What's Your Phobia?

[Martha]

What an interesting thread. I remembered several phobias that I had forgotten about! I have had a phobia of elevators, going up more than three or four stories for as long as I can remember. Maybe I saw too many elevator crashes in movies when I was a kid. I used to have nightmares of falling in an elevator. But I've been avoiding them for so long I had forgotten it was a phobia. I've climbed many stairs to avoid the elevator! I would never want to go up in a skyscraper. Just the idea of it makes me cringe.

I had a secretary that had an elevator fear. My office was on the eighth floor. She took the stairs each morning and if she went out to lunch.

I don't have the elevator fear but I sometimes have elevator nightmares. I get on an elevator and it starts tipping and otherwise going out of control. Very realistic and frightening.

 

[Moemg]

I don't have an elevator fear except those glass elevators that go up the sides of buildings . They scare the s--- out of me !

 

[HFWR]

I don't have an elevator fear except those glass elevators that go up the sides of buildings . They scare the s--- out of me !

While in the area for training, our gang of technicians rode the elevator up the side of the Westin Bonaventure in LA, then had a drink in the revolving restaurant at the top. I made out ok, but I was a bit squeamish...

Ok, with elevators, not so good with heights...

 

[MooreBonds]

With more press about bed bugs in hotels lately, I think I will add them to my list.

Unfortunately, I can relate to it. (bed bugs in a New Zealand hostel)

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f30/who-your-team-experts-25151-2.html

 

[Kronk]

Heights. Like several others, it is unenclosed heights that do me in. Tops of buildings are okay if I'm inside. I've improved to the point where I can get up on a ladder 15' up. Big airplanes are okay.

I've been scared out of my noggin when:
Taking the elevator to the top of the Eiffel Tower. The top was relatively okay, but I was a wreck going up.
A little ski-lift type thing across Hershey Park. Should have known better.
Lift off in a puddle-jumper (eight seater) airplane.
A ferris wheel in an amusement park in the tiny little town I grew up in (park is Darien Lake, NY). At one point the ferris wheel the tallest one in the world.

Oh, and I'm not usually claustrophobic, but there have been situations where I've panicked. Most notably in an enclosed MRI.

 

[Wonomo]

Heights but not flying. I love to fly
long bridges
tunnels, caves or anything underground
anything under water
confined spaces
crowds

 

[W2R]

I don't have the elevator fear but I sometimes have elevator nightmares. I get on an elevator and it starts tipping and otherwise going out of control. Very realistic and frightening.

I had one years ago in which someone pushed button "13" in the elevator for a 12 story building. The elevator shot through the roof energetically and launched from there into the upper atmosphere, from where it fell to earth like a stone. Definitely terrifying. Always check the number of floors in the building before choosing a button to press.

I do have elevator fear, but suppress it. You gotta do what you gotta do. It helps to not think of how far the empty space extends beneath your feet, to the bottom of the elevator shaft. I always look before stepping into an elevator, just to make sure there is one there and the doors didn't just open for no reason. Silly, I know!

 

[bbbamI]

Not too fond of elevators myself. I got stuck in one once for a little while. The fire department had to come to my rescue.

Ah...firefighters.

 

[Caoineag]

Bugs that sting, especially poisonous ones (reason its a phobia instead of a healthy fear is that it is disproportionate to the amount of pain and damage the stings or bites can do). But I am only afraid if they can somehow touch me, I actually find them fascinating behind glass.

Heights where I can't grip something with my hands. Doesn't matter if I could normally walk on it with no trouble. Once I am without handholds and some distance above ground, I have to fight to not crouch down so my hands can grip something. If I can grip something, it really doesn't matter. In fact I usually like the view.

 

[M Paquette]

Not too fond of elevators myself. I got stuck in one once for a little while. The fire department had to come to my rescue.

At MegaCorp we have executives on the top floor of my building. Most of the engineers take the stairs every day so as to ensure that they don't have to get into an elevator with the executives. Some of the executives (literally) frown on anyone else entering their elevator, so I suppose there's a bit of fear and loathing on both sides.

 

[Walt34]

My niece, now 49, still remembers the monster in the attic. She was staying overnight with my younger sister in the upstairs bedroom. Older sister was at a sleepover at a friend's, so my niece slept in older sister's bed.

There was a hole in the ceiling in preparation for a light fixture, and younger sister told niece that there was monster in the ceiling and to watch out for it. Niece finally fell fitfully asleep but was awakened when the cat, who didn't know that the older sister wasn't there, jumped up on niece's bed.

The resulting screams woke the entire house. Scared the cat too.

 

[aworkingrachel]

Needles

When I was younger:
Bees...I read some book where a kid died from a bee sting and I was terrified I was allergic
Lighting matches. Finally had to learn to do this for some Girl Scouting thing and it took me *hours.*
Making phone calls. Hours of anxiety before making calls I dreaded. When I had a paper route, I had to call in my monthly takes to the newspaper office. For two years I never spoke to a real human being, always called after hours and left a message.

 

[Jarhead*]

I don't have the elevator fear but I sometimes have elevator nightmares.

A few years ago, I got on a very crowded and noisy elevator, I inched my way to the back and after finding a spot shouted out to the operator
"Ballroom please".

The woman right in front of me, turned around and said, "Sorry, sir, didn't realize I was standing so close to you".

 

[Martha]

A few years ago, I got on a very crowded and noisy elevator, I inched my way to the back and after finding a spot shouted out to the operator
"Ballroom please".

The woman right in front of me, turned around and said, "Sorry, sir, didn't realize I was standing so close to you".

 

[haha]

A few years ago, I got on a very crowded and noisy elevator, I inched my way to the back and after finding a spot shouted out to the operator
"Ballroom please".

The woman right in front of me, turned around and said, "Sorry, sir, didn't realize I was standing so close to you".

I guess she was impressed Jarhead. Did you get her phone#?

Ha