“hair. I Know It’s Insane”: 50 Weird And Confusing Phobias

There’s nothing embarrassing about being scared . Fear is a core part of being a human being, and it protects you from potential risks. That being said, some fears are irrational and make your daily life much harder than it should be. If you’re frightened by butterflies, party balloons, flags, and cotton wool, it’s going to raise some eyebrows if you mention it aloud.

In a fascinating thread on AskReddit, netizens spilled the beans about the rarest phobias they have or that someone they know struggles with. We’ve hand-selected the most bizarre ones to share with you, and you can check them out below. Some of these might sound fake, but they are completely real!

Meanwhile, be sure not to miss Bored Panda’s interview with the author of the intriguing thread, u/nitin_is_me , who shared their thoughts about phobias.

“Hair. I Know It’s Insane”: 50 Weird And Confusing Phobias - 1

Young woman applying eye drops with tissue in hand, illustrating rare phobias related to eye care and discomfort - 2

I can’t deal with anything eye related. I can’t use contacts or put in eye drops. I have to look away if others are doing it. Even watching my girlfriend put on make-up gets me. I can watch gory horror scenes, but the second eyes are involved I’m a total baby.

Pissed_With_A_Boner , https://unsplash.com/photos/a-woman-with-a-piece-of-tissue-on-her-nose-kDQp-XxFyuk Report

Mine is arachnophobia, which isn’t rare, but I believe it’s much more rare that people claim. Most people claiming arachnophobia simply don’t like spiders, or worry about their bite, or slightly fear them. I am truly phobic. There’s no logic or reason. I am not scared of bites, even tho I grew up knowing multiple people who lost large amounts of tissue from brown recluses, & black widow bites are VERY common. The only thing I fear regarding the bits is the fact they’d be TOUCHING ME. And I actually try to avoid saying anything about it, b/c people think I don’t like the creepy crawlers & so they WILL purposely put a daddy longlegs or harmless house spider on me as a joke. But I’ve been trapped in a room, helpless & crying, because a spider is between me the door. I want to throw up when I see a larger one. And the hypervigilance means I see so many more spiders than other people. I’m constantly terrorized. I envy rare or even most others. You can easily avoid most fears like heights, clowns, drowning, etc. Other creature fears like snakes are rare. Spiders? I know exactly where 5 are in my home right now. 🥺.

ScribbleMuse , michael podger Report

Hands holding colorful buttons representing rare phobias involving small objects and fears in unusual situations. - 4

I have a fear of buttons, as in clothing buttons. However, not a fear of buttons that are attached to clothes more like random unknown buttons. If i touch them it causes me to gag and sometimes vomit. I believe it’s called Koumpounophobia. I’ve had this reaction since i was a small child. In kindergarten they used to have a cookie tin full of buttons for crafts. I couldn’t touch them.

delroy13 , Kateryna Hliznitsova Report

Young woman with long dark hair looking up thoughtfully outdoors, representing rare phobias awareness and reflection. - 5

I’ve had bouts of casadastraphobia which is an irrational fear of falling into the sky especially at night. It’s worse if I’m laying on my back. Yes I know it’s impossible but it’s very similar to the fear of vertigo if you were to look down off of a tall building. It sucks.

Killybug , A. C. Report

It’s not rare, but people sometimes make jokes or refuse to believe my OCD because it’s illogical / inconsistent. For example I get triggered by spiders and crickets but not by ants or moths. I don’t get why it’s so hard for people to understand that OCD is by nature illogical. My brain has categorized some insects as contaminants and some as harmless. It’s not a choice, it’s just how the disease works sometimes.

Blessed_tenrecs , Jonathan Martin Pisfil Report

Agoraphobia. People think I don’t have it because I’ll never put myself in any situation that might induce it. So I generally ask them who they think they are to think I’d put myself in any position to feel stuck in my phobia, just to lift their doubts. And then I avoid them like the plague. If people don’t believe it and ask you to prove it, they’re a piece of st. If you’re someone that doesn’t believe someone has a phobia of something, simply because they’ve never been exposed to it in front of you to see their reaction, stop. You’re an a***e. Find a healthier hobby than making everyone else miserable.

melonsango , Solving Healthcare Report

Doctor wearing gloves preparing a syringe, related to rare phobias involving needles and medical procedures. - 8

Not rare in how often it’s mentioned, but needles. Like, an actual needle phobia. Stop telling me it doesn’t hurt that much, I’m well aware, that’s not what a phobia is. When I was 12 I had a perfectly healthy tooth pulled without anaesthetic, and the dentist had to twist. It’s not the pain. .

