What are your phobias? Anyone philophobic?

Liliacea

I just wanted to know what people's phobias are and if there's anyone on MFP who's philophobic like me. If there is, since when have you been philophobic and how did you learn to live with it?
Or for people with other phobias, how hard is it to live with your phobia?
I'm 20 years old now and I've been philophobic since highschool - well, at the time I wasn't aware of it, I didn't even know such phobia existed. As with all phobias, it's really hard for me to learn to live with this fear - love is almost everywhere if you look carefully. Like, I see a couple holding hands and I can't help but feel worried and scared that this can happen to me too.
I hate getting compliments or getting hit on because that might be a sign that a person can be possibly liking me and I don't want that - it just freaks the me out. In those situation my mindset is like: "Don't like me, I don't want you, I don't want anyone, just leave me alone with myself"
I look at my friends with long term relationships and I just think "I should never ever let this happen to me."
Or at weddings (I really hate going to them but sometimes you just have to - if the person who's marrying is close to you.) I find myself panicking and thinking that I should always be alert to protect me from a situation like this.
People around me say that I feel like that because I haven't find the right person yet. I mean, really? Are you kidding? This is not even a feeling - this is a phobia and I actually FEAR from finding the right person - that would be a disaster for me. And it's not like you can snap out of it - telling a philophobic that she hasn't met the right person yet is basically like telling an anorexic that she needs to eat.

soonergirl07

I am not Philophobic, but I am claustraphobic, Gymnophobia(fear of being naked), I am also Hdrophobic when it comes to large bodies of water or jumping into them. I also am slightly Necrophobic. I am terrified of dying. Most people are too. If you have a fear the best way to deal with it is do it.

I will get into tight places just to rid my fear of them. I get naked when I have too even though I self consciously want to cover up or claw my uglyness away. I go swimming, I just usually stay in a pool. I have been known to go swimming in the lake, and as long as my feet touch bottom, I am okay.

Hope it helps, you just cannot let your phobia ruin your life....you will regret it. Maybe not today, but one day you will. You are young, enjoy life. Grab it by the horns and make it yours.

TooFatToFit

I am a recovering emetophobe (fear of vomit). I have had it for as long as I can remember, but I didn't really figure out what was wrong with me and that there was a name for it until I was in my early 30's. (I'm 35 now). For the most part, I didn't recognize the anxiety symptoms AS anxiety, but thought they were physical in nature. As the mother of two young kids, (and as any parent knows, young kids will vomit anytime, anywhere, and everywhere lol), I got worse and worse until I was in a complete state of panic for at least 4 days...when I reached the breaking point where it suddenly all made sense and I did some googling, then got to a doctor for help.

I had Ativan for the panic attacks and Zoloft, but also went through a wonderful therapy program through our local hospital. I can honestly say I'm 80% better than I was. I didn't believe it could happen, but I worked hard and did my therapy homework, and was able to wean off of the Zoloft. I also haven't had an Ativan in forever.

I still struggle with a LOT of social anxiety but that is not as intense as the emetophobia was.

Someone who has never had a phobia, cannot possible understand a phobia. Non-anxious people think it's just that you feel scared...they don't understand how it takes over your entire body, and consumes all of your thoughts. They don't understand that as much as you know in your head it is irrational, you are often powerless to control it.

I would definitely suggest some CBT (cognitive-behaviour therapy). My quality of life is SOOOOO much better since I dealt with my phobia. When my therapist told me she could help me, I didn't believe her....but she did! She really did!