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You are going to laugh!

j_wilson2012
j_wilson2012 Posts: 293
edited December 2024 in Chit-Chat
Okay....I have a weird fear, and it is really funny. :laugh: From what I have found, I am not alone. Any swimmers who are familiar, please enlighten me as to why???
Ok, here goes:
I am afraid of pool lights! Not drains, not the water, just the light. And not at night when it is on, but during the day when it is off. I dont know why, but I just think it is going to suck me in like a black hole or something. I am not afraid of electrocution or nothin. It just looks weird. Why do they look like that? I dont know.....I bring this up because it does affect my ability to have a good swim.
I have had this "phobia" all the time. I dont know why. I can be in water all the time, but that darn light under the water. It makes me anxious,and I have to fake like it is nothin, so strangers dont think I am crazy.
Can anyone shed any light on this, or is this just an unexplained phenomena? I am not ashamed of it... It is what it is. But I am 25....it is just weird. I am also scared of heights, but that is more common.

Replies

  • RedHeadDevotchka
    RedHeadDevotchka Posts: 1,394 Member

    Can anyone shed any light on this, or is this just an unexplained phenomena?

    Im sorry I have nothing to add, I just lol'd and had to point out your accidental pun. :happy: :happy: :happy: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    I hate the drains though. I don't like how they feel. I also have a phobia of sticking my head under the faucet in the tub. I always think a huge spider will crawl out of it and attack me. Not that I have to use it that way unless I am just trying rinse my hair or something, but I stay away from the faucet, the shower head I am ok with though. Im 28, and still have a bazillion phobias. Felt good sharing it.
  • katamus
    katamus Posts: 2,363 Member
    I've never experienced this.. Were you traumatized by a pool light at some point when you were younger?

    I had older cousins that made me think there were sharks in the deep end. Still freaks me out a bit. Also hate public pools, I feel like I'm going to catch something.
  • Drenched_N_Motivation
    Drenched_N_Motivation Posts: 1,004 Member
    Okay....I have a weird fear, and it is really funny. :laugh: From what I have found, I am not alone. Any swimmers who are familiar, please enlighten me as to why???
    Ok, here goes:
    I am afraid of pool lights! Not drains, not the water, just the light. And not at night when it is on, but during the day when it is off. I dont know why, but I just think it is going to suck me in like a black hole or something. I am not afraid of electrocution or nothin. It just looks weird. Why do they look like that? I dont know.....I bring this up because it does affect my ability to have a good swim.
    I have had this "phobia" all the time. I dont know why. I can be in water all the time, but that darn light under the water. It makes me anxious,and I have to fake like it is nothin, so strangers dont think I am crazy.
    Can anyone shed any light on this, or is this just an unexplained phenomena? I am not ashamed of it... It is what it is. But I am 25....it is just weird. I am also scared of heights, but that is more common.


    Maybe you can try and realize that the light is only 10 inches in diameter and there is no possible way that it can suck you in. Or try and realize that it is a solid object and therefore can not possibly suck you in. Just remember, its more scared of you than you are of it.
  • LishaCole
    LishaCole Posts: 245
    It's pretty common for people to develop irrational fears of things. I used to pretend that something was chasing me when I used to swim, maybe it developed from something like that (perpetual avoidance can become sort of superstitious) . If it's hindering your workout... I would suggest calmly and thoroughly inspecting the nature of the light. Its harder to be afraid of something when you understand it.
  • splashangel
    splashangel Posts: 494 Member
    No. But I'm scared of seagulls.
  • its_rierie
    its_rierie Posts: 44 Member
    No. But I'm scared of seagulls.

    THAT makes perfect sense. Seagulls and ducks -- Flinders University ducks, more specifically -- can and will mob you until you feed them.
  • Mceastes
    Mceastes Posts: 303 Member
    It's pretty common for people to develop irrational fears of things. I used to pretend that something was chasing me when I used to swim, maybe it developed from something like that (perpetual avoidance can become sort of superstitious) . If it's hindering your workout... I would suggest calmly and thoroughly inspecting the nature of the light. Its harder to be afraid of something when you understand it.