LocationOld6656 , Getty Images Report

Close-up of a dog licking its nose outdoors, illustrating one of the rare phobias some people experience. - 9

Cynophobia. I’m afraid of dogs. People just can’t understand. bUt My DoG iS nIcE, hE tEh BeStEsT gOoD bOi, AdoRaBlE lItTlE fLuFfBaLl No. Just… no.

Mysterious_Dr_X , James Barker Report

I am agoraphobic. I was severely abused 3 years ago, resulting in, not only a terribly broken mind/psyche, but also 3 broken bones. He isolated me for a whole year. I did not know at the time, but he told my friends I didn’t like them or wasn’t interested in being their friends and some of them believed him. I am healing, and I do my best to go just a little further every time I leave the house (if im capable of leaving). People refuse to believe it because I used to be so outgoing and spontaneous. I used to travel the world and hit the road for road trips on whims. In 2021, Google maps timeline yearly review feature reported that I’d driven 1.5 times around the world, in terms of mileage. My husband had never even heard of agoraphobia when we met, so he struggles to understand sometimes. Don’t get me wrong! He really tries. Same with my best friends. I imagine its just hard to understand because I am still very much not who I was. Therapy has done wonders for me. I recently started going in person and my therapist told me how proud she is of me.

FleedomSocks , A. C. Report

Clump of wet hair on a bathroom wall with water droplets, illustrating one of 76 rare phobias related to hygiene and grooming. - 11

Hair. I know it’s insane. I’m disgusted and so freaked out by hair that’s not attached to someone. I can’t touch my own hair out of the drain without some layers of paper towel. A pube or a leg hair in the bathroom from my husband makes me want to pe. Random hair in a public sink? I’ll have nightmares about it that night. Edit to add: what a revelation and relief to find out I’m not the only weirdo who would genuinely scream and pe if someone touched me with a random hair off a chair or something 🥹🤣.

macaron1ncheese , Vivian D Nguyen Report

Colorful balloons floating toward ceiling illustrating rare phobias involving balloons that sound made-up but are real. - 12

Not me but I had a friend who is afraid of inflated party balloons, which I learned about the hard way. One time for my birthday my gf at the time had arranged for my housemate to let her in 2 friends in and they spent a few hours blowing up balloons and filling my bedroom. The next day my neighbour (the friend in question) asked me about the surprise my friends left in my bedroom, told her to go check. She screamed and ran back home crying which I did find odd. Wasn’t until an hour later that her bf called me a c**t for making her go into a balloon filled room. Only after I looked very confused did he ask if I knew about her phobia, I did not.

uitSCHOT , Adi Goldstein Report

Goat close-up outdoors with blurred green background, illustrating rare phobias involving animals and nature fears. - 13

Goats… I know it’s a weird phobia but their eyes are terrifying. Their horizontal pupils scare the living s@#t out of me. It’s an irrational fear. I’ve scuba dived and met octopuses with similar horizontal eyes and I wasn’t afraid. But somehow goats are terrifying. I can’t explain it.

Pretend_Analysis_359 , Yuriy Vinnicov Report

Haphephobia. Intense and irrational fear of being touched. I have screamed at people at work, including a supervisor. A coworker hugged me, and I’m so stiff for hugs that she asked if I was ok and if she hurt me. There are very few people who can touch me and not make my skin crawl. When someone walks by and grazes your arm, I feel the sensation for about an hour exactly where I was touched. Cashier gives you change and their finger tip barely touches your hand? I feel the lingering burn of stranger on my skin. I realize it isn’t real, but ugh please don’t touch people.

