I am writing this because a cascade of Excel errors made me physically unable to look at my computer screen today, and I am at a loss. Duplication, repetition, and hidden calculation/change give me a terrible repulsed feeling, and I haven't been able to find anyone else with this problem, even online.

It's like the feeling I'd get when running up the stairs in the dark as a child, a creepiness in my back like something was standing right behind me or about to get me. Sometimes accompanied also by making a disgusted facial expression involuntarily, or feeling like I'm about to gag.

Some other things that trigger this feeling include:

- A circularity in my Excel model (intentional, very fixable, and necessary) - seeing #NUM! #VALUE! etc. errors propagate across the model is horrible

- Finding out there were actually two identical forks in my apartment when I thought we only had one of that kind

- Duplicate objects like a set of identical chairs, identical doorframes/doorknobs etc. just regular household objects that are normal to have multiple of

- Onions and garlic sprouting

- Repeated numbers, letters, or patterns, specifically typed or on a computer (a big empty matrix in code output is the worst)

- The concept of circularity and iterative calculation overall, it makes me feel like something is waiting to jump out behind me (even setting an Excel cell as equal to itself + 1 and seeing how many iterations Excel goes through before spitting out a number, for example, doesn't have to be a lot of errors per se)

- If my Excel formulas themselves change to have #REF! instead of some workbook that was deleted, extremely creepy

- Vines growing in my Minecraft house in my absence as a child is the first time I remember this happening

I DO NOT HAVE TRYPOPHOBIA. None of the clusters, holes, small repeated patterns etc. give me this feeling.

Does anyone know what this is, or have it, or know how to make it go away? I do math on computers for a living, and I have to nip this in the bud because it's getting worse.

Thoughts?

Frigophobia: A specific anxiety phobia involving an irrational, intense, and overpowering fear of cold temperatures, cold wind, or cold foods.

No one understands it and I'm honestly kind of worried to tell anybody about it but I want to know if anybody else also has issues with this. It's becoming colder and colder and it's making me extremely worried and anxious. I'm not sure what to do because I'm pretty sure my friends would think the phobia is stupid..

This affects me a lot and I can't get help with it and I don't know what help would even do be accessible for a phobia like this.

So I have an intense fear of mannequins moving, I don't think its automatonophobia because I'm fine when they're still and I KNOW that they won't

does this one have an actual phobia name

Anyone else have/heard of a verrrry specific type of ornithophobia that I have? I am TERRIFIED of birds indoors. Birds outside? Absolutely fine, you go birds. Even pet birds indoors in cages freak me out. I was at work and a lady walked in with a parrot on her shoulder and I FLIPPED. I ran to my boss, told them we needed to call security, and hid in the back store room. I think it stems from a deep sadness of seeing majestic animals like parrots, or canaries, or even just pigeons in such an unnatural place as indoors. Plus, most exotic pet birds (or just domesticated birds in general) are trafficked or the offspring of trafficked birds. Anyway, I need to know if anyone else has this phobia and what you think about it.

Has anyone been able to manage agoraphobia without medication? I still go out and do a lot, but whenever I’m in a store, medical office, or similar place, I start feeling dizzy and get this intense fear and urge to leave. Has anyone experienced this and found something that helps? I’d love to hear what worked for you.

hey guys, I’ve been really struggling with my phobia of bugs recently. All bugs scare me not just a certain type. It gets to the point where I will go an entire night without sleeping if I see a bug in my room. I am scared of dead bugs too. If I find a dead bug, it will sit there until I can find someone else to pick it up and toss it for me. I have panic attacks when I see them inside and since getting an apartment with outdoor access, this has made living so difficult for me. I know this probably sounds stupid, but does anybody have any suggestions? I want to be able to live in my apartment without crying over a housefly.

Last time I took a flight was a from Manchester to Paris. On the flight I felt fine taking off and landing, but mid flight I felt spaced out, dizzy. I tried to calm myself down, distracting myself with a magazine but I found it hard to read anything because of my symptoms.

On the return journey somehow our plane was changed to a turboprop which I think flies at lower altitude. I had a some mild dizziness but not as bad as my outward flight.

Since then I went on a fear of flying course at Manchester airport, and we also went up in a jet, but only to 16,000 feet. I felt OK on that flight, but I haven't been on a plane since.

I told various doctors about it but they all seem to dismiss it as stress.

Anyone else with similar experiences?

I'm not sure if this is phobia or real symptoms

I have severe entomophobia and can't stand bugs just a few minutes ago from the time of posting a damned roach jumped from my roommates bed to mine right near my face and I accidentally touched it and it was all crunchy it makes me wanna vomit and now my body is jumpy any time I feel anything on my body cause my body keeps interpreting it as another roach.

