h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I admit I have this phobia/fear of being hurt during ball-games - soccer in particular. I first got it when I was a youngster and I blacked out after I got hit by a baseball under a match, and since I've always had this terrible fear of being hit in the head during sports. Mind you, I have no problem watching a game on the telly or even in the tribunes, it's just when I'm too close, like in PE, and I can't have a proper sight on my surroundings. The sound of a ball hitting a bat or a foot kicking a ball is enough to make me want to run away (though I don't think I've ever actually done it) It's just a very uncomfortable, clammy feeling in my guts - I'm too dull/insecure to actually act on it, so I usually just try quietly to stand in a more crowded place or raise my hands to protect my head.

I've never talked to a professional about the problems, although my teachers and friends are informed. Many people doesn't believe me when I tell them, or they make a huge issue out of it (which I really think isn't worth it) I still haven't found a proper latin word for my phobia, so I usually call it Ballistophobia, which was the closest I found - it means "Fear of bullets"...

I admit it can be easy to make fun of phobias - and no one makes more fun out of mine than me - it's a way of coping with it I guess. And all in all, it's not a major issue in my life - it makes my grades in PE go down, and some have always teased me mercilessly because of it, but I would hate for someone to call it "a condition" or something. I notice the fears have worn off over the years, but I don't think I'll ever be completely over it. I'm still hoping I will forget about this when I've finished school and there won't be a sport class every Thursday.

My fears does not define who I am, even though some people think so. Some people cringe at the sight of spiders, I cringe at the thought of being hit in the head by a ball.

I'm not sure if this is a good description of my irrational (?) fear, because I mostly don't like talking about it, and I haven't found much information (or even a name) on this particular phobia. I hope this'll do though

I shouldn't worry about it too much. I didn't like football and was a bit nervous of the ball too. Still, as an adult football is easily avoided. As to the PE grades, only dim people get good PE grades (sorry PE fans, but it's true)

Bloody sensible fear, a friend died from being hit with a cricket ball. Don't let that scare you further, let it convince you that you are being sensible! Wearing glasses I always over-react when a ball or even a pigeon comes my way, its definately being sensible

Yeah, I also wear glasses and have done so for pretty much all my life - I was also there when one of my best friends got hit hard in the head by a football and I had to comfort her until the paramedics arrived. Ever tried comforting someone who's hurt and panicking?

I'll have to ask Moonglum, normally its me hurt and panicking! However since re-taking up dope, I have lessened the panic attacks and havn't had a fake heart attack for ages!!

Anyway Tilly glad I didn't scare you off completely by mentioning my friend, just remember you are sensible, although after having to comfort your own friend after being hit in the head, that should be obvious to you now!

The distinction between reasonable caution and irrational phobia can be a fine line. It's reasonable (and beneficial, sports-wise) to keep an eye on the ball at all times. If it comes at you, you can catch it, dodge it, or otherwise react to it properly. Unless you're in a sport with more than one ball in play at a time, this should calm a reasonable fear. If you continue being afraid something will blind-side you even when you can see the ball is halfway across the field, you may have a phobia. If catching the ball when it comes your way is impossible because you are afraid of it, you may have a phobia. In that case, you may want to get a friend you can trust and a foam ball and practice having them throw it at you for a while. You would be aiming to learn two things. One: not all encounters with a ball will hurt you badly. (That's why you're using a foam ball - let it bounce off your face a couple times - see? that wasn't so bad.) Two: you can protect yourself from the ball. Learn to catch it so you have an appropriate reaction to a ball coming your way. What worries people about natural fears - like death - is their inability to do anything about it. If you have the power to protect yourself from the object of your fear, your fear will lose power over you.
After you are feeling confident of your ability to deal with a foam ball, you can work up to less friendly things. This is why you started with a friend you can trust - now you're trusting them not to throw a baseball or something so hard that it will hurt you if you miss it, at least until you're good enough to be sure you'll catch it.

Maybe I should describe my problem better - a ball I know is soft, ie foam, I have no problem with. I can duck it, catch it, pounce it, and all other things. This also goes for most kind of balls thrown by people I trust and I know have control over it.

But with sports I know use a hard ball, and mostly in ways where you can't 100 % control where the ball is heading, ie baseball, soccer and the like, I feel nervous when I'm near, and I can't react or duck properly when I see it heading towards me. In few words: I freeze. If I remember clearly, this is exactly what happened that day I blacked out - I saw the bat hit the ball, and then as in slow motion the ball got closer and closer, and my eyes never left it, but I simply couldn't duck or move out of the way. SMACK! Next thing I know, I'm lying flat on my back

That's also the problem with curing phobias - they don't work in ways that make any sense