UrWeirdILikeU , Beth Macdonald Report

Person holding a butterfly on their hand, illustrating rare phobias related to insects and fear of butterflies. - 15

My brother is terrified of butterflies. He says it’s something about the way they move. He found out when we went through a butterfly house at a theme park. They wouldn’t let him go back out the entrance so he was army crawling and sobbing through the whole place. It’s super irrational. He’s shoved his girlfriend into the street to get away from them and he’ll jerk his car out of the way.

dumplingdoodoo , Anya Chernik Report

Suspension bridge with wooden planks and rope sides over rocky terrain, illustrating rare phobias related to heights and bridges. - 16

I don’t see mine yet. I have a fear of tall staircases with spaces between the steps or winding where you can look over the rail and see straight down. It’s not heights. It’s stairs. Any stairs where you can see through them. So there’s a tower in this state park we go to where you can see through the slats the whole way up and I can’t do it. Or I’ll force myself to and then can’t get down.

Hedgehog_Insomniac , Stock Birken Report

Mickey and Minnie Mouse characters in colorful costumes on a parade float illustrating rare phobias concept. - 17

I’m terrified of people in costumes. I can never go to disney land 💔.

General-Weekend-3072 , Héctor Vásquez Report

Close-up of an orange honeycomb-like texture illustrating rare phobias related to patterns and textures. - 18

I have a phobia of clusters of holes (trypophobia) people always think I’m joking until they see me physically shudder.

Afraid_Stay1813 , Timothy Dykes Report

Teenager with backpack walking on empty street, representing rare phobias and unusual fears people experience. - 19

I knew this guy in hh school who was absolutely jacked for the time and had some weird phobia of cotton b*s. He ended up telling a friend somehow and then he got pranked by people stuffing a bunch into his locker. When he opened it he freaked out super bad and it was a bit crazy to see. After he was done freaking out he got super pissed and wanted to fight his friends who did it. It was very unexpected to see.

Lakiteflor , Jesús Rodríguez Report

Police. I get very nervous around the police. I think it’s because I know they’re armed and have the power to arrest people. I hate getting in trouble and always do my best to follow the rules, but always paranoid I’ve done something to draw their attention. Also I haven’t experienced trauma because of the police if anyone was wondering.

Vegemite_is_Awesome , Kindel Media Report

Close-up of a person’s hand with rings resting on their exposed stomach, representing rare phobias and body awareness concepts. - 21

Bellybuttons. Seeing one isn’t a problem, but seeing one being touched…I’m really not confortable even writing this.

MicroCosno , Kateryna Hliznitsova Report

Underwater view of a pool ladder with clear green water, illustrating a rare phobia scenario involving swimming pools. - 22

Anything man made in water. I can’t go to a swimming pool because of drains, ladders, those floating things that separate lanes etc. I wouldn’t go in water near a pier or bridge or a boat. Even if someone put a plastic chair in a pool I would get panicked. .

Jadeinda , Ben Schumin Report

I’m scared of vomiting and diarrhea. If I’m feeling like I’m gonna have either of them it’s full on panic attack. Having IBS does not help.

Firellin , Natalia Blauth Report

Lumps. If there’s a lump in food that’s not supposed to be there (eg lump in custard) I have an involuntary reaction where I spew whatever’s in my mouth, with ungodly force. I don’t think about it, it just happens. It’s lead to very embarrassing situations. Now I do my best just to avoid those potential landmines. Funnily enough, if the food is supposed to have lumps in it, then I’m fine. So I’m fine with sago pudding - as long as the sago hasn’t clumped together into a bigger congelation.

RonanH69 , Gio Bartlett Report

Escalators. I had a traumatic experience on one and I still have a physical anxiety response when I get on a fast-moving downward escalator. I thought it would go away over time but 20 years later it hasn’t subsided.

Karenins_Egau , Getty Images Report

Down escalators. I’m fine going up but I just can’t go down. I think it’s because the step is moving away from me and I’m frightened I’ll fall. It stems from when I was little my parents were watching the local news and a child was wearing wellies and they got caught in the machinery when he didn’t step off quickly enough. Strangely a good friend and I were talking about this one day and he said you aren’t going to believe this but that was me!