    I agree with this. You have to face your fear to overcome it. Take baby steps, maybe start with looking up info. online instead of forcing yourself to look while you're in the pool to ease you into it. By facing it, you'll understand it and it will be less scary. Also, you might want to ask yourself what is the worst thing that could happen if you touched one or were close to it? Maybe that will give you insight into the nature of your fear.
  • RedHeadDevotchka
    RedHeadDevotchka Posts: 1,394 Member
    No. But I'm scared of seagulls.

    There's a phobia for that! laridaphobia
  • splashangel
    splashangel Posts: 494 Member
    WOW! I had No clue. I'm going right now to find a support group! Thank you!
  • RedHeadDevotchka
    RedHeadDevotchka Posts: 1,394 Member
    WOW! I had No clue. I'm going right now to find a support group! Thank you!

    I :heart: google! I created an irrational fears thread, that should go in there too :laugh: :laugh: I figure it'll be good for a laugh
  • ericbonfiglio
    ericbonfiglio Posts: 32
    Fear of things that are not rational, comes from the subconscious mind. The subconscious minds is like a storage unit. It records and classifies everything that you have experience, seen, or felt from the time you were born. Your conscious mind knows its not a real fear but your subconscious pulls it out every time you see the subject you are focusing on. Its like this...when I was a very young child I was stung badly by wasps. Although I haven't been stung for 30 years, every time I see a wasp, it makes me want to get away...Some people see a wasp and it doesn't bother them. My subconscious recorded the event that happened and every time I see a wasp it pulls that recording out and plays it in my mind. You really have to read about the subconscious mind and how to reprogram it.
  • Drenched_N_Motivation
    Drenched_N_Motivation Posts: 1,004 Member
    Fear of things that are not rational, comes from the subconscious mind. The subconscious minds is like a storage unit. It records and classifies everything that you have experience, seen, or felt from the time you were born. Your conscious mind knows its not a real fear but your subconscious pulls it out every time you see the subject you are focusing on. Its like this...when I was a very young child I was stung badly by wasps. Although I haven't been stung for 30 years, every time I see a wasp, it makes me want to get away...Some people see a wasp and it doesn't bother them. My subconscious recorded the event that happened and every time I see a wasp it pulls that recording out and plays it in my mind. You really have to read about the subconscious mind and how to reprogram it.


    Did you ask the owner of that car if you could lean against it?
  • j_wilson2012
    j_wilson2012 Posts: 293
    Okay....I have a weird fear, and it is really funny. :laugh: From what I have found, I am not alone. Any swimmers who are familiar, please enlighten me as to why???
    Ok, here goes:
    I am afraid of pool lights! Not drains, not the water, just the light. And not at night when it is on, but during the day when it is off. I dont know why, but I just think it is going to suck me in like a black hole or something. I am not afraid of electrocution or nothin. It just looks weird. Why do they look like that? I dont know.....I bring this up because it does affect my ability to have a good swim.
    I have had this "phobia" all the time. I dont know why. I can be in water all the time, but that darn light under the water. It makes me anxious,and I have to fake like it is nothin, so strangers dont think I am crazy.
    Can anyone shed any light on this, or is this just an unexplained phenomena? I am not ashamed of it... It is what it is. But I am 25....it is just weird. I am also scared of heights, but that is more common.


    Maybe you can try and realize that the light is only 10 inches in diameter and there is no possible way that it can suck you in. Or try and realize that it is a solid object and therefore can not possibly suck you in. Just remember, its more scared of you than you are of it.

    I wish that I could be as rational with it, but there is some idea that is stuck in my brain that prevents me from doing that. I have tried stayin in front of it, and inching closer, but I never get any more comfortable. I KNOW it is inanimate. But there is something in my brain, something highly unexplained, as to why I am scared of it. For instance, I am scared of heights, but the logic is that I think I will fall. It is a legit reason. But here....?
  • j_wilson2012
    j_wilson2012 Posts: 293
    @lambo guy.......So I would really have to find out what maybe happened from when I was born til I was about 5, when I developed consciousness? I never thought of it that way. I dont really kno how I got this, I have always just been scared of the light. And it never fails. Every below-ground pool I have been to, it is the same.
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