11 Responses to “Fears, Phobias, and Falling, Oh My!”

1. SNAKES!!!!! :):):)

   But the last year I’ve been dealing with the reality of a fear I’ve ‘hidden’ for years, and only recently am coming to terms with my limitations. I am beyond ‘uncomfortable’ out among ‘people”. I perfer to be in my ‘hole’, wish to stay and work (good luck right!) in my ‘hole’, and dread being out of my ‘hole’ and not being able to escape back to my ‘hole’ when I wish.

   I’ve never been a ’social animal’ although everyone seems to think I am. :):) I converse well socially, on a very wide range of topics. I’ve easily enjoyed conversations with everyone from Pres. Gerald Ford, escorted the late John Tower-and mistress-opps-during a public funded ‘junket’ in Bermuda, given the toast to the Queen at a 1000 person Dining In at Lossiemouth AFB in Scotland (Junior American Officer on site), all with apparent ease. I have a ‘great’ acerbic and self deprecating sense of humor (I’ve been told). And the biggest hoot, am told how great I am in a crisis and how ‘organized and professional’ I am in working situations. And I am-EXTERNALLY. But internally-a chocolate mess. :):):)

   Lately I’ve found it more and more difficult to ‘pretend’ I’m comfortable ‘out there’. I’ll get over it, so says my therapist:):):)-and despite my fears continue to ‘venture’ out of my hole when needed. But as with the dreams you are experiencing Kate, the ‘fear’ has invaded my sleep. Now I recognize ‘why’ these dreams occur-and am directed to write them down and discuss them with said therapist. It has helped, somewhat:):):)

   So the fear itself-sounds the same as yours, it’s just ‘fear’. Of the deadline. Of the outcome of a conflict. Of killing Muqabar if I ever encountered him. (Good thing I no longer have access to an automatic weapon-heck a weapon of ANY SORT). Fear of having ‘no control’.

   As to American Express, next time you speak with someone feel free to use a line my buddy Scott Rizzo used when dealing with the guy who who had promised and not followed through with a set of orders to a new job, Naval Officer ’stuff’.

   Scott– speaking from a public phone booth on the pier in the Phillipines at midnight, after killing time at the bars (probably not the best idea) due to the time difference— to ‘lying idiot’ in Washinton DC—-

   “”"I AM TRULY AMAZED WE ARE EVEN HAVING THIS CONVERSATION. HOW ARE YOU HOLDING THE PHONE TO YOUR EAR. I DIDN’T REALIZE ‘SNAKES’ HAVE HANDS”"”

   Speaking of snakes I HATE SNAKES.

   by Susan V.H. on May 18th, 2008 at 7:51 am
   
   

2. Fear of failure probably. Fear of heights real. Claustrophobic, yes.

   I used to fear being alone, but that’s kind of gone away.

   I have dreams where I’m chasing puppies and kittens who won’t stay in their beds and are in danger. That’s ususally when I have too much on my plate and I’m stressed, like last week.

   Sorry about your trip. I hate making arraingements.

   And, I do hate snakes. I was driving one day and a hose was in the road that I though was a snake. I lifted my feet off the floor of the car when I went over the snake, just in case.

   by Lynn on May 18th, 2008 at 9:05 am
   
   

3. Snakes seem to be a common phobia, and I wonder if it’s innate — an automatic response to something potentially dangerous — that’s stamped into our psyches? I got to pet a snake when I was 10, and since then, never had too much of a problem with them. However, snakes of the human kind — that’s another story.

   Susan, Scott Rizzo’s response is priceless!! I”ll have to remember it. (But I have a feeling it would go over the head of a young woman from India.

   Many writers, maybe most, are more comfortable alone or with one or two people, or close friends, rather than in crowds. I’m that way, although I do like to attend conferences once or twice a year. Otherwise, I keep it simple. Interesting that you were in a position where you had so much public contact. I’m guessing that wasn’t what you intended but somehow found thrust onto you.

   Lynn, too funny about lifting your feet “over” the snake, as though the car was an extension of your body. I’ve had the puppy/kitten dreams, too, or little babies in danger that I’m trying to protect. My first dream “on the roof” included my daughter, but as a two-year-old, who I kept trying to keep from sliding over with me. Dreams are fascinating, don’t you think?

   Kate

   by Kate Collins on May 18th, 2008 at 11:36 am
   
   

4. Kate::: Interesting that you were in a position where you had so much public contact. I’m guessing that wasn’t what you intended but somehow found thrust onto you.

