Phobias and other irrational anxieties

[Bombadillo]

I've eaten some styrofoam cups too, Chrys. Never a whole one, but just sitting around as a little kid at some sort of formal roast, I got bored enough to make designs with my teeth in my cup, and then finally start eating it before my mom took it away. It's tasteless though.

Thanks Lotesse. A few years ago, NYC started an ingenious program to recycle a bunch of styrofoam. I don't know how it was scientifically possible, but they'd mash a bunch of foam into Lego-shapes, rectangles about the size of tissue boxes. Then they'd sell them at a nickel per rectangle at homesless shelters and soup kitchens so the people on the streets could sleep in something slightly more insulated than a cordboard box. But, no, taxpayers decided that they were eyesores, and would rather watch people age and starve right out in the open.

Anyway, Hector, I have a pet snake. Have you ever touched one? What scares most people is their sliminess, but in reality they aren't slimy at all. Nice and smooth and comforting in a way that I'll admit is a bit strange. Here is what one looks like, but mine has thicker dark bands and near the tail his pattern switches to stripes, plus this one looks like a baby and mine is nearly full-grown. They're faces are the same though. California kings vary a whole lot in coloration.

EDIT: Forgot: I did read a bit of that blog, Lottesse, the intro to "Slow Children @ Play," but got called away to dinner or something. I'll read the rest of it pretty soon.

[Lotesse]

You know what my favourite snake is? Baby ball pythons. They are SO sweet, sweet little temperments, and their skin is so very soft and silky, and so sensitive. Snakes are quite delicate, you know, all you snake-scaredy cats out there. What's that old saying? They're probably more scared of you than you of them, or something along those lines? Well, they probably are, the poor guys. The way venomous snakes deal with their feelings is they bite and kill with their poison if they get the idea that you're either A. the enemy, or B. lunch. .

Why couldn't they just give the homeless very thick blankets, and tarps if it rained, so they could make tents? O.K. so I'm being unreasonable if it's the city, but still... and the a-holes who decided that compressed styrofoam was a nuisance and banned it ought to be made to be homeless and destitute without any options, for at least two eeks, and then see how they feel about nusances like compressed freakin' styrofoam. It ain't easy being homeless and familyless, in the streets, with nothing.

[Bombadillo]

Well you don't count until you pay taxes. Duh.

I'm reminded of a stupid riddle I read from an old kiddie joke book that used to be my mom's:
Q: What is a cobra's biggest fear?
A: Biting its tounge. lollol

California kings have been known to beat mongooses to death by folding their midsecting into bludgeons! IMO, that's about as badass as snakes can get.

Also Hector, I can sort of identify with you though, because seeing a snake out in the wilderness is a real jolt. That's happened to me twice, and both times I totally jumped back like a schoolgirl trhowing a tantrum. But that's 'cause I didn't know what kind they were and if they were about to attack or what.

[Earniel]

I don't fear snakes but darn, did they give me a scare a few times! It's especially frightening when you and the snake are going for the same frog. One time on holiday I was stretching out my hand to a frog that was croaking and sitting rather strangely on a river bank. And I just happen to glance behind the frog in the bushes and I saw maybe 10 cm of snake-body wriggling, going straight for the frog as well! I didn't even see the head. I still don't know how I got to the other side of the river so fast but I was there before my brain had completely registered what I had seen.

The funniest part was my sister's reply when she saw me jump back like that. She said : "Whatsamatter? A snake or something?" And by that time I was standing besides her, pulling her arm in excitement and yelling "Yesyesyes!" I suppose it's a you-had-to-be-there-moment because I can't describe my sister's tone exactly. But it was so funny. Good memories...

[Nautipus]

I just stumbled across this thread and figured I'd post. I have an enormous, completely out of this world fear of parasites. Just the thought of something living inside me can have me trembling like a leaf and probing my abs with a finger.
Pictures can sometimes even do it for me. The strange thing is that I LOVE sushi. I cant go a month without it. But I always check it beforehand for cysts and eggs. Also, parasites fascinate me, but it's hard to learn about them because when I see a picture or read stories of human infestation I freak. I'm putting my will to the test by writing a horror about parasites, but it isnt likely to appear here.

