What defines a phobia? Do you have a phobia?

[Fuzzy Kittens]

Omgmyfirstthreadhere.

I'm painfully curious about this. What makes a fear a phobia? Can you consider any little thing that makes you uncomfortable a phobia, or is there a certain brink a fear must surpass before entering the realms of phobia-dom?

I've always been freaked out by the sight of blood. Blood stains or pictures of blood don't bug me, but flowing blood causes me to cover my eyes and make sad whimpering noises. Even those clear Halloween masks with the totally fake-looking blood dripping inside make me uncomfortable.

Now, I'll of course admit that I'm afraid of blood. There's no backing out of that. But I'm a little apprehensive to say I'm hemophobic.

I've define a phobia as "a fear so drastic that it makes day-to-day life a little more difficult than it needs to be". For example, a good friend of mine is terrified of the possibility of being raped. So terrified, that she won't apply for any jobs where she might have to work by herself or alone with men. That makes finding a job difficult for her, so I'd definitely say she has a phobia (virginitiphobia, to be precise, which is of course, the fear of rape).

On the other hand, I think I get by just fine with my fear. So long as I don't see flowing blood (which, thankfully, isn't a daily sight for me) I'm a-okay. It doesn't impair my day-to-day living, so I don't consider a phobia. Just an irrational fear. sweatdrop

And this is just me being curious about my fellow guild-goers: what are your fears, and would you consider them phobias?

Don't know what your phobia's called? Here's a list!

 

[Dathu]

biggrin Good thread idea!


Unfortunately, they don't have a zombiphobia. I am terribly horrified by Zombies. I have frequent zombie nightmares, I am almost always disturbed by zombie films (which, by the way, Dawn of the Dead, although not the scariest, is the creepiest if you imagine what it would be like if it really happened. I mean, the zombies ********' SPRINT! Full speed running action! That is terrifing!!!!), and I love zombie video games (Resident Evil for the Game Cube) because they scare the bejesus out of me. Honestly, of all the awful end of the world theories, I will take all of them EXCEPT zombie! I'd rather be torn apart by giant scorpions than have to deal with zombies. I'm already starting to shake.


Anyway, as for when does it go from a fear to a phobia: when you can't work past it. Example: scared of heights, so no roof work, too scared of falling off, but willing to look out of the Sears Tower, or go sky diving. Or like if your afraid of spiders (I am) but if I had too, like HAD TOO, like I'll get a million dollars if I let a million spiders crawl on me, I'd do it smiling! But someone who had arachnaphobia couldn't do it for all the money in the world, at least, not without passing out. Does that make sense? sweatdrop  

[Sanguvixen]

A phobia is only a phobia when it is a morbid fear, and it can stop you from what you are doing, and get in the way.

Many people are afraid of snakes, but only a select few are so afraid that they'll freak out and go nuts at the very thought of a snake, or even a picture of one.

As far as I know the only real phobia that I have is a morbid fear of flying. I can't get on airplanes because my anxiety levels get so high I freak out and get sick.

 

[banryuu]

I classify a phobia as being more deeply rooted psycologicly then a normal fear. One that often caused by an unexplained or sevear trurama. I have a few fears that are normal. The fear of being biten (spiders, snakes, and any animal really... I am used to cats biting me though.), the fear of failure, the fear of being alone, ect.

I do have one extream phobia... hold onto your seats cause this is a odd one... I couldn't find it on the list but one close to it was.

Cibophobia- the fear of food. I'm fine with regular food its condoments that bother me. Just thinking about it I taste musturd or ketchup on my tounge like the bile after you throw up. I can't stand Musturd, Ketchup, Mayonese, Sour Cream, ect. It extends so far that I hate all milk based salad dressing including ranch... the olny salad dressing I like is Italian or oil and vinigar.
I can't stand the smell of condoments they make me feel sick and I have trouble eating. I've learned to deal with people around me eating them but.... for example my father and I are at a mexican restrant and sharing fajitas, he likes sour cream in his so I make him use his knife for the cream and his fork for the fajitas. If I don't he uses the same fork and contaminates the fajitas. Even if I know all of the fixings I got are clean I can still taste the sour cream on MY food as if it is drouwning. A speck of mustard on my plate will make me taste it on my food and I can't eat anymore.
I always have to order my food without condaments and if they are on there I HAVE to send it back. When I was little I couldn't even touch the container... my sisters would chase me around the house with the mustard bottle. They once sat on me and force fed me mustard till I gaged... I think thats when it got worse. I can touch the bottles now if they aren't messy and if it gets on my hands I have to wash them till the burning stops...
People would always tell me that if I try it I might like it. My hand will start shaking and if I try to make people happy and eat it anyways I gag if I don't stop forcing myself I will throw up.