I keep food and uncovered water out of my room but my roommates don't respect that ever and just do whatever they want to do leaving their food anywhere they want to and don't buy water bottles just keeping cups of water out

And you may think " oh just move out" but I can't as I have no money no job and nowhere else to go so I'm stuck with my self centered roommates until I get on my feet

I let out a sound that's halfway between a yelp and a whine and I honestly feel ashamed of it but I just can't stand bugs

Though I did get someone else to help me remove the bug so hopefully it was just the one (probably not but I'd rather believe that or I'll never be comfortable again in my bed)

Well yes it sounds weird but last year I remember I was in a hurry and I was trying to cook a meal so I opened a tuna can lid too fast and my thumb was in the way so I ended up cutting myself and it bled a lot. It didn't hurt, even when I put alcohol on it.

I'm just scared that when I open a Can lid again I'm gonna get cutted again.

Hi, I am an architecture student based in Malaysia. My current study is related to claustrophobic people. If anyone has an opinion to share please let me know.

So when I was a kid, up until I was like maybe 12 or 13, I had a phobia of human organs and skeletons, but like realistic skeletons, like I could see them in cartoons and TV shows but medical diagrams detailing the name of their parts specifically creeped me out. I was most specifically scared of the human digestive system, the brain, the musculatory system, and the nervous system specifically, and at night wouldn't be able to sleep thinking about it if I saw them in an ad or randomly coming across them on a YouTube video. But if I saw a human heart or a lung I'd be fine. Or if I saw like bloody wounds on movies or shows I'd be fine too.

This made my science classes, when we reviewed parts and organs of the human body, a nightmare, I hated it.

I've searched for people with this same fear but closest thing I got was someone who had a phobia of the thought of having organs, like the fact that they have all of that stuff inside of them creeps them out. But this is not what I had.

Anyone else experienced/experiences this too?

Hi All,
I have a blood test and MRI in the same week. I have to have my MRI with contrast and I am incredibly scared of needles and small spaces. My MRI is for a suspected endometriosis and my blood test is needed to check that I have no kidney issues. My consult said that she wouldn’t touch my veins without numbing as I have incredibly small veins and I have been prescribed Diazepam for the MRI. Has anyone got any advice how I can overcome my needle fear for the future. I feel so stupid as I have a tattoo on my wrist and arm and am booked in for more tattoos but I can’t have a blood test without fainting. 😢

Does anyone else have a severe phobia of fake insects and rubber spiders?

Hi everyone!
I’m from Norway, and I’m posting here because I’ve never met anyone who has the same fear as me.
I have a really strong phobia of fake insects, especially plastic and rubber spiders. It doesn’t matter that I know they’re not real. They still terrify me.
I absolutely hate Halloween because of all the fake insects and spider decorations everywhere. The spiders are definitely the worst for me.
It’s really difficult because other people don’t always understand how something fake can cause so much fear and anxiety.
I’ve felt very alone with this phobia, and for a long time I’ve wondered if there are other people in the world who experience exactly the same thing.
Does anyone here have this phobia too? I would really love to hear your experiences and maybe connect with people who understand how I feel.
Please don’t post any pictures or videos of insects or spiders in the comments

Hi all, essentially putting out there a request for kindness and encouragement. I have a severe phobia of blood draws and have to have one in the morning. I've done all the right stuff - asked for a longer appointment, got numbing cream, got prescribed a mild sedative, got someone coming with me to drive and distract me. But right now I'm absolutely terrified - I know that this subreddit is one of the only places that will understand the extremity and irrationality of this fear and how I'm feeling. Any words of encouragement would be very gratefully received.

edit to update: I got through it! I can't say it was easy and unfortunately the numbing cream and sedative didn't have the desired effect (I know this has worked brilliantly for other people, so don't be disheartened by my experience), but I'm proud of myself for doing it. Thank you so much to everyone who offered support, I can't tell you how much it helped to feel understood.

من فترة وأنا أعاني من خوف شديد من الإغماء أو فقدان الوعي، ووصلت لمرحلة إني أحس إنه صار عندي فوبيا من هالشي.

الموضوع إني أفكر وايد في احتمالية إني أفقد الوعي، وخصوصاً يوم أكون في مكان بروحي. أحياناً فجأة اييني إحساس إني ممكن أغمى علي، ويبدأ الخوف يزيد شوي شوي لين أحس إني لازم أسوي أي شي عشان أوقف هالإحساس.

أكثر شي لاحظته إني يوم أكون بروحي واييني هالشعور، أحس إني لازم أتصل على حد أو أكلم أي شخص بسرعة، والغريب إنه بمجرد ما أبدأ أتكلم مع حد، الخوف والإحساس بالإغماء يبدون يخفون تدريجياً ! ف عشان جي نسبته لشي نفسي مب جسدي

وهالشي خلاني أشك إن الموضوع ممكن يكون نفسي أو مرتبط بالقلق أكثر من إنه إغماء فعلي، خصوصاً إني أحس إن مجرد وجود شخص أتكلم وياه يطمني ويخفف الأعراض.