[Thain Peregrin Took I]

I have this HUGE fear of spiders. I freak out when I see one, even if it's on the ceiling. I was in the car once, and this ginormous spider came on the backseat (ok, so I guess it wasn't that big, but still). I started freaking out, crying really hard, and almost hyperventilyating. And there was a daddy long leg in the bathroom a few weeks ago that had like inch long legs and it was so freaky and I was just about to turn on the shower when I noticed it, so I jumped away and breated until I got up enough courage to squish it (which was very frightening, too. I kept thinking that I hadn't actually killed it, and was scared that it would crawl out of the garbage can.)

I'm also scared of bees, but not the point of spiders. Just sort of mild freak-outage.

I kinda have a fear of heights, but it's not that bad. It's only for relatively high things, and it's a very controlable fear for me, so it's never really been a problem.

i have this incredible fear of dolls and clowns and things. it all started when i read/watched "it". ever since then, if i see a clown? forget about it.

I saw the first few seconds of "It" at a friends house when I was 10, but then my friends mom decided that it would be too scary for us. Then my friends friend explained the entire plot to us, and I was freaked out for a couple months after that.

[Nautipus]

Here's something wierd: I really HATE small spiders with spindly legs, but LOVE tarantulas. Love them to death. I'm afraid the little spiders will crawl inside me or something. Wierd, huh?

[BeardofPants]

Can't remember if I commented on this or not, but the only thing I come close to with regards to phobias is a fear of wasps. I recently spent what seemed an inordinate amount of time running away from wasps in Germany, Austria, England, America, and Hong Kong. o.0

[Lotesse]

Originally Posted by Nautipus

I just stumbled across this thread and figured I'd post. I have an enormous, completely out of this world fear of parasites. Just the thought of something living inside me can have me trembling like a leaf and probing my abs with a finger.
Pictures can sometimes even do it for me. The strange thing is that I LOVE sushi. I cant go a month without it. But I always check it beforehand for cysts and eggs. Also, parasites fascinate me, but it's hard to learn about them because when I see a picture or read stories of human infestation I freak. I'm putting my will to the test by writing a horror about parasites, but it isnt likely to appear here.

Ooo! This is too ood not to tell you about, then. I was out to dinner at an upscale restaurant a fw years ago, in Monterey which is of course right on the northern Califoria coast - no shortage of beautiful fresh clean fish - and I ordered fish for dinner. The inside of the thick filet of fish was almost entirely ccupied by a giant worm-like blood-red and dark-grey worm parasite. As big as a grown man's middle finger. Chew on THAT for a second! And if you're so terrified of parasites like you claim t be, sushi is the last thing in the world you'd want anywhere near you, never mind put in your mouth and swallow. All raw fish contains microscopic parasites, all of it. Our bodies for the most part can deal with them whilst they're in our digestive tract, but you're REALLY kidding yourself if you think you're gonna be parasite-free eating raw fish. Chances are, you've got parasites living inside you nice and comfy for a long time; most people do, but especially raw fish eaters. MWA hah hah ha ha hah haaaaa.....

[Lotesse]

A major health hazard associated with the eating of raw fish has been attributed to parasitic infections. Anisakiasis has been recently become a leading problem in not only Japan but also U.S.A, Korea, and the other countries where people like eating sushi or sashimi. This disease caused by an infection of Anisakinae larvae, which are the visceral larva migrans following an infection by Anisakis larvae or related nematodes.

from General Survey of Anisakis and Anisakiasis in Japan by Ishikura, H. In Gastric Anisakiasis in Japan. Epidemology, Diagnosis, Treatment, Springer-Verlag, Tokyo, 3pp.




If you feel epigastric pain after eating raw fish like sushi or sashimi, you had better go to physician and check your stomach by a gastroscope. In some cases, you can see a larva which is penetrating your stomach wall. In this patient, severe gastric ulcer and hemorrage were noticed.

