phobias

[rhubarbodendron]

(note to Mods: this is propably a borderline-topic between MISC and Science. If you think it should be better in MISC, please push it there)


Being a rather curageous person, normally, I was a bit surprised by developing a phobia and anxiety attacks at the tender age of 50. In my case it's apparently based on traumatic experiences.


That made me curious about phobias in general and I have a gazillion questions. With such a big number of posters here it seems reasonable to assume that some of us have experience with this matter. Maybe you can help me find a few answers?


How do phobias usually develop?
Can they occur at all ages?
Is there always a traumatic experience / negative imprintment at the beginning?
=> How about people who are for example afraid of mice even though they might have never encountered one?
=> Do we only fear what we know (because we made bad experiences) or can we also be afraid of something we haven't encountered in any form?

How does a phobia work exactly? Is it really just a negative imprintment - basically a bad habit - or are there physical changes in the brain or shifts in its chemistry?

 

[Melakon]

I have a fear of heights if I don't feel like I'm safely surrounded by something. It usually would manifest itself if I tried to climb up a ranger's tower. Once I was about 40 feet off the ground and starting to see trees from above, my legs would begin to buckle. In an airplane, or a tall building I'm fine. Open air observation decks at the tops of buildings were iffy, i would usually stand a few feet away from the railing.

The earliest event that I can relate to it, and which probably started it all, was going to a county fair when I was 7 or 8. There was a ferris wheel, and they stopped us at the top. I suddenly got scared and thought I was going to fall. I think that was the beginning of the phobia for me.

 

[RoJoHen]

I have a fear of heights if I don't feel like I'm safely surrounded by something. It usually would manifest itself if I tried to climb up a ranger's tower. Once I was about 40 feet off the ground and starting to see trees from above, my legs would begin to buckle. In an airplane, or a tall building I'm fine. Open air observation decks at the tops of buildings were iffy, i would usually stand a few feet away from the railing.

See, this kind of thing to me shouldn't even count as a phobia to me. This is normal human survival instinct. You SHOULD be afraid of heights. If you fall, you will die!

Now, if you start to freak out because you're standing five feet off the ground, that's one thing. But if you're several stories up and not enclosed in something designed to keep you alive, a fear of heights is totally justified.

 

[Use of Time]

Roaches. Do I need a reason?

 

[Taylirious]

Heights, spiders & deep water.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

Roaches. Do I need a reason?

yes, please. There are many people in Asia who consider fried roaches a delicacy and would rather die than eat mouldy milk aka camembert cheese.
Was there a particular key-experience that triggered your fear of cockroaches?

 

[Use of Time]

No. They are just filthy little scavengers that trigger revulsion in me whenever one gets in the house. Maybe it's the size and almost alien looking appearance but yeah, not a fan.

 

[HIjol]

I was never afraid to swim in deep water or unknown bodies of water until I saw "Jaws" in high school...after that, there have been panic-like attacks when I have had occasion to end up in deep water...I guess seeing the movie would count as the trauma/catalyst...something in my brain clearly changed...bummer...

 

[rhubarbodendron]

eeks, yes, I recall having seen that one. Scary and very disturbing. Fortunately, sharks never live in freshwater and teh next coast is a day's drive away.
I've had a fear of water ever since I almost drowned at the age of 4 or 5. I still can't swim but at least I work in the water all day now and actually have fun sometimes But when I drop into deep water the fear is instantly back.

 

[Use of Time]

Deep ocean water never bothered me. I am not a huge fan of lake or river water though. It just has a nasty taste that you inevitably have to deal with and the visibility is usually decreased more.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

heehee, that reminds me of a friend who once came to my lab when I just had a plancton sample from her favourite swimming pond under the microscope. She swore she'd never go swimming again because the lake was "crawling with hairy monsters"

 

[HIjol]

^^^now that is funny!...sorry for her...hope your Science is going well!

 

[varek]

I have never had any phobias of which I am aware. I can sympathize with those who have them, but I have not had that experience myself.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

you're lucky! Did you grow up in a very protected environment? Or did your family encourage you to explore everything in teh knowledge that they'd alwas have your back?

(I'm curious to find out why some people have phobias and others haven't)

 

[RoJoHen]

I also have no phobias.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

as a bartender you have to have nerves of steel In your experience, do they come with the job, gradually, or are they are a basic requirement for the job?

 

[RoJoHen]

as a bartender you have to have nerves of steel

Nah, you just need a lot of patience and the confidence to know when to say "Get the fuck out."

 

[thestrangequark]

I have a true phobia, a completely and totally irrational fear with absolutely no basis in any past experience or event. I have a phobia of mold. I have had it as long as I can remember, and while I'm at the point now where I can remove a piece of moldy fruit from a bowl and into the trash (after several minutes of psyching myself up, putting on rubber gloves, and using multiple paper towels to grab it), the phobia extreme enough to at times cause me to shake and cry uncontrollably, while laughing uncontrollably at the same time because I know how ridiculous it is.

On the plus side, I hardly ever waste food because I'm so fearful of it molding that I usually buy only enough food to last me two or three days at a time.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

Wow, you have a lot of courage! Most people in your situation would get someone to remove the moldy fruit for them. It's immensely brave that you do it yourself (and successful!)

A fear of mold is actually quite reasonable (except for penicilline, Stilton and Camembert) since most forms of mold are very poisonous to humans.

I find some sorts of mold quite pretty under the microscope, but that's strictly from a professional point of view. I also admire the effectivity of HIV and pity it for its only weakness: oxigen-intolerance, but I wouldn't want it in my bloodstream