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

Heights and water are my problem.

I have trained myself to stand on a stepladder, by choosing one with very wide steps, but otherwise a couple of feet off the ground and I've had it. As a teenager my aunt took me up Broadway Tower in Worcestershire. The worn stone spiral staircase was bad enough, with no hand rail if I remember, but once at the top I could not be persuaded to budge from the centre as the tower had a low parapet.

I can't walk near water, like by a river or canal, unless I can keep several feet from the edge, as it seems to draw me to it, the same with heights, they seem to pull If there is a good rail or parapet, say on a bridge, which comes to chest height I am fine.

I used to be terrified of but managed to overcome most of the fear when I had children as I didn't want to pass that fear on to them. I still prefer to have my shoes on if one runs across the carpet yet I can tolerate them in a shed even when festooned with cobwebs. Odd Oh, and I love cobwebs in the frost or dew.

are fine but r-a-t-s are another matter

We sometimes sell toy spiders and snakes on our stall, and often to have to put them away before some adults will approach, yet the kids love them.

I watched a fascinating programme on TV where a woman was terrified of buttons! Anyone see that?

Websailor

hi all
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i saw in a programme that a famous actor, is terified of clowns, and wont go on any show where one is. and a woman that was scared of kittens. jim

strange thing with me, is normally i cant stand a spider of anykind, but the other night there was a big one over the bay window, and i didnt jump, i got a glass, got it in the glass, and opened the widow and let it go.
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now if it was on the floor, and they move so fast, ide be on the back of the couch lol jim

I saw the programe about the lady who didn't like buttons....and one lady who couldn't touch fruit!!!
I can't do bridges,WS,,or near the edge of water.....i can't sit near the pool on holidayI wonder if these are more common fears???

hi
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the most terrorfing thing i remember that i would never do again was, to arrange a meetup on a peir at blackpool. lol
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i was meeting an h2g2er about 3 yrs back while in blackpool. in the cafe on the main pier.
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i could hear the water under the pier, and wanted to just get up and run off the thing lol.
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the way the railings are so low, and seat up against, i was scared ide end up over the edge, never again lol jim

Yup, I can understand clowns. Until I was about 10, they gave me the screaming abdabs... something to do with masking the face? I hated beards too...

Fb

I have had a lot of phobias and some I have partially or fully conquered.

One big is fear is walking over bridge because I think I am going to fall off or fly away. I recently walked over a bridge and the wind made me feel as I was going to fly away but I carried on. Once I started to walk on the bridge proper it was alright. Another phobia was when I was living in Northumberland and I went to the Tyne River in Newcastle and I was not far from the Tyne bridge and I looked up and I felt dizzy and I felt very nervous near the water because I thought I was going to fall in.

I thought I was afraid of wild rats but when I saw one in Grays, Essex the only reaction I had was of disappointment as I heard reports that they were big as cats and they were not.

hi all
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when i was younger, if a ball went on the roof, i was the one that would shin up a drainpipe onto the roof. then about the 80,s i found i couldnt even go on a roof for long, and if at the point, i couldnt stand up, i was terrified.
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as i was helping a mate to fit cb ariels on roofs, it was something i had to try and overcome.
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now i cant even watch a scene in a film, looking down off a high building, with a shiver lol jim

I've come to the conclusion that I must have a fear of being rich!

and my wallet agrees

Websailor

I have so many phobias I have lost count, here are few that I can remember: fear of getting cold, fear of the underground, fear of being run over, fear of traffic, fear of crossing bridges, fear of looking up at bridges, fear of being near the edge of water, fear of heights and fear of loud noise.

Hello all!!!
It seems as though a lot of people are scared of heights

Kat!!Are you just frightened of these things,or do they really scare you,as in ,you'd run a mile to avoid them???(not that i'm underestimating your fear)!

The thought of crossing a road sends me into a panic,and the thought of crossing a bridge does the same,even driving over a bridge makes me close my eyesand tremble!!!I would have said it was because someone else was taking me across the road,in the wheelchair,and i had no control over it,but it started origianally when i was knocked down crossing the road,so i understand that fear too!!

see post 13 Kat

hi all on a funny note
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i have a kind of fear,of rats.
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not the four legged ones, a two legged idiot.
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he cant do anything in the kitchen without a mess, at least once a week the smoke detector goes off, and his lass is getting as bad. lol
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if he starts to,so called clean up, it never gets finished, and gets worse. so you could say i have a fear of a rat, setting fire to the house when im out lol
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jim

Animal I have never seen so many different names for phobias.

Sal I am really frightened of them and would run a mile to avoid. Bridges, I can just go over the one in Grays going to the river but just. I am not very happy about doing it but there is not much traffic underneath the bride and the road part it is not that wide. There is also a rail track but that is not very far. It is the wind that makes me very uneasy when I cross it as I feel I am going to fall of it or fly away. If there was a motorway underneath the bridge either A road or a M road. I won't cross it. Stairs that have open steps I cannot go up as I get giddy and especially if they are wide ones. The underground as there are not any in Thurrock and the nearest underground station one is an overground one, it is does not effect but if I were in London I would avoid them. There are also so many escalators and it is very crowded and claustophobic. I have had a few close calls when I ever nearly been run over by traffic. I not very fond of going in lifts. It's alright if I am going up a few floors but if I have to be there in any length of time and it gets crowded, then I start panicking.

Stairs that have open steps frighten me too. Best not to look down. My dentist has them, but fortunately the treads are very wide, so my big have plenty of room

Websailor

its probably because im getting older, but ive started to stand at the crossing in town, till the light goes green,
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if there was no sign of anything approuching,i would walk out, now i think its a fear, that some idiot could come round off the corner,without warning.lol jim

We get fined if we cross on a red man, so I have a healthy fear of losing money unnecessarily

hi
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here in england, to cross on the red, you only fear losing your life lol,some take the chance, some older ones, just walk out, without looking jim

Thanks to everyone for their comments.it's been interesting for me to read other peoples comments,and phobias.
I am going to remove this now,as i think it's time my space had an overhaul.s to everyone