Phobias

Veterinary Science Graduate Certificate from UofI
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PigsRock

PigsRock

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(I was trying to think of an interesting topic that I can make vet/animal-related... This is, sort of...)

My biggest phobias are:

Animal Related: Toads
Not Animal Related:Talking on the phone to strangers :scared:

...I know communication skills are super important for vets, but I still get all nervous on the phone... I'll have to get over that!
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Animal-related: Crane flies and these big flying green beetles that I haven't seen much in years thankfully. And those big black bee-things. Big, buzzing bugs in general make me run for my life. Although, crane flies don't make a loud buzzing noise. They just creep me out. There have been two in my house in the past two days. I ran around with a broom, swatting at them. :oops:

Non-animal-related: Earthquakes. And posting on internet forums, oddly enough. :laugh:
 
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Animal related: Those many-long-legged centipedes that lurk in attics and storerooms. Uuuuuuugh.
Also, the smell associated with an ex lap on something with a perforated bowel or ruptured stomach. That's enough to make me want to puke.

Non-animal related: The extremely rational fear of someone breaking into my apartment...and my cats escaping. :rolleyes:

I used to be painfully shy, and HATED making phone calls. I purposely sought out jobs that forced me to deal with it - phone-a-thon for my college, journalist, etc. It helps!
 
Animal related: cougars. Intellectually I know that they're beautiful, magestic creatures and the chance of me having an encounter with one is positively minute. But thinking about them makes my hair stand on end.

Not animal related: driving over bridges and cannibalism.
 
Animal related: Creepy, crawly bugs...things with BIG eyes (ALIENS, a fictional "animal"..as far as we know)

Not animal related: Flying in planes. :scared:
 
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House fires, tornadoes, and major earthquakes. Basically, anything that could kill all my cats at once. This could be problematic since KSU and Western take so many out-of-staters and I don't have an IS or contract option!
 
Animal Related: Mucous from horses with sinus infections as well as nasty retained placentas in cows- I can't stand the smell of either! Parasites of any kind are pretty high on the list too...yuck. Lastly, large crunchy bugs (roaches, june bugs, etc.)

Non-animal: Buoys (strange, I know, but they're extremely creepy, IMO)
 
Animal related: Wasps

Non animal related: Clowns

(I have horrible nightmares about tornadoes and snakes constantly, but i'm not sure if I actually have a phobia of them when i'm awake)
 
animal related: ticks. :scared: I have to use a tissue or clamps/tongs/something to get them off of animals. I hate hate hate finding ticks on me-- I cried once in high school when I found one! :laugh: now I'm not nearly as bad, but they give me the creeps. Even just seeing dead ones on the ground or something. ughhh.

a bad experience abroad with bedbugs gave me a similar thing with fleas-- for a few days I thought I'd gotten some kind of flea allergy in spain and the feeling stayed with me and made me squirmy whenever I saw fleas. but one experience of having to pick hundreds of fleas off a very docile and patient ferret successfully desensitized me to fleas (and made me like ferrets!). I really enjoy those kind of monotonous OCD-like tasks, so spending over an hour picking every flea off of a white ferret made us both feel great.


non-animal related: heights. and I second the phone calls! I get nervous and make a fool of myself on the phone very frequently.
 
Oh, forgot to mention quarries (like stone quarries. Hopefully I'm spelling it right).
 
LoungingMarten said:
Animal Related: Mucous from horses with sinus infections as well as nasty retained placentas in cows- I can't stand the smell of either! Parasites of any kind are pretty high on the list too...yuck. Lastly, large crunchy bugs (roaches, june bugs, etc.)

Non-animal: Buoys (strange, I know, but they're extremely creepy, IMO)
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Buoys? They are kind of creepy. I don't like swimming in lakes either, on a similar note.
 
My biggest fear: palmetto bugs...for those of you who aren't familiar, they're basically giant roaches. Just typing about them right now is making my skin crawl
 
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Animal stuff, I'm not sure. I hate recluses, though - they give me the willies.

In general, I dislike the idea of falling into the ocean. Water that may be miles deep beneath you, and it's so dark you can hardly see a few feet. Creepo!
 
SPIDERS! I tend to scream and make my roommates squish any spider I might find, even if it is the size of a pea. I also can't let one live, it will haunt me that it might crawl on me if I lose track of where it is, so in my mind, anything with 8 legs automatically needs to die. I know about mosquito eating benefits, and that there are other things with 8 legs besides spiders, but really? scorpions are no better and scared me just as much when I found one in my bathroom! Keep in mind I live in the southeast/midwest, NOT typical scorpion territory, or so I thought!