Jaybee021967 , Walthariii Report

I could not drive over bridges as a teenager. My school was quite far and across the river but there was a little car ferry you could take. I took that, even though it took longer. It was that way for a long time until, one night, was going out with friends and I was following them (pre cell phones so you just had to follow). They must have driven me over every bridge there was. I went from absolutely freaking out to more or less being ok with it. However if traffic is bad and we’re stopped on the bridge… and you can feel it “bouncing” I still shudder.

carsont5 , Leo_Visions Report

Pregnant woman gently holding her belly in a softly lit room illustrating rare phobias related to pregnancy and parenthood. - 28

Tokophobia. Fear of pregnancy.

Okurai , Getty Images Report

Close-up of white cotton balls in a transparent container representing rare phobias related to common objects and textures. - 29

Cotton wool, whenever I see it I think about the feeling between my teeth, and if I try to avoid thinking about it I think about it expanding until it is.

Ladyinthebeige , RDNE Stock project Report

Laptop screen showing Gmail inbox open in Safari browser with menu options visible, related to rare phobias. - 30

Emails and phone calls.

GSh-47 , Hostreviews.co.uk Report

Cockroaches Not on a normal level my heart rate jumps i hyperventilate and panic i wont even go inthat room even a picture scares me.

Illustrious_Hand_03 , matheus ferreira Report

Some puppets really freak me out.

LogBrilliant1506 , camilo jimenez Report

I’m genuinely repulsed by long (usually fake) fingernails. And I’m not talking about “long” like most would define it, I mean basically anything that goes past the fingertips. To the point where if I’m paying for something with cash, and the cashier has those kind of nails, I will move and contort my hand in a way so when they give me my change the nails won’t touch me. I could see a woman that literally checked every box on the list of features I’m attracted to, and if she has the nails, I’m immediately 100% disinterested. I know it’s irrational, I know it’s stupid, but it hits me on a primal level that I cannot explain.

SoManyWeeaboos Report

Two dolphins with open mouths emerging from water, illustrating rare phobias related to aquatic animals. - 33

You would never catch me swimming with dolphins. Too smart, too smooth, too many teeth.

bubbarae91 , Zdeněk Macháček Report

Statue of Liberty standing tall near water with cityscape in the background, illustrating rare phobias related to heights and space. - 34

Large human statues like the Statue of Liberty. It’s a form of megalophobia. I can’t even look at photos of them and not enjoying writing this.

Roots_Manuka , Josh Connor Report

I don’t know if it’s rare, but bees/wasps/etc. My sister and I broke a hornets nest when I was a year or two old and I got covered in them. Don’t have a memory of it, but my subconscious remembers. It’s not as bad around bees anymore as long as they don’t get too close, but wasps are still public enemy number one. Just the sound of them buzzing triggers a fight-or-flight response. I’ve had full-blown panic attacks when they’ve gotten into the house and no one else was around to k**l them for me. And I guess it’s not so much that people refuse to believe it, more than they get exasperated whenever I react to one being too close. Like, yeah, I know it’s probably not going to sting me, but my brain doesn’t care about facts and logics, it has identified that thing as a threat and acts according 🤷‍♀️ Fun fact, though: the only time I’ve been stung since that incident is when I stepped on a dead bee while I was walking barefoot in my kitchen in the dark.

WordStained Report

Emetophobia (everything that has to do with throwing up).

ControverseTrash Report

Not rare per se but I absolutely hate flying, and it surprised me how dismissive and even sometimes cruel people can be about it.

anon Report

I don’t like listening to heartbeats for example whenever they put it as sound effect in movies . Also for the other person eg my significant other to lie her head on my chest and thus me “feeling “ that she listens to my heart. Weird thing is now that we listen to our baby’s heartbeat I can listen to it the whole day :).

Tsenios Report

Planet passing in front of a fiery sun with intense solar flares illustrating rare phobias related to space and light. - 35

I fear that at any moment, a space disaster happens without warning. Like the sun exploding out of nowhere, earth stops spinning all of sudden, earth colliding with another planet or an asteroid k*****g me or something.