   That is about the size of it. Unlike the other branches of service, Naval Officers are expected to be officer’s first-and work in their specialities on a ‘time available’ basis. Which means, like it or not, you end up with endless ‘collateral’ duties. Some nice, some fun, some not so much-like the one where you are the one who ‘knocks on the door with a chaplain’ at some families home, with the bad news. All listed under that fine print at the bottom of the contract which says ” and all other duties that may be assigned”. :):):):)

   Another ’shipmate’ Bruce, was Officer of the Day during the Bi-Centennial, serving on ‘whatever’ big ship was in New York Harbour on the 4th of July. He told of a day when he welcomed John Lehman, I think SecNav, aboard-John and 1,500 of his ‘closest friends’.

   But, I sometime think dreams are scarier than the ‘real’ thing. Waking up in a panic and then not ‘quite’ recalling ‘why’ or ‘how’ or IF it ended well. Well, woke up didn’t we????

   by Susan V.H. on May 18th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
   
   

5. A friend of mine has dirty bathroom dreams when she’s stressed. Too many bathrooms to clean, not enough time. I’ll take rounding up puppies over that any day.

   But yeah, I do think that our brain allows us to really hear what’s going on during our dreams, it just talks another language so you have to learn to listen.

   My DH has gotten yelled at quite a few times for being a butt to me in my dreams. He just laughs now.

   I had a stress dream last week. I am swamped at work due to taking an earlier vacation last month, had an interview for a dream job, had a test to take that if I make over a 90%, my pay increases and so on…. So the puppy dream didn’t come as a surprise.

   by Lynn on May 19th, 2008 at 7:21 am
   
   

6. I’m a little late on this one, but I realized my biggest fear in the days following 9/11. I was in San Antonio on business and couldn’t get home to my family. I used to think I didn’t have any phobias, but I have a big fear of being permanently seperated from my loved ones.

   by Wilfred Bereswill on May 19th, 2008 at 10:45 am
   
   

7. I’ve been ready to punch my DH in the morning on a few occasions, too, Lynn.

   Separation anxiety — oh, yeah. That’s one I have, too. When I travel, if I can’t reach my children, this highly active imagination of mine goes into overdrive. I can only imagine what a panicky feeling it must have been during the 9/11 days to be unable to make it home. Now there’s a nightmare-maker, for sure!

   So, back to an earlier question, hasn’t anyone had those school dreams where you forgot to study for the test? Am I the only one stuck back in my high school glory days? (Not.)

   by Kate Collins on May 19th, 2008 at 11:26 am
   
   

8. Fears? I can’t say I have too many of them. But I’d like to address Kate’s question about whether anyone’s had that dream about not studying for the test…. That actually DID happen to me. My first year at UCLA (which was on the quarter system), I had registered for some philosophy course that I thought would be fairly straight-forward. Well I showed up for the first time half way through the 3rd week, thinking it was time I got my butt in gear to figure out what was going on in that class, only to be completely stunned that the professor was handing out the first of two mid-term exams. Needless to say, I quietly gathered my books (that I hadn’t even cracked yet), slipped out the back, and went straight to the registrar’s office to withdraw from the class. I learned a lesson, though. Don’t take philosophy at UCLA…!

   by Heather Selleck on May 19th, 2008 at 11:54 am
   
   

9. The dream of have is not of a test at school. But frequently I dream that I am ‘back’ at school-for some unknown reason, sometimes knowing I’m really my age now at the beginning, sometime during the dream, and having no clue ‘why’ I need to be back in school.

   Then again, whenever I hear someone say ‘I wish I was back in HS’ I always want to blurt out, WELL YOU OBVIOUSLY NEED A URINALYSIS TEST AS YOU MUST BE ON DRUGS!

   by Susan V.H. on May 19th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
   
   

10. Heather, I nearly spit out my coffee when I read your comment. Too funny! I’m almost afraid to ask if anyone has had the dream where they show up in public without their pants.

    I wonder what it is about school that brings us back in our dreams. Any dream experts out there?

    by Kate Collins on May 19th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
    
    

11. Kate, I cannot beloieve American Express is treating you and other clients o doubt, so shabbily. That’s terrible. And No excjuse for sucxh a policy.

    by Maggie on May 20th, 2008 at 12:23 am
    
    

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