[NF] NFs and phobias

[SilkRoad]

I’m wondering if NFs may be particularly prone to phobias. There have been some discussions about anxiety disorders, etc in this forum but maybe not particularly phobias (though is a phobia considered an anxiety disorder?)

I’m a 30 year old female and I’ve had what I’d call low-level fears of flying, thunderstorms, and sudden loud noises for most of my life, but lately they seem to have blossomed into full phobias. I’ve just started having cognitive behavioural therapy sessions for the flying aspect particularly, which is the first time in my life I’ve talked to a psychologist or had therapy, so it feels a bit weird…though the psych is very nice and I think it may help (too soon to tell.)

I had a bad flying experience last year (emergency landing due to a bird strike, and then a flight with lots of turbulence) and since then I’ve had a lot of anxiety before flights, feeling ill, predicting bad turbulence in my mind, feeling frightened for no reason during a smooth flight, that sort of thing. It really sucks because although I have always been at least a slightly nervous flyer, I’ve always been well able to cope with it, until now. The thunderstorm thing, and sudden loud noises generally (like gunshots, even fake ones at the theatre! Though gunshots in films don’t bother me generally), have always been with me too but lately again they seem to be worse. Obviously, the prospect of flying and thunderstorms together is particularly bad…

Besides the trigger experience of the emergency landing, etc last year, I have had quite high stress levels for at least a couple of years and I get the feeling this has exacerbated these fears. But it is distressing to find that what used to be relatively minor fears are getting worse. Especially with flying…I hope the CBT helps, but if it doesn’t or this gets worse, it could seriously affect my life. I live far from my family and many friends, and I love travelling. Not being able to get on a plane is not really an option.

I suspect that NFs may be sensitive to phobias because we are sensitive generally…maybe it’s the violent crashing in of things that make us anxious, into our delicate inner worlds…?

I’d be interested in any insights or experiences…

 

[Nonsensical]

I have a phobia completely related to my type. I am deathly afraid of snakes. When I was young I was in a potentially deathly experience with a snake when I lived in Houston, TX. Lying in the grass, I turn over and find out I'm face to face with a monstrous Copperhead Snake. We were like 6 inches his nose to mine. If you know anything Copperheads you'd know that they are the second or third most deadly and venomous snake in America.

Since then, really, I've been terrified of snakes.

Other than that, I have a slight phobia of going to the doctors and the hospital.

 

[MonkeyGrass]

Velvet. I hate the nasty, awful stuff. :shiver:

Cockroaches, heights and my teeth falling out.

 

[The Outsider]

Spiders.

 

[scortia]

I'm really low on phobias. If I were to claim any: probably a fear of going completely insane (anxiety, depression... they're not far off) and I do feel really uncomfortable being off the ground if I'm on something shaky, but I'm not debilitated by it just overly cautious.

 

[kyuuei]

Glitter. I have an unnatural fear of glitter. Not fear, so much as a total disdain that will make me scream and run like a little girl. ... menacingly.

I really dislike heights as well, and medication.

 

[OrangeAppled]

I have a bit of social anxiety, but no phobias.
I don't think this is a type thing...maybe a Feeler thing, since phobias are not logical. I notice that SFs in my life seem to harbor phobias the most though.

 

[Phantonym]

I have a bit of social anxiety, but no phobias.

+1

Spiders, heights and the darkness make me a little queasy but not in such a serious way that I wouldn't be able to think clearly. Oh yeah, tight spaces are not exactly my favourite places to be either.

 

[scantilyclad]

if i see a cockroach i have a panic attack...like a real panic attack. I feel helpless and it's actually quite embarrassing.

i'm also incredibly afraid of my teeth falling out, so i obsessively brush them. i feel like i can see and feel bacteria on them. If my teeth don't feel clean or i can't brush them for some reason, i flip the fuck out.

 

[Clonester]

Hmm... no phobias.

 

[Nonsensical]

Hmm... no phobias.

For now..

 

[Requeim]

Spiders(or big bugs), Elevators and Heights. And i'm not bathing anywhere near jellyfish either


Used to have claustrophobia and be afraid of the dark. I love darkness now though and except for elevators, the claustrophobia is gone.


edit: don't like bees either

 

[lillyofthevalley]

I’m wondering if NFs may be particularly prone to phobias. There have been some discussions about anxiety disorders, etc in this forum but maybe not particularly phobias (though is a phobia considered an anxiety disorder?)

I’m a 30 year old female and I’ve had what I’d call low-level fears of flying, thunderstorms, and sudden loud noises for most of my life, but lately they seem to have blossomed into full phobias. I’ve just started having cognitive behavioural therapy sessions for the flying aspect particularly, which is the first time in my life I’ve talked to a psychologist or had therapy, so it feels a bit weird…though the psych is very nice and I think it may help (too soon to tell.)

I had a bad flying experience last year (emergency landing due to a bird strike, and then a flight with lots of turbulence) and since then I’ve had a lot of anxiety before flights, feeling ill, predicting bad turbulence in my mind, feeling frightened for no reason during a smooth flight, that sort of thing. It really sucks because although I have always been at least a slightly nervous flyer, I’ve always been well able to cope with it, until now. The thunderstorm thing, and sudden loud noises generally (like gunshots, even fake ones at the theatre! Though gunshots in films don’t bother me generally), have always been with me too but lately again they seem to be worse. Obviously, the prospect of flying and thunderstorms together is particularly bad…

Besides the trigger experience of the emergency landing, etc last year, I have had quite high stress levels for at least a couple of years and I get the feeling this has exacerbated these fears. But it is distressing to find that what used to be relatively minor fears are getting worse. Especially with flying…I hope the CBT helps, but if it doesn’t or this gets worse, it could seriously affect my life. I live far from my family and many friends, and I love travelling. Not being able to get on a plane is not really an option.

I suspect that NFs may be sensitive to phobias because we are sensitive generally…maybe it’s the violent crashing in of things that make us anxious, into our delicate inner worlds…?

I’d be interested in any insights or experiences…

I don't think we are prone to phobias any more than other types. We might, however, have a lower tolerance to stress.

 

[Sauropsidian]

I'm afraid of bees and wasps.

 

[Tiltyred]

I'm a little claustrophobic and I'm afraid of falling.

 

[lalalost]

if i see a cockroach i have a panic attack...like a real panic attack. I feel helpless and it's actually quite embarrassing.

Same here same here..

I also get freaked out by paranormal stuff, hah. And I have social anxiety to

 

[metaphours]

I'm fucking terrified of heights.

 

[statuesquechica]

I am also terrified of cockroaches, but only because I saw some HUGE specimens in South America.

I also have a strange overreaction to Japanese horror films...I still can't watch The Grudge (Japanese version) and will freak out if someone pretends to be that little boy in the film with his mouth opening and that "sound" coming out.

 

[iwakar]

To my knowledge, I have none. I prefer to charge my fears like an elephant lest they consume me rapidly.

 

[LunaIndigo]

Centipedes/milipedes. Nasty little things with so many feet. Bees and wasps are a big one too because they like to nest on my back porch, and those huge fuzzy bumblebees would just hover over the stairs so you couldn't leave the porch. Freaked. Me. Out. I hate the way wasps fly. Those long leg things that hang from them. Ugh. Also I found out recently that cochroaches can FLY. And not in the fun 'lets google this bitch' way, but in the 'it was right next to my hand and flew in front of my face' way.

I don't mind spiders though. Weird.