Dunder6002 , NASA Hubble Space Telescope Report

Close-up of rare mushrooms growing in moss, illustrating nature’s link to rare phobias and unusual fears. - 36

I’m mycophobic. I will cry and scream if I have to touch a mushroom in the outdoors or clean out something with mold. Especially those pancake looking mushrooms on trees, or the weird ones that like ears, the jelly ones, ones that look like nets…. NO The only thing I can tolerate is clean, cut mushrooms from the store. And ONLY certain kinds. I’m still not a fan of eating them though.

chanyeol2012 , Transly Translation Agency Report

Close-up of a brown horse outdoors at sunset, illustrating rare phobias related to animals and nature. - 37

Horses. Their faces are too long and they are just generally spooky.

Odd-Following-4952 , Kelly Forrister Report

When I was a small child, I was terrified of the moon. But only when it was a crescent moon! 🌙 Full moon was fine. I still cannot fully explain why, but I think it just seemed evil-looking to me, like a big creepy grin in the sky that followed you wherever you walked or drove - it was always there, leering down at you. I used to make my parents close all the blinds when I knew the moon was gonna be crescent. I’m pretty sure looking back I should have been assessed for autism, haha.

kexcellent Report

Sleeping with objects above my head. I just can’t help but be worried it will fall and I’ll die or be severely injured no matter the object. I think I watched too many disaster movies as a kid with earthquakes shaking the house and things falling from the walls or ceilings lol.

Senior_Practice527 Report

Chickens. I’m absolutely terrified of chickens. Their bawk bok bok bok fills me with intense anxiety and dread. We had them on a farm when I was a kid. The chickens were fine until we got a red island rooster (if you know, you know). One morning I went to get their eggs while the flock was roaming about. It turned into an ambush and I was ganked by the chickens and my dog had to save me as my legs were shredded by them. Been terrified ever since. This doesn’t extend to chicken as a food, thankfully.

Pope_Khajiit Report

Underwater image of a sunken shipwreck representing rare phobias related to deep water and the ocean. - 38

I’m afraid of ship wrecks and submarines. I don’t even know why but just thinking about it makes my heart rate rise.

sanara-p , Olga ga Report

American flag waving on a flagpole against a clear blue sky, illustrating the theme of rare phobias. - 39

Giant flags.

MopOfTheBalloonatic , Paul Weaver Report

Talking into phones, radios, speakers etc. Idk what it is, it seemed to just develop around the age of 18 where I would burst into tears if a phone was ringing and nobody immediately answered it. Through constant exposure I’ve managed to mostly get over it, I still feel uncomfortable and stressed but I can deal with it now. I do always keep my phone on silent though. My uncle has a phobia of buttons. Like, he could never wear a shirt with buttons because it just repulsed him.

Sajiri Report

Im not sure if it is, but my family says it’s a phobia. (So kinda the opposite to this post I guess.) Here it goes…. Shortbread. It makes me so fg angry. I hate everything about it, even the name. I have the strongest feeling of pure hate and disgust towards it. It makes me so fg angry. To me, It’s the food version of ISIS. If my husband tries to add some to the trolley when shopping, I WILL raise my voice or cause a scene. (Which is completely out of my character) it can NOT come in my house. I will not touch it with my hands. It can NOT come near me. It’s putrid, vile, filth and if you offered to pay off all my debts just if I would eat some, I’d tell you to fk off. I don’t know how to articulate how strong my feelings are towards it, and I don’t know why I have these feelings or if they actually constitute as a ‘phobia’. As long as it f*s off!

missmandyapple Report

Driving. Idk what it is but every time I try, I am guaranteed to have a full on fight or flight meltdown where I’m sobbing and feeling like I can’t breathe. It just feels like TOO MUCH and TOO FAST. I don’t know what to focus on but you have to focus on EVERYTHING. I can’t tell if I’m too far over in the lane and I have to focus on that while focusing on speed and if someone is trying to merge or if I’m trying to merge or when I need to slow down or if someone is driving unsafe nearby or if a person is walking in front of my car in a parking lot or crossing the street when they shouldn’t be and then I have to make sure I don’t lose focus of literally everything and space out while driving a death trap on wheels.

dollkyu Report

Neurosurgery. I mean, think about it. The brain is everything that you are. It’s the closest thing to your soul in physical form. And people can literally carve up your soul with a knife, and most of the time, you’re kept awake while they do it! It’s so common that it’s done on an industrial scale! And if even the tiniest thing goes wrong (or in thecase of a big resection, even if everything goes right) you’re disabled in some of the most terrible ways possible, and there’s no hope of it ever improving because the brain doesn’t regenerate.