Also vomit. Only the human variety, and it doesn't matter who is vomiting or why, I can't see it, can't be around it. It makes me panic. SO, I'm in the vet med forums not the human med! (not the only reason, but it doesn't hurt :) ).
 
Animal related: being eaten alive.

Non-animal related: kind of along the same lines as TT's, but I'm more concerned with having nothing around me. I wouldn't enjoy the sensation of having such an abyss under me in the ocean, but at least there's something physical there. Hanging in space with nothing around me would just be too much, me thinks.
 
AUillinoisan said:
SPIDERS! I tend to scream and make my roommates squish any spider I might find, even if it is the size of a pea. I also can't let one live, it will haunt me that it might crawl on me if I lose track of where it is, so in my mind, anything with 8 legs automatically needs to die. I know about mosquito eating benefits, and that there are other things with 8 legs besides spiders, but really? scorpions are no better and scared me just as much when I found one in my bathroom! Keep in mind I live in the southeast/midwest, NOT typical scorpion territory, or so I thought!

Also vomit. Only the human variety, and it doesn't matter who is vomiting or why, I can't see it, can't be around it. It makes me panic. SO, I'm in the vet med forums not the human med! (not the only reason, but it doesn't hurt :) ).
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I TOTALLY agree with you about the vomit thing! If I see it, smell it, or hear it happening, I will panic and rush to the nearest exit or run the risk of feeling like I need to vomit as well... One of the many reasons I could never be a human doctor :)
 
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Animal: ANTS! they are totally creepy because if a few mutated they could carry away a baby or a teacup poodle\chihuahua!

Nonanimal: Clowns! I've totally passed out from hysterics when I've seen them in public. I also hate vacuums.
 
Moths! Why must they divebomb into my face, or get stuck on my jacket while I hop around screaming like a school girl???
 
Animal Related: Bees/Hornets/Wasps.

Non-Animal related: Tornados, stop-motion photography and scanning electron microscope pictures.
 
Animal Related: Palmetto bugs and other creepy crawlies.

Non-animal related: I am claustrophobic, especially being stuck in the middle of crowds! I also have a terrible fear of flying...hate it!
 
HopefulAg said:
Hanging in space with nothing around me would just be too much, me thinks.
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I take it no sky diving for you then? ;)

Animal related: Being in contact with animals that are carriers of lethal retroviruses like HIV.

Non-animal related: Being stuck in a space that I can't find my way out of...like being covered by an avalanche, or getting lost in a cave, etc. etc.
 
AUillinoisan said:
SPIDERS! I tend to scream and make my roommates squish any spider I might find, even if it is the size of a pea. I also can't let one live, it will haunt me that it might crawl on me if I lose track of where it is, so in my mind, anything with 8 legs automatically needs to die. I know about mosquito eating benefits, and that there are other things with 8 legs besides spiders, but really? scorpions are no better and scared me just as much when I found one in my bathroom! Keep in mind I live in the southeast/midwest, NOT typical scorpion territory, or so I thought!

Also vomit. Only the human variety, and it doesn't matter who is vomiting or why, I can't see it, can't be around it. It makes me panic. SO, I'm in the vet med forums not the human med! (not the only reason, but it doesn't hurt :) ).
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You are my phobia twin!! haha spiders scare me so bad i feel like my intestines are gonna come out of my throat when i see one. and if i see or hear any kind of human vomiting...peace out!! btw my boyfriend informed me that the vomiting phobia is called emetophobia :D haha
 
For me:
Animal related: Fish and crustaceans. If I see fish flopping around, I can't breath. Lobsters also give me the willies. :scared:

Non animal related: Crazy people. Not normal crazy people, but crazy, crazy people. ;)
 
I take it no sky diving for you then? ;)
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No, actually I want to go sky diving. I think with the wind rushing up against you it wouldn't be so bad.

What creeps me out is the thought of hanging out into nothingness, with nothing around you. Space would be the most appropriate real world example, but then you have stars around you, just no sensation (other than a space suit). But the epitome of it would just hanging out into a void of darkness.

