My fears and phobias

A long time ago now, Amber wrote a post of her fears and it inspired me. I'm an anxious, fearful person by nature so I have a lot of phobias and even more fears. Let's start with the worst and count down to the less fearful.

Edward Scissorhands
I know this is strange. I have no end of people telling me this is odd. Although I'm not entirely sure why it's so bizarre for people. Let me put it this way: A creepy pale man, who lives all alone in an even creepier, abandoned mansion, stabs a man and pushes him out of the window to his death. Oh, and did I mention he has scissors for hands? How is that not scary?

This is a frustrating one for me because I know, had I not been mentally scarred at a young age, I would have loved the film. However, I watched it when I was very young and we had a tomato plant outside our patio door. I would have been no older than 7, since we had moved out of that house by my 8th birthday. It was a windy night, the curtains were drawn and, as we watched the film, there was a steady tap-tap-tapping at the patio door. Of course, it was the tomato plant blowing against the window in the wind but I was convinced it was Edward Scissorhands tapping on the window. 20 years later, I still scream aloud when suddenly confronted with a photo of him. I can't deal with disembodied hands, like those ring holders you can buy. Last year, I managed to get over my fear of the soundtrack and can now listen to it without coming out in a cold sweat but the film? Nope.

Flying

More reasonable, yes? I took loads of flights as a kid. I loved flying. And then, aged 16, boom! Out of nowhere, I was on a plane and suddenly thought "This is it. I'm going to die". Since that moment, every time I've got onto a plane, I've looked down the aisle and realised that this is the place I will die. Of course it hasn't happened yet, but I'm still convinced it will one day.

Rich falling asleep before me
I have no idea. Funnily enough, this started after a plane journey. I'd got home from America, I was horrendously jetlagged and my body system was messed up for days. I started panicking when Rich fell asleep and it's stayed that way for the 3 years since. When we're in bed and I hear his breathing start to develop that "sleep sound", I freak out. Funnily enough, if we sleep in separate beds, in the same room, it doesn't bother me, but I'm not sure I want to sleep in different beds our whole lives. Sometimes it's ok but there are also some occasions when it gets really bad. I've tried Googling this but all I can find is a fear of oneself falling asleep. Am I really the only one with this problem?

Using the phone

I can't do it. I simply cannot use the phone. The people I can comfortably talk to on the phone, with no issues whatsoever, are Rich, my two brothers, and my mum. Although I can talk to my closest friends for the sort of "Where are you?" "I'll be there in 5 minutes" type conversations, I never call them up for a chat, and you better believe I never, ever call the bank, council or any other grown up establishment. I can go in and talk to them in person but use the phone? Nope.

Small talk
Ok, I know I just said I can talk to people in person but that was stretching the truth a little. If there's a purpose, say I need to transfer some money, or I need to post a parcel, I'm fine. Small talk, however, is not my thing. There's nothing I hate more than getting in the back of a taxi for the driver to say "So, where have you been today?" In fact, I tend to tip drivers more if they are friendly but quiet! Those people at the bus stop who decide to start talking about the weather? Terrifying. Shop assistants who come over and tell me all about their latest products? Understandably their job, but still scary. Don't be surprised if you ever talk to me and find I'm incomprehensible. 

These aren't my only fears. I'm also terrified of stag beetles and may bugs, the dark, the quiet, cloudy seawater, water on the end of my nose... Yep, I'm scared of everything!