Toucan_Based_Economy Report

Manmade objects that are underwater. They’re just f*****g eerie to look at.

The_Sad_Penis Report

Ichthyophobia.. I’m afraid of fish.

CutieVictoriia Report

When I was a kid, I was so afraid of water that I had to be washed by force until about 7 or 8 years old. I have no clue as to why that was. Now it’s all fine, swimming and everything, as if it never happened.

Tihna-nTina Report

Fear of getting lost I don’t think it’s officially recognized. Mazeophonia. Doesn’t help that I have hardcore ADHD when it comes to maps so I am absolutely worthless without GPS.

PoopInABole Report

I get extremely uncomfortable and physical shudders from seeing and or discussing tongues. Even during writing this, the thought of them is enough to start the strongest feelings of disgust to form throughout my body and mind.

Leadfoot_Fred Report

I’m a grown man and I am terrified of butterflies/moths. Any insect really, but people don’t believe me when I tell them I’m scared of butterflies. I don’t even like looking at a picture of one.

Nervous-Narwhal-1175 Report

I’m claustrophobic and my step mother didn’t believe me so much she once locked me in the back of a U-Haul trailer …. I f***g panicked and she thought it was the funniest st she’s ever seen.

upsidedowntoker Report

I have terrified of bacteriophages. I have nightmares of giant three foot tall ones running after me. I always wake up crying when it happens. I don’t know how to explain this fear to anyone and they people info tell just think I’m crazy.

thatcoloradomom Report

I’m afraid of ladybugs.

Kinda_Meh_Idfk Report

I have Thalassophobia. Mine is so bad, I can’t even swim in pools or venture underwater in video games. The amount of times I get “but it’s just a bit of water!” Or “it’s a game - how can you be afraid of pixels?”.

Projektmage Report

Im TERRIFIED of buttons and people eating loudly. When I tell someone this, they say that I’m “making it up for clout”.

Dorofestus Report

Dead insects. I never kl so much as a mosquito with my bare hands. I can kl very small moths with a shoe or a vaccum cleaner after we had three invasions of these pests eating my clothes (2x) or my food (1x). But if there is a dead insect of any kind on my desk, I have to leave the room. If there is a vacuum cleaner available, on a good day I can vacuum them, but without touching them with the tube and without watching the moment they are sucked into the cleaner. A few years ago, we cohabitated with a wasps nest in our bedroom. I can live with the live ones, I dread the dead ones or the ones fighting for death and dying in front of me. Edit: To be exact, the nest was not in the room, it was right between the bricks next to the bedroom window. Since we have old (1915) windows we had 4 to 5 wasps coming in and out all the time from April to October, even when the window was closed. Funny thing is: they usually don’t really want to be inside. They tried to get home all the time and sometimes didn’t find their way back. In the evenings, we tried to show these poor things the way out, but some were too tired and sometimes they just fell asleep high above on our wardrobe. They really do sleep all night. In the morning (with sunlight), they wake up and find their way out way better than at night. In all the year, none of us (wasps and human beings) got hurt. Two years after, they came back, but fortunately chose a brick farther away from our window. I am aware there are over a hundred kinds of wasps. Most are quite peaceful. The type we had are considered an aggressive species. I don’t get it either.

Hornkueken42 Report

My friend had a phobia of bananas. Like used to cry if one came near her. Someone once wiped a banana on her car door handle and she couldn’t get into her car.

