So Courtney inspired/forced (noo I’m kidding) me to write a blog about phobias. Because everyone has something that they are scared of, even if they don’t admit it and claim to be tough and not afraid of anything, there’s usually SOMETHING. For me it has always been fears of small spaces (claustophobia) and heights. But it is weird. As time goes on, they’re not such a big deal.
When I was little I would be SO freaked out about both of these things. Okay, so this might be a little weird, but me and my sisters were really cool and “brave” and we would always play this one game when we were hyper. It was called “Black Torture.” Here’s how it worked: say we’re hyper, running around the house. One of us runs into our parents’ empty, dark (thus the black of black torture) bedroom and the other one would chase them in and laugh evilly and yell “Black Torture”!! We would jump on their bed and than hold down, tickle, wrestle on their massive bed to no end (thus the torture of black torture). It was a lot of fun, but one thing that my sister loovvved to torture me with was she would take the blanket and put it over my head/face so that I could not breathe, or at least so that I freaked out and thought that I couldn’t breathe. I would start screaming and yelling, “MICHELLE!! STOP!! LET ME GO!!!”. She thought it was hilarious! Anyways, clearly I’ve always survived, and since than she’s apologized for being so cruel, but I don’t hold a grudge. Anyways so I was always convinced that I was claustophobic. Since than I’ve calmed down a little bit, and although I’m still pretty uncomfortable with being covered in a blanket, it’s not really as big of a deal. I wouldn’t consider myself claustophobic anymore. So it’s weird how it changes.
It’s the same deal with heights. I would be scared just of being on the third step of a ladder in our garage. On occassion at a waterpark I would brave it up to the high diving board, but as soon as I got towards the edge, I would freak and have to climb back down. Embarrassing? Yes. But it was worth the embarrassment to not have to freefall to my wet and certain death. Now, though, I love going on high rollercoasters and although it is still scary at the top of them or on drop zone, I can handle it and I enjoy that thrill!!
So for me these were not phobias. They were childish fears that I pretty much got over. Some people, though have actual phobias and I can’t imagine going through life with such an incredible fear of something that you would miss out on many opportunities because of this mental fear. It’s beyond me how that works, but I guess it’s some sort of genetic/mental thing that they cannot help. (Note: I don’t mean mental like woo-hoo-crazy mental)
Do any of you guys have fears or phobias? Do they affect your life and the way you live?