Luckily that will (hopefully!) never happen, so it's not a big deal. But TTs ocean-abyss comes very close to it.



stop-motion photography and scanning electron microscope pictures.
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I know the definition of a phobia is that it's irrational but....what? Why? lol
 
Animal related: Liver-colored springer spaniels (long story involving a dog-bite, blood poisoning, and a 3 day stay in the hospital at the age of 7) and spiders. My phobia of both has diminished over the years, but I had an springer spaniel snap at me in last spring (recovering from anesthesia) when I was still working at a vet clinic...so it sort of renewed the phobia a little.

Non-animal related: kayaking in shallow water. Not really sure why.
 
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LegallyPink said:
my boyfriend informed me that the vomiting phobia is called emetophobia :D haha
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Haha I think I'd heard that before! I'd say the fact that we're phobia twins means that our phobias are legitimately terrifying :)
 
HopefulAg said:
I know the definition of a phobia is that it's irrational but....what? Why? lol
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I have no idea. Its not bad enough to the point of where I can't deal with it, but watching things like this or this picture make me shake and want to puke. I've even gone so far as to cover up SEM photos in textbooks with post-its so I only have to see them once. No good explanation, they just give me the creeps.
 
TrocarKarin said:
I have no idea. Its not bad enough to the point of where I can't deal with it, but watching things like this or this picture make me shake and want to puke. I've even gone so far as to cover up SEM photos in textbooks with post-its so I only have to see them once. No good explanation, they just give me the creeps.
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Wow, that is so interesting.
 
I can see how stop motion could be creepy. I remember when I was a kid watching claymation movies or music videos would really creep me out, they still do a little bit.
 
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Animal-related: SNAKES. If I can see them I am not afraid of them. but walking in fields with tall grass or being in murky lakes, esp. near the edge is terrifying to me. I'm afraid I'll step on one or run into one without knowing it and it will bite me!

I did a wildlife conservation course where we spent half of our time setting up live traps in lakes and fields. definitely took all of my courage. I think the courage came from my even bigger fear of getting a bad grade haha :D

Non-animal related, but very irrational: I hate hate hate stickers (not the plant, but like the things children love). I hate wearing them and I hate when people around me wear them. esp. when they are small or falling off.

my biggest fear is that they will fall off onto something and stay stuck there, like a sidewalk. or my butt. :scared:

this fear carries over to band-aids as well. that came about the day I sat on someone's nasty band-aid that fell off and I walked around with it on my butt all day. oh goodness I can't even talk about it anymore!!
 
oh trust me it was bothering me the whole time!! If there was a video of me, you would have seen me leave the interview and immediately tear off the nametag, fold it in half (so no more sticky!) and throw it away

I think I even mentioned how I didn't like the name tags in my interview feedback haha
 
The name tags at the Kansas, Iowa, and Western interviews were all falling off. I think they do it on purpose just to see how we handle them lol. Surely there's better adhesive name tags out there.
 
Animal Related: BATS - ridiculously creepy - the idea that they could fly into me or something
Ticks - in the woods, not so much when attached to animals, although they are disgusting
Parasites in general, but mostly things that can jump from the animal to you/zoonosis
ringworm - gross

Also being from the north, I can't imagine living down south where there is a ton more venomous/scary little (or big) creatures (spiders, reptiles, etc.)
 
Animal Related: cockroaches....ESPECIALLY tree roaches, because they can fly at you! Basically, anything that goes "crunch" when you step on it..ewww

Non-animal related: I have been a vet tech for a few years, and have drawn blood on many an animal, but when I have MY blood drawn it takes an act of congress to get it done. I have to be extremely sick to allow my blood to be drawn in the first place...no routine physicals for me! lol I know it is a common phobia, but I always thought it was weird that I can draw blood all day on animals, but can't handle having it done on me (or watch it on any other person, for that matter)
 
Animal related: Wounds on smooth, hairless skin (esp on fingers and toes). Absolute reason why I can't do human med. Even shaved furry animals are fine. I don't think I could do ape hands/feet or shiny skinned cetaceans.

Non-animal related: squeaky sneakers on tile floors. Seriously, I can't stand it. I'll run out of the room if someone is doing it and I'm not in a position to politely ask him/her to stop.
 
