I am not a normal person
General | June 27, 2010
A quick Google search, in addition to previous knowledge, tells me that some of the most common phobias include: spiders, insects, snakes, enclosed spaces, thunderstorms, driving, flying, needles, and heights.
Here’s what I have to say about things other people are afraid of:
- Spiders are not scary. I just crushed a tiny one that was crawling up my hand.
- I will gladly allow ants, cockroaches, centipedes, etc. to get acquainted with the bottom of my shoe. C’mon, I’m not going to let something that’s a gazillionth of my size defeat me.
- Snakes? I mean, I’m not going to get up close and cuddly with one, but I’m not going to scream and run away. That probably isn’t the best strategy to follow anyway if you encounter a rattlesnake…
- I’ve never been claustrophobic; perhaps it’s because I don’t have any siblings and thus have never been shut in a box, cabinet, or fridge by anyone. Whatever the cause, I actually welcome close and cozy spaces.
- I love thunderstorms and think they’re the only acceptable cause for rain. If you’re going to do something, go all out, right? Mother Nature should follow that rule. None of that wimpy drizzly rain. Okay, maybe I should be more careful about what I say — floods are not okay. But thunderstorms are lovely. When they’re not that dangerous. (Look at me backtracking like a politician.)
- I don’t actually know anyone who’s scared of driving. I love driving and would totally cruise around in my car all the time if the environment wouldn’t suffer the consequences.
- I don’t like flying anymore because of that one time I had to spend the entire day at two different airports because of delays, and I dislike the smell on airplanes, but I’m not afraid. Turbulence is actually kinda fun.
- When I get blood drawn, I watch the needle go in.
- One time, I saw a PostSecret that went along the lines of “I’m not so much afraid of heights as I am of getting the urge to jump.” No worries, I don’t plan on ending my life, but I’m just a thrill seeker who does rash things at times. (You know that game in elementary school where you stand on the landing and see which monkey bar you can jump to? I was playing that game the summer after third grade, this kid dared me to jump to the sixth bar, I did, and then I landed on my back on the mulch and hit my head. Maybe that’s the reason I’m so abnormal, heh.) Point is, I’m not afraid of heights.
If that isn’t enough to make you wonder which other planet I fell off of, I’ll tell you about my phobias. In fact, the incident that inspired this entry happened two nights ago around midnight and involved me screaming and flailing and running away from an orange. I know what you’re thinking right about now, but I’m not that weird. It was a moldy orange that I unwittingly grabbed out of the back of the fridge. It was soft and there was white fuzzy stuff growing on it and I swear my hands itched for half an hour afterward. Even after I scrubbed them for an eternity.
Not only am I afraid of mold, but fuzzy white things in general terrify me. When I was little, I cried when I saw cotton fake snow on Christmas displays. No joke. I’ve since gotten over that, but I go to school in Illinois where apparently “cotton” trees abound, and they get all over the grass and concrete and alskdadlsjkfajksljafkls. I think I’ve even deluded myself into believing I’m actually allergic to them.
My other weird fears? Holes and sometimes clusters without holes. Except I’m not as afraid of clusters as my friend — she can’t even look at poppyseed bagels or used dartboards. Disembodied hands. Just look at this and tell me it’s not scary. Vomit (though college is lessening this phobia). If you ever vomit in my presence, I will hunt you down and empty the contents of my stomach onto your face. I don’t know what I’m going to do when I have babies. Probably accidentally drown them in sympathetic vomit.
I know rampant judgment is passing through your head. It’s okay. I’m judging you too.
You are being too rational.
Out of those things, I am scared of spiders, flying, and needles. Driving a bit, but just because of SOMEONE named JOSH who hit an old woman, and fear that I will do something similar.
Mold fascinates me more than scares me, but I can see why it would freak you out.
I am TERRIFIED of things that crawl. If it has fur on it I’m fine with it (tarantulas, rats, whatever – all great creatures), but anything that has multiple legs and crawls is AWFUL. I recently emptied out half a bottle of Lysol onto a centipede in my apartment and ran screaming from it. And then called my mommy. I’m 23. She laughed. A lot.
On the other hand, I’m just as terrified of mold as you are. I actually jump away from moldy things and shriek, especially if I touch it. EW EW EW. Cotton and holes, though – not so much. So yeah, you’re not entirely weird. Just a little
[...] by A on June 28, 2010 So Meg’s recent post got me thinking about fears I have. I used to be that kid at school who’d always be first in [...]
I don’t really have phobias of things – I used to think I was afraid of bugs, but it’s not a really a fear of them in general. I just don’t like it when bugs are in my room, or on my body. I guess being really high would freak me out too a little, but that would only be if there was nothing making sure I wouldn’t fall and die.
Of all the “typical” fears you listed, I am only afraid of insects. I have exactly the same sentiments as you about rain and thunderstorms! However, I don’t harbor any ill feelings towards flying. It’s not necessarily what I’d do for fun, but I definitely don’t mind it. When you travel as often as I do, you have to learn to at least accept it, if not love it.
Mold is disgusting, though. Ugh.
You are awesome. Completely badass. I mean, not scared of spiders? I’m completely freaked out by all things creepy crawly. Even if it’s small. ESPECIALLY if it’s smal.
Wei-Wei
I must admit I hate spiders, and I’m not too keen on crawly insects in general, but they’re the only ones out of the things you listed. My biggest fear is losing my family, but is that entirely irrational? I don’t know…
Sorry for the seemingly-pointless comment but I just want to say, Ahahahahaha.
I’m a mixture of the two types. I dislike any types of insects, love thunderstorms (I hope it rains everyday!) and no, I don’t watch the needle when I’m drawing blood. I avoid the process totally due to my low pain threshold. I’m sure there are others who are similar to you (from Mars maybe?).
“I’m not so much afraid of heights as I am of getting the urge to jump.” — ME TOO.
And me too, to “holes and sometimes clusters without holes,” — they give me the creeps (like I literally shudder) but I’m just told I’m a strange weird kid by my friends. And white fuzzy furry things are also gross too, just not as gross as holes. I’m also not a fan of “art” that resembles a cross between cobwebs/beehives (a cross between holes and white furriness?) — there’s a work like that in the College of Fine Arts right outside its library where I visit sometimes…eurgh.
It doesn’t matter what your fears are, the best way to rid yourself of them is to face them head on. So far I’ve done that with two of my fears, and I feel so much better for it! Maybe you need to surround yourself with white fuzzy things lol.
There are some fears you just don’t want to rid yourself of