الموضوع صار متعب نفسياً، لأني أحس إني أراقب جسمي وأفكر في احتمالية الإغماء بشكل مستمر، وخصوصاً إذا كنت بروحي.
هل في حد مر بنفس التجربة؟ وهل هالشي يعتبر فوبيا أو نوع من أنواع القلق أو شو بضبط ؟ وإذا حد قدر يتخلص من هالخوف، شو الأشياء اللي ساعدته؟

Me dan miedos los ruidos fuertes. Puntualmente a los fuegos artificiales, los globos, truenos y cualquier ruido fuerte que sea repentino.

Me genera ansiedad no poder " controlar " cuando va a estallar . Me modificó toda la vida.

Me costó conseguir trabajos además de mi vida social( me aislaba por miedo a que sepan de mi miedo). Eventos familiares o festivos no participaba por miedo a que aparezca algún globo o algo que explote.

De hecho en mi trabajo tuve que pedir que me cambien de sucursal por ese miedo.

Imagínate llorar y decirle al jefe que le tenés miedo a los globos. Muchas bronca y vergüenza sentí. Por suerte me comprendieron pero ...tener que llegar a ese punto me duele mucho.

Estoy empezando terapia y espero poder superarlo o sobrellevarlo un poco mejor porque no puedo vivir evitando eso.

Hey everyone. I just really need to vent and find someone who went through the same thing.
My nightmare started 3 months ago. I was severely sleep-deprived and suddenly had a massive panic attack. I experienced horrible derealization — everything felt fake, I was shaking like crazy, and I was 100% convinced I was dying right then and there. It was the most terrifying feeling of my life.
After that attack, my brain stayed in a hyper-alert state. And of course, right at that moment, I stumbled upon one of those stupid TikTok filters that "predicts" the year you die. It gave me 2027. Because my nervous system was already fried by the panic attack, my brain grabbed this random number and treated it like a real prophecy.
For 3 months now, I've been in thanatophobia hell. At first, I was constantly scanning my body and checking my pulse. I even got checked by doctors (ECG, blood work, etc.) — everything is perfect. But now my brain is playing a new trick: "If you stop worrying about this date, you'll drop your guard and some fatal accident will happen."
I'm turning 16 this November. I'm a super careful guy, I follow all the rules, but this background anxiety won't leave me alone. The only thing keeping me going is that I'm planning a huge trip to China in January 2027, so I'm trying to choose life over this glitch in my head.
Did anyone else develop severe thanatophobia after a panic attack and derealization? How did you convince your brain that a random internet filter is not a sign? Thanks for reading.

Hi it's my first post, I'm 15 years , suffering from koumpounophobia since the age of 2 or 3. I remember even in kindergarten I used to hate wearing school uniform, and sill to this date i try my best to avoid it by wearing the sports uniform. I don't "fear" it, I just find it DISGUSTING AF , the plastic , the holes, the contrast it has with the clothes everything ughh. I'm fine with metal ones like on jeans, even hook or press ons or pearls are good. BUT I DESPISE THE PLASTIC ONES MOST. I hate how normal it is and how we are forced to wear it, and every single professional attire has it, even saying the name of the thing irritates me. ..I really wish i could go to a non uniform school ...What's even worse is my mom, dad and my lil brother especially blackmails me with it :"[ my mom keeps saying I need to do CBT exposure therapy and it's the only way out and that I can't keep avoiding it all my life, and that it's only in my head there's nothing to be soo disgusted about it. I genuinely feel it will be easier to avoid the thing my whole life than having to stitch and touch one of them eww ID RATHER LIVE WITH THE FEAR . I know how unusual the phobia is lol, I've never met anyone in real life with this phobia, but several online :) so yes u can ask me questions about this

Im in my twenties and I have a DEATHLY fear of thunder, like for as long as I can remember I never enjoyed it and it causes me so much panic and stress. I know it’s just a noise and it can’t hurt me but I want to beat this fear, any tips? I feel like also part of the reason is the uncertainty of when the thunder will clap, because I watch videos of thunder and I feel fine.

I have arachnophobia (the fear of spiders), though small spiders don't scare me that much like big ones. I also have claustrophobia. I usually avoid lift even if I have to climb up or down almost 30 floors.

I have acrohphobia. Though I don't know wheather it's properly acrohphobia or not, I am not specifically afraid of heights that much, rather I am afraid of edges. Standing at the edges of tall buildings or cliffs of mountain usually scare me. Even watching people casually standing or sitting at the edges makes my feet and palm cold. I don't get it how do some people do it so casually. Is it actually possible to overcome any of these?