I have tryptophobia, you can look it up but please do not post any pictures here, seriously. Even thinking about it gives me the willies. One time my mom brought home a bag of tomatoes in one of those plastic bags with the slits in it and I nearly gagged, I had to leave the room. Yuck. Also cannot stand looking at people's noses if they have acne/big pores, same concept - I have to turn away and think of something else. :scared:

Completely irrational? Yes. Better than a phobia of trees or dogs or social situations? Yes!
 
animal related: spiders

non animal related: still spiders :scared:
 
Animal Related: Mice, Rats, Oppossums...i can't stand their tails. I'll work with them on extreme emergency situations but will scream and run if you sneak by with one in your hand
Non Animal Related: the feeling of falling...like on rollercoasters.
 
Animal related: hmmm...i am not sure how to say this...I am afraid of accidentally stepping on/disturbing a poisonous snake or spider and dying from the bite...it is a re-occurring nightmare I have had since I was little. I like snakes and spiders and have handled poisonous ones it doesn't bother me when I know about them or can control them.
Also scared of de-gloving furry tails of rodent like creatures for example an african doormouse (unfortunate true life experience)...I then had a nightmare that it happened with a chinchilla as well:(

Non-animal related:
1) Muppets...especially when they sing...not exactly scared but anxious and annoyed
2) Being in low visibility water even when diving
3) That moment when you step into nothingness when you go from the roof or other platform onto a ladder to get down or when you are doing monkey bars and skipping a bar the moment in between when you aren't actually touching any of the bars
 
Severe fear of heights. As in I cannot look over the banister on the second floor of a building without panicking. I've even gone ziplining and rappelling (even enjoyed it, too!), and it didn't change a thing.

I also have claustrophobia in terms of crowds. Cannot get on a crowded elevator, or I will hyperventilate.

Clowns.

I don't think I really have any animal related fears, except for spiders and bees/wasps.
 
RaiderTXgirl said:
Animal Related: cockroaches....ESPECIALLY tree roaches, because they can fly at you! Basically, anything that goes "crunch" when you step on it..ewww
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Gah, totally agree!! Unfortunately, I had the bright idea to spend my four years in undergrad at Auburn, which is smack in the middle of the lovely, humid southeast where every spring/summer, the roaches reign supreme *shudder* I had one fly at my face one time and hyperventillated so much I nearly passed out, haha. Oh, and growing up in texas, I have also learned to loathe june bugs...too crunchy for me, thank you!

Oh, and gills...don't know why, don't ask, but I can't handle it, they give me the creeps...just thinking about it is making the hair on the back of my neck stand up...ugh

Non-animal related: Getting shots. Not needles, or blood, I can have my blood drawn (although seeing the awful, giant bruises that my classmates got in high school from donating blood kind of scared me away from that...besides the fact that I'm borderline hypoglycemic, so i don't generally give blood unless I have to) and I don't have anything against seeing blood, human or otherwise, but the actual, physical feeling of a shot being pushed into you IM...I cried when I got my meningitis shot before college, and that one didn't even have any side effects! :laugh: Totally dreading the rabies shots :scared:
 
Animal related: Spiders or anything else with 8 legs and hairy. I especially hate ticks. Idk, it's just something about seeing them all engorged and white, or knowing that I am on their list of things to feed off of...makes me quiver.

Non-Animal Related: I have a fear of drowning in the ocean and getting struck by lightning. lol.

Oh and Zebra, I looked up that thing you were talking about...and it creeped me out too. I don't like it....no, not one bit. lol
 
Animal Related: Jelly fish and palmetto bugs (you can tell I live in Florida!)
Non-animal related: Fire or break-in to my house and dog escaping (crazy, I know, but she is deaf and so helpless), flying, human vomit
 
Animal Related: Coyotes. Not when you see them far away or anything. But, when there is a wild coyote or two staring at you as you walk down the sidewalk in your neighborhood at night. That is creepy. :scared: Also big spiders. The little ones do not scare me, but the big huge spiders are absolutely creepy. Snakes..but only when you are walking through tall grass and can hear something rattling and hissing then I am scared. Otherwise I like snakes.

Non-animal related: When you get the feeling that someone/something is staring at you but nothing is around. That gives me the creeps.
 
Parasites! To all those who are going into parasitology, kudos!
 
Animal related: probably just cockroaches. I've been known to see one, and run screaming.

Non-animal related: The feeling of velvet...actually the feeling of a lot of things, like chalk, and other stuff that I don't even know the name of but if they are put against my skin I freak out! I get immediate goosebumps and usually have to throw out or hide whatever the object is so I don't have to deal with it lol. I once bought sandals that had a horrible material on the bottom and I wore them once and had to get rid of them because I would spaz out whenever I put them on!
 
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