Heart_in_her_eye Report

Agrostophobia is a fear of grass in general. I’m only afraid of TALL grass but that’s the closest that it can be defined that im aware of. I absolutely cannot force myself to walk thru an area where the ground cover of any kind is taller than the shoes im wearing. Freaks me out. I’ll go a mile around the long way to avoid walking thru a 20 ft patch of it.

Exotic-Blacksmith-56 Report

I have arachnophobia. Not a rare phobia, but for context, it only came about since moving to the midwest and developed a fear of ticks. Now even those harmless house spiders freak me out. My friends keep telling me I’m being irrational, but I can’t shake it.

Lucky_Forever Report

I once had a dream that I had to touch genatilia made out of pasta (specifically elbow shaped) and every so often my brain just plants that image in my head and makes me just gag and all the things. Obviously it’s never going to happen (f*****g hope not) but every so often my brain goes “Imagine having to finger a v****a made out of soft pasta” and I recoil. In more “normal” phobias, I hate the cluster of holes things.

CopperTodd17 Report

I can’t touch or be super close cotton wool, it’s….‘squeeky’ ! And makes me feel hot and I get kind of like tunnel vision. If it ever gets mentioned, people inevitably try to find some and proceed to squash it next to my face, and then gauge my reaction.

darlo0161 Report

I have a fear of machinery that’s painted black. It doesn’t trigger me if it’s painted any other colour but if it’s black it makes me want to die! When I was a kid they used to take us to an old mill and turn all the machines on while telling us about how many kids were scalped and killed under the machines. I’m mid 30s now and I still can’t shake it, even after working in a factory - thankfully the machines were painted green 😂.

threeca Report

Whales and the things that sprout out of potatoes 😅.

No-Olive-6030 Report

Dinosaurs. When I was around 5 I had untreated anxiety. One night, while having an anxiety attack, I went crying to my parents to soothe me. When I walked into the tv room, they were watching Jurassic Park, right at the T-Rex in the rain scene. I watched in stunned, anxiety riddled silence as the T-Rex ate the guy in the toilet. If that hadn’t cemented a life long fear of dinos in me, a very similar thing happened maybe a year later but with Godzilla.

MentallyPsycho Report

Slugs.

un-BowedBentBroken Report

Mine is so absurdly specific but I don’t think it actually exists so it’s not something I ever have to deal with. It’s the concept of a cookie or other baked good that isn’t cooked in an oven, but is concocted with some ingredients that cause a chemical reaction that cooks the cookie itself without any heat applied. I understand that baking is just a chemical reaction too, but when I think about my cookie thing I start to sweat and get the whole onset of a panic attack. Even more bizarrely, I eat “raw” fish cooked in lemon juice on occasion just fine, it honestly is just the baked goods thing. As a result of this not being a real thing, I have this bizarre detached relationship with it where I can just summon a useless panic attack at will by thinking of chemical cookies. It might be good if I was an actor I suppose. I also have arachnophobia and the feeling I get seeing a huntsman indoors is identical to the cookie feeling, I think it genuinely is a fear response. Of course no one believes me or cares, it’s the most f*****g ridiculous inconsequential phobia to ever exist. If I ever even think there might be a chance that a biscuit has been cooked that way I just… Don’t eat the biscuit. Being in the same room as one is fine, and I think that if I found out that companies were making them this way that would be fine too, it’s just the thought that I might come across one. I am sugar free so I don’t even eat biscuits at all in my daily life, just to add to the absurdity.

PlatypusLucky8031 Report

Stickers but in particular fruit stickers. I will vomit sometimes just from having to touch one to throw one out. I usually use a folded up napkin to pick them up so I don’t have to touch them. Sometimes my husband leaves them around and it makes me so anxious.

riverwheel Report

So, those wooden sticks used for ice? Like those rocket ice things? I HATE it, for the sense of scraping it with my teeth (grtting goosebumps writing). One day, the younger sister of a friend would chase me through the house scraping her teeth on it. Trust, I ran.

pitchins Report

I have a doorbell phobia. Every time I hear one, I want to hide under the table or just disappear for a moment.

Illiteratevegetable Report

Not really rare but wanted to give yall my one; phasmophobia (fear of the supernatural (eg SW, Wendigos, shadow figures etc).

akaashisleftear Report

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