Definition
A phobia is an intense, unrealistic fear, which can interfere with the ability to socialize, work, or go about everyday life, which is brought on by an object, event or situation.
This isn't being "crazy" — people know fully well their fears are unreasonable — but they can not control the fear. These people have phobias.
Phobias belong to a large group of mental problems known as "anxiety disorders" that include obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Phobias themselves can be divided into three specific types:
- specific phobias (formerly called "simple phobias")
- social phobia
- agoraphobia
I was thinking about stupid phobias I have and I came up with three of them (in order of stupidity – if taken the other way around it’s the order in which they influence my social life):
Phobia no. 1
This is a really stupid phobia. I have the phobia of having an accident or even dieing and not being shaved or waxed or whatever. This is the most ridiculous thing that could preoccupy me...but it does. In cases like these you might end up in the hospital or at the morgue...either way you would at some point be naked, taken pictures of or other similar stuff. What if I have hair all over my body? I know...nobody would care, but I would...even if I would be dead. I mean I wouldn't mind being a nice corps. This kind of proves how selfish and self centered I am...but seriously it is a phobia.
Phobia no. 2
I am afraid of the shower curtain. This is also one of the reasons I hate the shower...I can't really get fully relaxed in it. I don't know when this phobia started, but I sure have it for a few years now. It is a nightmare for me to pull the shower curtain while I am taking a shower. And if I have to wash may hair and keep my eyes closed, my adrenalin goes higher than ever. You cannot imagine for how many times I got shampoo in my eyes because I had to open them. The idea is that I have the feeling that somebody is watching me. Not necessarily wanting to harm me, but watching me. I even have this person's image. He is a man...but I have no idea who he is...still it's always the same face. I don't know if this is a thing that has its roots somewhere in my childhood, but the fear of being followed and watched still haunts me. I sometimes see this person behind me in the mirror when I am washing my face...but this happens rarely...but I can always feel him hiding behind the shower curtain.
Phobia no. 3
Ok...this is the phobia everybody knows about…my cleaning phobia. It's actually an obsession...the phobia stays in the lack of organization of things. I mean if all glasses are lined up and one is a little bit more to the left than the others, what's wrong in moving it one cm so that it gets lined up with the others!? The problem is that I don't do this only with my stuff, but recelty I realised I do it everywhere I go, even in bars and social places...darn. This is a thing that completely freaks me out. I tried ignoring it when it occurs, but I can't. I have to put things right, I cannot focus on anything else till I do it...and if I don't do it and I am no longer able to do it, I would think about it for a long time. Freaky I know..