Is that or is that not a phobia?
Yes I know I'm a freak.  

[CleverScreenname]

A phobia is a strong, irrational fear that can interfere with your life. For example, you may be afraid of spiders, but unless you go out of your way to avoid seeing them or being around them, you are not phobic. Sure, you may shriek when you see a spider, but you are not obsessed with the idea that a spider may cross your path, or whatever.

Of course, people use the words "phobia" and "phobic" pretty loosely. I say that I'm phobic of alcohol, but it's not like I think about it all the time and how it may affect my life. However, when I am in the presence of alcohol or people who are drinking, I become incredibly nervous and fearful. Drunken people scare me.

So to put it simply: phobias control your life, fears don't.  

[Xiporah]

I'm phobic of drowning. I've had it since I was a baby, according to my mother. She said I would scream like someone was trying to kill me if any water splashed on or near my face. I literally didn't learn to swim or want to even try until I was 13 years old.

Even at 27 (in a few months) I absolutely 100% refuse to:

-Go into the deep end of the pool without clinging to the edge or one of the ladders.
-Go into a pool around people who are knocking others over or dunking people.
-Go into the ocean more than knee high. it used to be waist high until a wave knocked me down and flipped me over. Trying to walk back to my beach towel
-Go into the pool unless my feet can touch the ground and my nose and mouth are above water.

I don't even fully trust life jackets. I failed to get a girlscout badge when I was 12 because I refused to jump off a diving board into the deep end of a pool with a lifejacket on. I got out on the board and just stared at the water and kept saying no.

 

[[x] Natasha [x]]

I'm terrified of drowning...so terrified that I'm scared to go near a river on my own and I get nervous when going over bridges.  

[hachimitsugirl]

So, it appears I have Megalophobia (fear of large things).

I avoid a particular portion of our local natural history museum cause I know there's a mastodon skeleton in it right where you turn a blind corner.

Touring House on the Rock in Wisconsin, I nearly lost my s**t when strolling into a room containing a life-size replica of a giant squid battling a sperm whale - suspended from the ******** ceiling. I felt short of breath and close to passing out from the enormity of it.

Maybe it all stems from being very very short.  

[Arios V]

None of my fears are really phobias

I am scared of fire. When I was about 6 years old, I was set on fire and had a few lit cigarettes put into my ear by a bunch of older kids when I was leaving school.

I'm also scared of going to social things such as dances and large dinner parties. Actually, I'm not scared of the setting, I'm scared that I will embarrass myself by doing something so utterly stupid (Then again... who isn't?).

I also have a slight fear of large buildings, mostly due to my fear of falling from a high place  

[freak0592]

Hehe, good idea!!!! Share the scares!!!! ^.~

Hmm, for me, I got *looks at list* Coulrophobia!!! Fear of clowns ._.;;

I hate them!!! I don't know why, they are just too happy! Nothing on this earth should be THAT giddy, I'm sorry! And what's with the make-up?! I swear the make-up is real, and they use skin toned stuff to hide it!!! You are born a clown, a clown is not created (hehe, a quote from a short story I love "Some Children Wander By Mistake")!!! In Short: THEY ARE FREAKY!!!! ;~;

On the other hand, I think I am just afraid of them. I mean, if I see one, I wont spaz out or anything...I just try (HARD) to avoid them... So, yeah, it is probably just a fear.  

[EmmaRaikou]

I'm not quite sure if my fears are extreme enough to qualify as a phobia, but these definately cause the most severe reactions:

Maleusiophobia
Necrophobia  

[Arios V]

EmmaRaikou

I'm not quite sure if my fears are extreme enough to qualify as a phobia, but these definately cause the most severe reactions:

Maleusiophobia
Necrophobia

I know what Necrophobia is, but what is Maleusiophobia  

[banryuu]

Poor sangu was sitting next to be at a mexican restant to night. I feel so bad that I was out with her family and lost my appitiet when my food came out with Guacamole touching it. I know they took it back whiped it off put some new lettuce on the plate and brought it back out. I felt sick to my stoumach and didn't want to bring everyone eles's dinner down.
I made the excuse of not being hungry but the guacamole really sickened me into feeling ill. cry  

[Theophrastus]

*grins wickedly while finishing his notes*

Excellent. I have all your fears on record.

Now I can RUIN YOU ALL!  

[The Amazing Mr. Tommyos!]

I thought phobias were just irrational fears.