General Chat

On the Chat board last night, She was just coming in as I was going out, but I noticed that she has a phobia to balloons. I completely sympathise with anyone who has an unusual phobia - I am terrified of anyone being sick. So much so that it does affect my life slightly. Anyone out there with any other unusual phobias? Anyone with solutions?!! Or anyone just need a fellow sufferer to sympathise?

My phobia is driving on my own to somewhere i dont know i have been driving for 25 years i know its silly and it retricts where i go. any remedys

Margaret That is my fear as well. I have been driving for 18 years. I can drive to my sisters house in Bristol from Eastleigh Hampshire straight to her house but I would never be able to meet her else where. And I manage all my local areas but Southampton which is only a few miles up the road where the Records office is I just cannot bring myself to go there. It's the thought of the roundabouts different lanes at traffic lights. Where would I park I get into a real panic. I am all right if I have someone in the car with me but through the day everyones at work. I also hate spiders. Debbie

Debbie Everyone laughs at me when i tell them of this fear even hubby says dont be daft I am ok if i have someone with me there are so many place (vists to graveyards) that i would love to go to, but this phobia just stops me.I am glad i am not the only one out there with this fear

No, don't have a phobia - am gradually getting used to spiders. Still get the 'heebie jeebies' if a large black one runs across the floor, and you know, you catch sight of it out of the corner of your eye. But I find this driving thing interesting. I have two women friends and they both don't drive where they don't know the way. Is this purely a woman thing? I can only ride a bike by the way!!!! Norah

Norah I think it is only something that affects women unless if it does affect men they do not talk about for fear of being called a sissy

I found the phobia about driving really interesting; despite being quite badly phobic about the thing I mentioned in the first message, I'm fine with everything else. I actually enjoy driving and have no problems at all with roundabouts etc - nothing seems to bother me out on the road. I'm a bit nervous around things like pigeons, spiders, etc, the usual sort of phobias, but nothing starts off a panic attack except the 'sick' thing. I did once belong to a specific support group, but found that everyone else's stories got me more worried and gave me ideas! But there is a good site for the National Phobics Society - Dr Raj Persaud (him of TV fame!) is on the board - and I'm thinking of joining.

Hi Mandy, I also have a phobia about people being sick. I am trying hard to be realistic, as I do not want it to rule my life. Jill

The getting lost when driving phobia sounds like a mild form of agrophobia, fear of open spaces. Perhaps it might help if you know for certain that in England you cannot be lost on a road for very long because you will always come to a signpost. Maybe then you need a knowledge of where places are relative to each other because if you dont you will need to ask directions, then the fear is one of talking to strangers. Or perhaps you are absolutely lousey at map reading in which case you need to write directions on the inside of your windscreen in felt tip. Just random ramblings but I hope I have helped someone lol Dave.

Heres a strange one for you.... I have a phobia of butterflys, i know it sounds silly but they throw me in to a complete state of panic, to the point where i struggle to breath if they come to close, odley though its only the brightly coloured ones, im fine with the cabbage whites, and im also fine with moths!?