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

To any one who cares and might want to discuss it, here is a list over my major fears:

Stings- bees, wasps, bumble bees etc. I just CAN'T concentrate with them around.

Paranoid- At night or when I'm alone I always have the subtle but scary feeling a zombie or clown or whatever is waiting somewhere. Most of all I don't like the feeling that I might be followed by something.

Clowns- or dolls or whatever. Don't know why or how. Not so much as it use to be.

Insects- Mostly due to number one. The buzzing...it remindes be too much of bees. I'm not afraid of spiders but it kinda freaks me out when I find one in my bed or on my body.

Death- Ah the great unknown. I'm not afraid of dying old or anything, but of just dying very quickly without knowing when. I'd almost prefer dying slowly.

I used to be terribly afraid of the dark - still am to a certain extent. If a lightbulb 'went' as i switched on the light i would get in a right state until i could switch on another source of light.
I have slept with my bedroom curtains open for years for that reason - to get some light from the moon or the street.

Bugs don't bother me but cobwebs do

I have a major fear of stingy things, I feel for you!

In fact, the comment in the article about preferring to be chased by a bear, and dealing with it by running away and screaming like a girl is mine

TK

I don't fear death. As a nurse a quick death seems to be the better option - as if one has a choice. I fear incapacity, being unable to care for myself whilst retaining my full mental abilities. I know what you mean about clowns and dolls though

When I say I'm afraid of death, it's not so much the death itself than the uncertainty of it ("But that the dread of something after death, the undiscovered country from who's bound no traveller returns, puzzles the will,"-Hamlet, hehe). I don't like the feeling that I might lose my conscience, my self-awareness, that I might not be myself anymore (this is kinda hard to explain). I'm just as afraid to die to say go senile and not remember who I am and everybody else is. Which is why in fact I'm sometimes even a bit uneasy to fall asleep (not really afraid), because if I do, I'm not really self-aware anymore.

Birds and feathers and flappy things in general give me the screaming heebyjeebies - the fear of birds amounts to a phobia. A pigeon flew inot my bedroom, and unbeknownst to me, was quietly pecking around under the bed. I went in and was changing my clothes when it waddled out from its hiding place! I very calmly walked out of the room, closed the door gently but firmly and screamed the house down until my younger son and his best friend de-pigeoned the room - I, by this time had locked myself in the bathroom an was scrabbling frantically at the bath panel in an attempt to hide. It took my elder son a good 5 minutes very calm and rational reasening to persuade me to unlock the door, the bird had gone, etc,etc.
When I did finally emerge, I hung onto the poor lad like a women drowning and howled my eyes out (this from a woman who has faced a gunman, dared him to do his worst, AND THEN TURNED MY BACK ON HIM!) (This is actually true) My poor son had bruises on his upper arms where I'd held on to him so hard. I don't know WHY I am so terrified of birds - I always have been, and try as hard as I can, I don't seem to be able to get over it.

Compared to that, I reckon death's a doddle - it must just like having a wonderfully deep sleep without the threat of the alarm clock. It sounds like a form of heaven to me!