Weird phobia that I can't explain.

[Jow]

(This is a bit weird for a physics forum but whatever)

I am arachnophobic (I can't even look at pictures of spiders). However that is not the point of this post. I have another weird sort of "phobia". I say "phobia" because it is not nearly as severe as my arachnophobia and when this happens I don't get afraid, I just feel uncomfortable. Anyhow, I cannot, for some reason, look at a picture of the ocean (especially if it is underwater) where there is no land without getting uncomfortable. Even images that are just a deep blue freak me out. These images are fine if there is like a beach in the picture or something but if it is just an image of underwater I am always uncomfortable. If I zoom in on google Earth where there is only water I immediately zoom out. When I come to an image like the ones I described my heart starts beating faster. Unlike my arachnophobia where I immediately turn away, I can look at this picture but I feel really awkward and to some degree scared. It is absolutely bizarre. I was just wondering if there is a name for this or if anyone else has these same feelings.

 

[Evo]

I almost drowned when i was little, the thought of being in water over my head is terrifying, I can't even handle water splashing my face in the sink, it reminds me of drowning. I find pictures of people in deep water, or looking at deep water, unsettling.

Do you know if you had an incident at a very young age? I am one of those people that have memories going back to when I was a toddler.

 

[Kholdstare]

One of my close physics friend has arachnophobia.

I also used to be intimidated by deep water. When I first learned that the density of saturn is lower than that of water unlike all other planets, I imagined a tremendously large body of water which spans the entire universe. Then I saw all of the planets getting immersed in the water surface. All of them submerged and vanished from eyesight and probably hit something in the bottom (if there is any). However, only saturn remained surfaced and nothing else. haha, olny if I knew there is no such kind of gravity in space.

 

[leroyjenkens]

I have no phobias that I know of, but I think I have a unique ability to empathize with people who have them. Whenever someone explains their fear of something, I can understand where they're coming from and sort of experience it myself in my imagination.

Can you watch Finding Nemo?

 

[turbo]

When I was a kid, my father got the bight idea that he would "teach" me to swim by throwing me off a dock into deep water. That set me back a few years. When I got into the Boy Scouts, I got some proper instruction and lost my fear of deep water. I still get a twinge when I see a painting or photograph of somebody in a small boat in storm-tossed seas.

 

[renz]

I think I have a similar kind of phobia. In my case it's not water but what's in the water, mostly fish. I get uncomfortable looking at pictures of fish, especially those in deep water. Thinking about it already make my heart races a bit.
I have no idea what's the cause. The only thing I remember is that I used to have recurring dreams about fish. I would dream of giant fish tanks, being in aquariums, etc many many times.
Just a while ago I was swimming in an ocean and suddenly saw a sea turtle. That freaked me out a lot.
I can't explain it either.

 

[FreeMitya]

I experience something similar. Deep bodies of water at night, whether in a real life or a picture, always scare me. Also, those huge freight boats creep the hell out of me, especially at night as well. However, I don't know if these are intense enough to be classified as phobias.

For the record, I also can't stand cockroaches, but that is common.

 

[lisab]

I experience something similar. Deep bodies of water at night, whether in a real life or a picture, always scare me. Also, those huge freight boats creep the hell out of me, especially at night as well. However, I don't know if these are intense enough to be classified as phobias.

For the record, I also can't stand cockroaches, but that is common.

Big ships give me the creeps, too. Being under the bow of one...! And shipwrecks! Wow is there nothing creepier than a big ship resting on its side, at the bottom of the ocean !

 

[Monique]

I did have an irrational fear of water for a while, caused by watching a piece of Jaws while home alone as a child. I was afraid, even in indoor pools. Later the fear subsided and only came back when swimming in the lake among water plants (what if a horrendous huge predator comes out of it).
Then a few years back I swam in the Indian Ocean and the only fear came when the sea floor dropped away, with the accompanying drop in water temperature (what if a horrendous poisonous fish threatens me, or I sink).

Phew, the thought of diving does make me anxious. I don't think I could ever do that.

 

[jtbell]

I'm somewhat acrophobic. It shows up mainly when I drive across a long high narrow 2-lane bridge (wider ones such as on Interstates/motorways are OK) and when driving on narrow roads with sharp dropoffs in mountain areas.

A few years ago I drove Utah route 12 (the "Hogback Highway") on the way to Bryce Canyon National Park. One section really terrified me, along the top of a narrow ridge, with steep dropoffs on both sides, a panoramic view in all directions, and either low or nonexistent guardrails. I had to crawl along at 25-30 mph, gripping the steering wheel with white knuckles.

 

[Monique]

I recognize that jtbell This summer we were in the Dolomites, Italy. It's beautiful there, but I have a fear of heights. When we were in the middle of the mountains I didn't know if we'd ever get out: I was so afraid (raising heartbeat, clammy hands). I wanted to take the first road out, but that road was narrower than the one we were on.

I convinced myself that hundreds of people drive that road everyday and decided not to put us in more danger than I perceived that we were in. We continued the road and there was no more mountain tops, we stayed in the valley and reached Cortina d'Ampazzo to my big relief.

It's not only the mountains, anything higher than 2 meters can raise a fear. I blame a 50-meter abseil through a waterfall, which was I had to perform after a canyon trip.

Then there are movies with ghosts or paranormal activity, don't know why but they scare the life out of me. Otherwise I function normally

 

[Jow]

I have no phobias that I know of, but I think I have a unique ability to empathize with people who have them. Whenever someone explains their fear of something, I can understand where they're coming from and sort of experience it myself in my imagination.

Can you watch Finding Nemo?

I have watched finding nemo. I was fine for most of it.

 

[iamintrouble]

http://dreamvacationsmaldives.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/13_5_orig.jpg

 

[Jow]

http://dreamvacationsmaldives.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/13_5_orig.jpg

This is fine because there is a reef in the picture.

 

[dipole]

I'm assuming you don't like this image then:

http://scini1.mlml.calstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/pycno.jpg

Sorry couldn't resist. :P

Honestly, most people are scared of spiders to some degree or another, and I think it's fairly healthy to be afraid of deep water.

However it's not healthy to get scared just by looking at a picture. You should try to learn more about spiders and the ocean, knowledge is always a good remedy for fear.

 

[Jow]

That picture of the spider wasn't nice...but anyway, oddly enough, although I hate spiders I enjoy learning about them. I think they are fascinating (and horribly disgusting) creatures. I'm am going to attempt to at least get over the fact that I am afraid of pictures of spiders by exposure, but I haven't done it yet due to fear.

 

[dipole]

It's actually not a spider, its a type of pycnogonid. They look very much like spiders but live in the sea. Fascinating creatures.

 

[Borek]

Please don't post images wider than 800 pixels, they tend to break forum formatting on not so wide monitors.