Irrational Fears

[dazzlingamy]

Ok, I am experiencing on massive irrational fear of flying atm, and i really don't know what to do. I live in australia so basically to get anywhere without having to stay over night on the way, you need to fly. Hell i've flown over 100 times in my life and in fact flown round the world twice, been to america and south america once and hawaii and now i am petrified about getting on a plane. Its just come out of no where and i dont' know how to explain it.

Just wondering if anyone else has these sorts of fears, and any possible explanation for them. I dont think im afraid of it crashing, just maybe, as a really indepant person and gaining a lot of independance in the last few months (graduating uni, motorbike licence, buying big expensive things like car laptop etc) maybe its the sense of being out of control?

I just dont want this to hinder me, i love travelling, i've done a hell of a alot of it and now im petrified! I can't even watch planes taking of on TV. And i have to fly next year for U2 and im already stressing over it

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

Okay, b/c I've had a few drinks I can admit I have an irrational fear of large inanimate objects. ie. The Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, the Sears Tower...etc. Some thing just freaks me out.

I also used to have an irrational fear of sharks. Jaws has scarred me for life.

 

[MacHat]

I have an irrational fear of lakes and ponds .

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

As much as I love the mountains, I have a fear of driving in them. I do not have a fear of heights but when I am in LA and I am in a tall building I really freak out because I am scared an earthquake will hit while I am in a building. Never mind the fact a small one hit a few years ago while I was asleep in my apartment here in GA. What did I do when I felt my first earthquake? I rolled over and fell back asleep.

 

[For Honor]

I hope you can overcome your fears. Living in fear is not pleasant...

 

[Dismantled]

Hey Ames glad to see I am not alone here I have to leave for my honeymoon on Monday, we are going to the Virgin Islands....anyway instead of being excited about this I am way too stressed over the plane ride and I am even stressed over the plane trip comming back already....its totally ruining it for me.....

My uncle is a pilot and has been for 40 years...he has told me again and again "a pilot should be able to get the plane on the ground safely through most any situation".....well, I don't even want to deal with most any situation....

I told my husband its a sense of not having control of whats happening, I really hate putting my life into the hands of people I don't even know.

Also I have this weird pilot thing... If I see the pilot and think he looks like "Mr. Pilot" you know...tall, nice teeth, has the hair...etc...I feel better I don't know why

Ok....I've probably said too much and everyone thinks I'm

 

[irishdove]

I do not at all think you're weird or anything, and I am glad I looked at this thread! I have a terrible fear of heights and water, it seemed to have gotten worse now that I'm older. I want to save my money and travel SO BADLY, but I'm afraid of flying, and it actually took everything in me to get on the Amtrak train this October to go to the concert! The Amtrak has been derailing a lot in the midwest, and my love for U2 was the only thing that overcame my fear I think I am being ridiculous, I'm single and self-employed (sort of lol), and I know I would have so much fun traveling, but I can't get on a plane, ever I hope one day to be able to overcome this, all my friends say flying is safer than driving a car long distance, which is what I'm used to doing (although I'm beginning to fear driving, a little, too). I do believe also that it has something to do with us being in control, and not trusting your life in someone else's hands, I definitely understand.

 

[VertigoGal]

As much as I love the mountains, I have a fear of driving in them. I do not have a fear of heights but when I am in LA and I am in a tall building I really freak out because I am scared an earthquake will hit while I am in a building. Never mind the fact a small one hit a few years ago while I was asleep in my apartment here in GA. What did I do when I felt my first earthquake? I rolled over and fell back asleep.

I remember that earthquake! My parents didn't believe me til they turned on the news.

A lot of people have a fear of heights, but I have this strange fear of being at the bottom of a really high ceiling or something. When I went to DC and we went in the National Cathedral, even that made me feel a little freaked out. And I was doing this rowing thing on the Tennessee, and we went under this bridge that was like a highway or something, and I felt really dizzy and sick.

That's not weird at all though to have that sudden fear.

Personally I love flying...Im flying tomorrow actually...it's weird because when I'm thousands of feet in the air, I get this feeling of such helplessness that that it has the reverse effect. If that makes sense.

 

[Dismantled]

I do not at all think you're weird or anything, and I am glad I looked at this thread! I have a terrible fear of heights and water, it seemed to have gotten worse now that I'm older. I want to save my money and travel SO BADLY, but I'm afraid of flying, and it actually took everything in me to get on the Amtrak train this October to go to the concert! The Amtrak has been derailing a lot in the midwest, and my love for U2 was the only thing that overcame my fear I think I am being ridiculous, I'm single and self-employed (sort of lol), and I know I would have so much fun traveling, but I can't get on a plane, ever I hope one day to be able to overcome this, all my friends say flying is safer than driving a car long distance, which is what I'm used to doing (although I'm beginning to fear driving, a little, too). I do believe also that it has something to do with us being in control, and not trusting your life in someone else's hands, I definitely understand.

yeah I'm with you...since I've gotten older I've become this huge chicken. People tell me all the time that flying is much safer than a car.. but my problem with flying is your 6 miles in the air and going 500 mph at least the car is on the ground and I have control over it.......


I hope you can someday travel its well worth it when you get there

 

[VertigoGal]

^well you may have control over your car, but not over some drunk asshole going 90...a lot less likely to happen in the air

 

[Liesje]

When I was young I was terrified of bears. We used to go camping at this place where this guy dressed as Smokey the Bear would come around and say hi to kids, but I was terrified (see pic). I think it's b/c my dad's best friend has this real bear rug, the kind w/ the head still attached, and I was scared of the bear's head since the mouth was open. My dad thought it was funny to dangle me above the bear rug.

I think the St. Louis GA experience has scarred me for life b/c for two nights in a row I've had weird dreams about being back in the GA lines!