Hi everyone! I’m urgently looking for participants for a survey for my Master’s thesis. The study explores how certain traits, life experiences, attitudes, and behaviors are related to one another.🧠

I’d really appreciate it if you could spare about 10 minutes to complete the survey.⏱️

Please note that you must be at least 18 years old to participate in the survey.🔞

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As a token of appreciation, participants can choose to enter a prize draw to win one of five USD 100 prizes.💰💸

The survey is, of course, anonymous and has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Bern.🧑🏼‍🎓⚖️

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Contact: Klaus Schmied, University of Bern, Switzerland, [forschung.edu@unibe.ch](mailto:forschung.edu@unibe.ch)

(This post has been approved by the mods.)

Hi everyone, I am dealing with severe health anxiety right now. 7 days ago, I got a scratch on my leg. The biggest issue for me is the uncertainty—I don't even know for sure if it was purely superficial or deeper, because my anxiety keeps second-guessing everything.

​Now, 7 days have passed, and I've been spiraling, feeling random muscle aches in my thighs and knees (probably from stress/tension), and panicking about tetanus. For context, I received a Tetanus-Diphtheria vaccine last year at school.

​Has anyone else dealt with this exact uncertainty-driven health anxiety loop where you don't even trust your own assessment of a wound? How do you break out of it? Any advice would really help.

I have been a phlebotomist a very long time. I love my job. I love drawing blood. I love my precision with sticks and the site of blood doesn't bother me.

Fast forward to recently. I had a baby 6 months ago and the site of my own period blood makes me so sick and queasy as if I'm going to pass out.

It's unusually heavy and it's accompanied by total brain fog. I did absolutely nothing all day. This is my second period after the baby (comes later if you're breastfeeding) and I feel trapped. The brain fog is terrible, the anxiety, the hormones and the blood! Don't even get me started of a bit of blood gets on my hands.

I'm screaming bloody murder. No pun intended.

I feel crazy for even typing this as I understand it's basically an oxymoron.

TW: Talk about knee injuries, brief mentions of emetophobia triggers (nothing that graphic/detailed)

I've had pretty severe genuphobia (fear of knees/knee movements/knee injuries) for the majority of my life (since around age 11 or 12). I only just realized that there is a name for it and that it counts as a phobia. For me, this entails nausea, panic, and sometimes even dry heaving at anything related to knee injuries. I can only handle brief mentions like "ACL injury" or "knee dislocation" - Anything more in depth or graphic (even just describing injuries as "slipping out of place" or "tear" or "subluxation") triggers it. Knee dislocations are the most triggering, other injuries aren't as bad.

I know a lot of people with phobias don't know the cause of their phobias or might not even have a reason for it, but I know exactly where my phobia comes from. I have genetic knee issues that have caused countless and frequent knee dislocations over my life, until I had intensive double knee surgery at age 17. I would describe these constant knee injuries as very traumatic, hence the severe phobia. My first dislocation was when I was around 4 or 5 years old while I was on a walk in the park with my family. My father, whom I inherited my knee issues from, sat me down to explain what happened and told me that I would likely experience many more knee dislocations and sprains over the course of my life. Luckily, I have not had a single dislocation since a few days after my first knee surgery! That's years ago now!

Funnily enough, talking about my knee surgeries doesn't bother me at all. I really enjoy talking about them because of how drastically they improved my life. Getting double knee surgery is tied with moving in with my partner for the place of best decision I've ever made.

Unfortunately, the topic of knee injuries is unavoidable, especially when some of my loved ones have their own joint issues and I also have mine. Earlier this year, my partner had his first dislocation. Since I have a lot of experience with knee dislocations, he asked me if it was dislocated, so I looked at it for him and it was indeed dislocated. Before I could answer him, I started having a panic attack and ran to the bathroom and started dry heaving into the toilet. I scared the shit out of him from how freaked out I was!

However, I've found some ways to ease my phobia a bit. First of all, I am very upfront with my close friends and family that I absolutely cannot handle discussions about knee injuries unless absolutely necessary. This is a very firm boundary that I fiercely enforce for my well being. I also warn them that I will 100% have a panic attack if they have a knee injury and I am present for it. Most importantly though, I keep myself thoroughly informed on how to prevent knee injuries and what to do if I or someone else experiences one. That way, even if I am freaking the hell out, I can be proactive in minimizing the severity and duration of the injury. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right? I'd rather be the best person around to help in the case of a knee injury than the alternative: throw up, run away, and let the injury get worse (which just makes me freak out even more).

Anyway, that's my ramble about my genuphobia. If anyone has any questions about my experience, feel free to ask! I know it's a pretty uncommon phobia, so I'm more than happy to talk about what it's like. However, please do put it in spoiler text if you want to say anything more than a mention about knee injuries, LOL.