Real strange phobias

[toddjh]

Ever since I was a kid, I've had a persistent and nagging fear of mirrors, which Google tells me is called "eisoptrophobia." I have this stupid concern that my reflection is going to do something I didn't. When I was little, there used to be a mirror past the foot of my bed, and I'd sleep with my knees bent so that they blocked the view.

I don't let it get to me anymore (I don't have trouble shaving or anything), but it still bothers me that I'm subject to an irrational fear that I know has absolutely no basis in reality.

It doesn't help that, a few times, my reflection has done something I didn't. I turned out to be dreaming, of course, but it still freaked me out.

Anybody else have weird irrational fears they want to share with strangers on the internet?

Jeremy

 

[El Greco]

Ever since I was a kid, I've had a persistent and nagging fear of mirrors, which Google tells me is called "eisoptrophobia."

Hmmm... trying to make those phobias sound Greek is a little strange... "Eisoptrophobia" means something like "into-image-phobia", while I think "Catoptrophobia" (which is apparently a synonym) would be more appropriate; "Katoptro" is one word for "mirror" in Greek.


I guess I have some kind of Metaphrasophobia

 

[toddjh]

Re: Re: Real strange phobias

Hmmm... trying to make those phobias sound Greek is a little strange... "Eisoptrophobia" means something like "into-image-phobia", while I think "Catoptrophobia" (which is apparently a synonym) would be more appropriate; "Katoptro" is one word for "mirror" in Greek.

"Catoptrophobia" showed up on Google, too, but "eisoptrophobia" was in some official-looking medical sites, so I picked that one. Maybe it's fear of your reflection, as opposed to fear of mirrors generally?

I guess I have some kind of Metaphrasophobia

I bet phobias that combine Latin and Greek really freak you out, then!

Jeremy

 

[scribble]

Ever since I was a kid, I've had a persistent and nagging fear of mirrors, which Google tells me is called "eisoptrophobia." I have this stupid concern that my reflection is going to do something I didn't. When I was little, there used to be a mirror past the foot of my bed, and I'd sleep with my knees bent so that they blocked the view.

I had the EXACT SAME FEAR and I've mainly grown out of it as you say you have.

But I've put a lot of thought into it, and I'm convinced I know where the fear originated.

WestWorld, the movie. It was on TV when you and I were kids. I know I saw it then, even though I don't remember it.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070909...VzdHdvcmxkfGh0bWw9MXxubT1vbg__;fc=1;ft=3;fm=1

There's a scene where the main character is tipped off to something fishy going on because his image in the mirror does something different than he does.

 

[toddjh]

Re: Re: Real strange phobias

I had the EXACT SAME FEAR and I've mainly grown out of it as you say you have.

What do you mean, as I say I have? Are you implying I haven't? Are you saying that I, a grown man, occasionally avoid eye contact with my reflection because I'm afraid some weird horror movie-style freakishness is going to take place?? That would be ridiculous!

WestWorld, the movie. It was on TV when you and I were kids. I know I saw it then, even though I don't remember it.

Ah, WestWorld, where nothing can go worng! I don't think I saw it until I was older. Maybe a Twilight Zone episode or something like that?

Jeremy

 

[Bruce]

I was friends with a girl in college that had arachnophobia. I'm sure some people thought it might be cute to put a plastic spider in her textbook or something. One day, I saw her reaction very tiny spider crawling across the floor. I've never seen anyone's face contort into such horror over something so insignificant or scream so loudly until the spider was killed. I can assure it wasn't cute. She was very normal otherwise.

In toddjh's case, I would think it would be unwise and unfunny to rig a hole in the wall to look like a hallway mirror, then jump out and choke him as he happened by. It would be funny to pull on El Grecko, but not toddjh.

 

[scribble]

Re: Re: Re: Real strange phobias

Are you saying that I, a grown man, occasionally avoid eye contact with my reflection because I'm afraid some weird horror movie-style freakishness is going to take place?? That would be ridiculous!

I still get freaked out going into the bathroom in the middle of the night, witht he big mirror...

Ah, WestWorld, where nothing can go worng! I don't think I saw it until I was older. Maybe a Twilight Zone episode or something like that?

I don't know, but I don't think the fear can be natural. As human beings, aren't we supposed to be past the point of being impressed by mirrors? I feel like those stories you hear about native americans who wouldn't let their photographs be taken because it would capture their soul.

In toddjh's case, I would think it would be unwise and unfunny to rig a hole in the wall to look like a hallway mirror, then jump out and choke him as he happened by. It would be funny to pull on El Grecko, but not toddjh.

Haaa... as somoene who has the fear, I can say that it would scare me senseless for a few minutes. Then I'd probbaly laugh. A rush of adrenaline once in a while ca be fun.

 

[LostAngeles]

I'm terrified of slugs.

After watching a movie on a wet evening, my friend discovered a fat little slug on me. They then spent about a half hour looking me over and assuring me there weren't any more.