 

[Dismantled]

^well you may have control over your car, but not over some drunk asshole going 90...a lot less likely to happen in the air

been there already....I still have control though of what I'm goign to do

 

[Mr. BAW]

When I was young I was terrified of bears. We used to go camping at this place where this guy dressed as Smokey the Bear would come around and say hi to kids, but I was terrified (see pic). I think it's b/c my dad's best friend has this real bear rug, the kind w/ the head still attached, and I was scared of the bear's head since the mouth was open. My dad thought it was funny to dangle me above the bear rug.

I think the St. Louis GA experience has scarred me for life b/c for two nights in a row I've had weird dreams about being back in the GA lines!

That's Yogi and Boo-boo....

 

[the rockin edge]

^well you may have control over your car, but not over some drunk asshole going 90...a lot less likely to happen in the air

exactly, there's very, very few plane crashes. there's loads of car crashes every day.

I hope you guys can overcome your fear of flying, travel is worth it

myself, i love flying, the sensation you get during take off

 

[Liesje]

That's Yogi and Boo-boo....

Smokey, Yogi....same diff, still scary to a one year old!

 

[VertigoGal]

myself, i love flying, the sensation you get during take off

I know...that's my favorite feeling in the world (keep in mind I am young )

 

[Mr. BAW]

Hey, hey, hey,,,,smarter than the average bear!

 

[the rockin edge]

I know...that's my favorite feeling in the world (keep in mind I am young )

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Ok, I am experiencing on massive irrational fear of flying atm, and i really don't know what to do. I live in australia so basically to get anywhere without having to stay over night on the way, you need to fly. Hell i've flown over 100 times in my life and in fact flown round the world twice, been to america and south america once and hawaii and now i am petrified about getting on a plane. Its just come out of no where and i dont' know how to explain it.

Just wondering if anyone else has these sorts of fears, and any possible explanation for them. I dont think im afraid of it crashing, just maybe, as a really indepant person and gaining a lot of independance in the last few months (graduating uni, motorbike licence, buying big expensive things like car laptop etc) maybe its the sense of being out of control?

I just dont want this to hinder me, i love travelling, i've done a hell of a alot of it and now im petrified! I can't even watch planes taking of on TV. And i have to fly next year for U2 and im already stressing over it

Even though you have already experienced flying, you might want to consider the Qantas Fear of Flying course they have (I think they have it in Mel?) That might help you desensitise. Hope that helps.

 

[Dismantled]

myself, i love flying, the sensation you get during take off

Landing is the best I love hearing the seatbelt bell ding and feeling the plane descend........back .....to..........earth

 

[Rono]

Well, i am scared to fly also. In the week before i start to stress out and i have a upset stomache, i am grumpy and i want to break up with my girlfriend Just think about the reward you will have on the end of the trip, U2

 

[Lynz778]

I'm scared of lifts...that's almost flying...

 

[Dismantled]

I'm scared of lifts...that's almost flying...

ski lifts? I hate having to get off those...you have to do it perfect or risk making an ass of yourself in front of everyone...plus getting run over by the others

 

[meegannie]

Our lifts at work have massive gaps between the doors and the floor (so if you're trying to push a trolley onto the lift the wheels invariably get stuck), and I'm always scared I'm going to drop my wedding band down the gap.

My two irrational fears are large bodies of water/the ocean and whales, though. I don't have any reason to be afraid of them, I just am.

 

[Dismantled]

oh lifts = elevators gotcha...over here lifts are for skiing and stuff like that.

I am afraid of water too...well, things in the water..I don't want anything swimming near me while I am in there I HATE swimming near big rocks, they scare me I don't even like boating over them.

 

[irishdove]

At least you all can get IN the water, or ON a ski lift. I love the ocean, but only looking at it from the shore, and never would I get in a ski lift! I have been in the St. Louis Arch a few times, but that was because it was rooted on the ground. Anyway, thanks for the encouragement everyone, I am working on this.

 

[dazzlingamy]

Hey Dis i feel a little better knowing im not alone, having to travel but not looking forward to the flight eeeek! Hope your are having an absolutely LOVELY honeymoon!

Thanks for the info blueyedgirl i was actually thinking about something like that, but i dont want to get in a plane for it! how silly am i *shakes head*

I've actually spoken to a therapist experiencing in fear therapy and have made an appointment to go and see her next week, so i will let you all know how i get on!

thank you for your support!

 

[Acrobat_Al]

Bugs, insects...

Spiders too....

 

[fly so high!]

I also come from Australia (the place that has lots & lots of poisonous stuff and things that bite) and guess what i'm scared of friggin' spiders! I HATE THEM
But they are here to stay so all the Mortein in the world will not fix my irrational fear but thats why God invented Husbands & Kids!!!

 

[Irvine511]

this is perhaps a bit more serious, but i have an irrational fear not of death itself, but of the process of dying. does that make sense? this exists in two ways -- first, i am terrified of dying a violent death, like from a car crash or airplane crash. i find myself, in quiet and reflective moments, wondering if you are aware, and if you are, how does it feel, when your neck might snap, or your skull is crushed, or your ribs break and shatter and your internal organs are turned to mush and lacerated by broken bones. stuff like that. so that's the intense, primal, physical fear, and that's gruesome, i know and i apologize. the other thing i fear is the moment when you feel like you must know that you're dying, when you might feel it slipping away ... i suppose it's kind of like the moment right before you wake up and you can feel yourself coming out of a dream and leaving sleep, except you must be aware, on some level, that you're dying and you're going to depart consciousness and the world and there's no turning back. the lack of control, and the finality of it, are deeply terrifying to me. so i'm not scared to die, per say, but i am scared of the process of dying.

sorry if that comes off as all psycho and what not, but whatever ...