt people or do people hurt people?

If a deflated balloon gets into your mouth you could choke to death on it.

Anything can happen in the "what if" game.

[Beltway]

Wasps. I don't know about the rest of you all, but as for me, I think that wasps can go right back to the hell they crawled out of. I had one of the bastards in my room last Friday at 4 PM, and it was this gigantic black one flying around my room. I started to scream like a little girl, got out of my room as fast as I could, and was too much of a coward to go back in until 1 AM, after trying to kill it multiple times covering my entire body in a blanket except my face and bombarding it with excessive amounts of bug spray.

Not irrational.  I recently destroyed a hornet's nest that was under the roof of my deck, with a wasp/hornet spray can.  That stuff is long ranged and is lethal!   

[1995hoo]

Being around latex balloons puts me on edge, since they can make loud, sudden noises.

So try a different Trojan. Different strokes for different folks.

Why does he need a Trojan if he's just.....ah, well, never mind. 

[adventurernumber1]

Wasps. I don't know about the rest of you all, but as for me, I think that wasps can go right back to the hell they crawled out of. I had one of the bastards in my room last Friday at 4 PM, and it was this gigantic black one flying around my room. I started to scream like a little girl, got out of my room as fast as I could, and was too much of a coward to go back in until 1 AM, after trying to kill it multiple times covering my entire body in a blanket except my face and bombarding it with excessive amounts of bug spray.

I, too, think wasps can go right back to hell. My biggest fear is of spiders, but most insects are a close second. The house I live in now was built in 2005-2006. During its construction, there was a wasp nest in my future bedroom, and it sure scared the hell out of me. It would have been a lot scarier if this happened after the house was already built, though (yikes!). I like bees (I actually find use and positivity with them - with the honey, pollen, and generally more kindness when compared to other flying stinging insects), but I absolutely hate the guts out of wasps, yellow-jackets, and especially hornets. My dad has even gotten stung by yellow-jackets many times.

There was a creepy incident when I was at my grandparents house one time; there was a wasp inside the house in the living room, and it scared the crap out of us until my grandfather killed it. That was absolute chaos (and it was very hard to be killed, too!). 

[abefroman329]

Anyone have a fear of being vomited on by someone else?

Yes, but my wife and I are having our first kid in July, so now it's just inevitable.

[Beltway]

Anyone have a fear of being vomited on by someone else?

Yes, but my wife and I are having our first kid in July, so now it's just inevitable.

Should have clarified, not by a family member, but by a stranger.

I recall as a kid being in a movie theater and someone blew lunch from the balcony all over several people down below on the main floor.

[Takumi]

Closest I've had to that is someone spill their beer on me. Which wasn't fun.

[TheArkansasRoadgeek]

Closest I've had to that is someone spill their beer on me. Which wasn't fun.

Must've been three sheets to the wind!

[US71]

"Fear in itself is mostly an illusion"

[Scott5114]

[1995hoo]

Anyone have a fear of being vomited on by someone else?

Yes, but my wife and I are having our first kid in July, so now it's just inevitable.

Should have clarified, not by a family member, but by a stranger.

I recall as a kid being in a movie theater and someone blew lunch from the balcony all over several people down below on the main floor.

There was that incident at a Phillies game a few years back where a "fan" deliberately puked on a kid whose father asked him and his friends to stop cussing and then asked security to remove them when one of them spit on his sweatshirt:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/major-league-jerk-charged-intentionally-vomiting-11-yr-old-phillies-fan-article-1.168760

[US 89]

Anyone have a fear of being vomited on by someone else?

Yes, but my wife and I are having our first kid in July, so now it's just inevitable.

Should have clarified, not by a family member, but by a stranger.

I recall as a kid being in a movie theater and someone blew lunch from the balcony all over several people down below on the main floor.

The closest I've had was when I was in a Costco and a guy coughed in my ear as I walked by him.

Once at a Utah Symphony concert, my brother hurled all over the people sitting in front of us. I had to stay in my seat until intermission. It smelled awful, and it took some serious effort to not puke myself.