If it hadn't been for the little rational voice in the back of mind that keeps me on planes, I would have filled the bathtub up with salt and bathed in it so that there would be no little slugs sprouting on me when I took a shower next.

Yes, I am serious. I really did believe that.

 

[rebecca]

Re: Re: Re: Real strange phobias

Ah, WestWorld, where nothing can go worng! I don't think I saw it until I was older. Maybe a Twilight Zone episode or something like that?

I have a friend who is terrified of mirrors thanks to a Tales from the Crypt (might have been Twilight Zone, not sure) in which a man sees some horrible demon thing creeping up behind him to kill him whenever he looks in a mirror.

 

[Piscivore]

Re: Re: Real strange phobias

WestWorld, the movie. It was on TV when you and I were kids. I know I saw it then, even though I don't remember it.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070909...VzdHdvcmxkfGh0bWw9MXxubT1vbg__;fc=1;ft=3;fm=1

There's a scene where the main character is tipped off to something fishy going on because his image in the mirror does something different than he does.

I just watched that on Friday, and there wasn't a scene like that on the DVD. Which part was it?

 

[FFed]

I was friends with a girl in college that had arachnophobia. I'm sure some people thought it might be cute to put a plastic spider in her textbook or something. One day, I saw her reaction very tiny spider crawling across the floor. I've never seen anyone's face contort into such horror over something so insignificant or scream so loudly until the spider was killed. I can assure it wasn't cute. She was very normal otherwise.

I have strong arachnophobia as well. The large wolf spiders freak me out the most. If I see one run across the floor I am out of there so freakin fast. Nothing else gives me the fight or flight response like this and I will run through anything or anyone to get out of there. When I was younger I once jumped out of a moving boat when a spider ran beside me.
I absolutely hate having this phobia.

 

[Lisa Simpson]

When I was a child I had a terrible phobia--one that even as a child I found ironic, since the name of the phobia is also my first name. It sounded like I was scared of myself.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

I have a fear of phobias.

 

[scribble]

Re: Re: Re: Real strange phobias

I just watched that on Friday, and there wasn't a scene like that on the DVD. Which part was it?

I don't remember, I haven't seen it since I was little. But it just might have been the sequel, Futureworld...? Or maybe something I made up to explain my phobia. Heh!

 

[Yahweh]

I have an irrational fear that somewhere, somehow... a duck is watching me...

 

[El Greco]

In toddjh's case, I would think it would be unwise and unfunny to rig a hole in the wall to look like a hallway mirror, then jump out and choke him as he happened by. It would be funny to pull on El Grecko, but not toddjh.

Funny, yes, but extremely dangerous too. Apparently you've never heard of ElGrecoPhobia...

 

[thatguywhojuggles]

PBS Scientific American Frontiers with Alan Alda on the fear of spiders.

 

[Bruce]

I have an irrational fear that somewhere, somehow... a duck is watching me...

........................[quack].......................


Did you hear that!?!
Hear what?!
Oh, uh, nothing.

 

[BillyJoe]

I have an irrational fear that somewhere, somehow... a duck is watching me...

It's not irrational. It's because of that duck you ate for your birthday. And don't deny it, there's still a fluffy feather spilling out of the corner of your now contorted smile. That duck might be dead but I know who is better off?



On the other hand I have no phobias. Arachnophobia? Nuts! On going to bed I once saw a spider duck down behind the the bed-head. Did I freak? No! I just imagined that I had walked into the bedroom a second later than I did and not seen the spider move. I was asleep within a few minutes.

BillyJoe

 

[Nucular]

I used to have a bit of a mirror thing - it was mostly windows though, when it's dark outside, and they're reflecting. I used to wonder what I'd see behind me if i looked. Still do, sometimes. Weird thing is, it wasn't murderers or even vampires I was scared of seeing - thinking of them actually calmed me down (like, oh, it's only a vampire, phew!). I was actually afraid of the things I couldn't imagine. That's quite hard to describe, but there we are.

Also, heights. I went climbing with a bunch of mates a few years ago, which was rather silly: I had to be 'talked down' about a mile of mountain, during which time I kept freezing, whilst, humiliatingly, small children ran up and down the mountainside past me. I think the height thing is partly a fear of falling, but also partly a fear that I'll hurl myself off.

Hypocritically, I've treated some patients with different types of phobia; the worst I've ever seen was a man who was afraid of snakes - it was so bad, he'd actually leap across the room and scream if I produced a cartoon drawing of one, and he couldn't even say the word 'snake'. He'd be constantly checking the whole time he was out of the house (even in the garden) for snakes, under tables and in plant pots.

Paradoxically, it's the really severe cases which respond best to therapy - they're motivated to change. At his follow-up, he described going to reptile houses, and walking in long grass in snake-ridden countries Nice to see, but I really should get around to my height thing...