A larva sometime goes through stomach and reaches terminal ileum. Then the larva penetrates into intestinal wall causing ileus.


Pathologically Anisakis larva shows unique features and numerous eosinophils were infiltrated arround the larva.


Anisakis larvae were parasitized in many fishes. Before you eat them, beware of the larva in the fish like this photograph.

SOURCE: http://www.tmd.ac.jp/med/mzoo/parasi...asite9603.html

P.S. - At least I'm kind enough not to post up the really graphic colour photographs of these parasites in the ssushi, which I found on Google images. I cannot bear to look at them myself, I wouldn't do that to you all. It's definitely cringe-and-shudder worthy. Man, now I don't want to eat sushi anymore, god here I was tryna play with you and now I've scared mySELF!

[Lotesse]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

I don't fear snakes but darn, did they give me a scare a few times! It's especially frightening when you and the snake are going for the same frog. One time on holiday I was stretching out my hand to a frog that was croaking and sitting rather strangely on a river bank. And I just happen to glance behind the frog in the bushes and I saw maybe 10 cm of snake-body wriggling, going straight for the frog as well! I didn't even see the head. I still don't know how I got to the other side of the river so fast but I was there before my brain had completely registered what I had seen.

The funniest part was my sister's reply when she saw me jump back like that. She said : "Whatsamatter? A snake or something?" And by that time I was standing besides her, pulling her arm in excitement and yelling "Yesyesyes!" I suppose it's a you-had-to-be-there-moment because I can't describe my sister's tone exactly. But it was so funny. Good memories...

Awesome story! I can totally picture that, too, you and a wild snake both happening to be striking out to grab the same wee "prey," a frog - But with different designs on the frog in question, doubtless! That's a great mental image.

Reading this old page reminds me of Bombadillo and how much I miss him...

Me, I don't fear much tangible stuff, if anything to be frank. What I fear, and terribly so, is getting old, and failure, and regret. I fear regret. And I fear death, only because I want this experience to last as long as I want it to, this being alive on this beautiful earth. Hell no I do not want some "heaven" nonsense, I want to live, and create, and think, and love, and see and smell and feel this whole world and all her lovely animals, plants, places, peoples, cultures, histories, everything everything for as long as it lasts, I never wanna die. Someone once said(Maybe Otto Rank, or Freud or someone like that): "The difference between a neurotic and an artist is that a neurotic fears life, while an artist fears death." That's me. I don't want it ever to end.

And come to think of it, I don't care for parasites, either, actually. They have always made me paranoid. I even went so far as to buy these parasite killing herbal pills just in case I might have stray murderous parasites skulking about in my bowels or something, the main ingredient is black walnut I think but I got over that fear. I got bigger things to worry about nowadays. For real. Death, failure, regret, aging and loss... I'll take defeatable little parasites any day over these big bad muthas of fear.

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Lotesse

Awesome story! I can totally picture that, too, you and a wild snake both happening to be striking out to grab the same wee "prey," a frog - But with different designs on the frog in question, doubtless! That's a great mental image.

Thanks. I still pass by that stretch of water. Much of the bank where the frog sat has washed away by winter floods, but the stone on which I stood is still on the right spot. Each time I pass, I still wonder how I managed to jump to the other side so fast.

Originally Posted by Lotesse

And if you're so terrified of parasites like you claim t be, sushi is the last thing in the world you'd want anywhere near you, never mind put in your mouth and swallow. All raw fish contains microscopic parasites, all of it.

Not to mention the tuna used for sushi is majorly overfished. Tuna catching is even banned until the end of the year now in the Mediterrerean because they already gone way overboard with the quota in september already. Rather not the best food for an ethical future marine biologist.

[The Gaffer]

Lotsy * waves *

Check out this interview with Dennis Potter, conducted just before his death in 1994:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/greatinter...155765,00.html

[Nautipus]

Originally Posted by Lotesse

Ooo! This is too ood not to tell you about, then. I was out to dinner at an upscale restaurant a fw years ago, in Monterey which is of course right on the northern Califoria coast - no shortage of beautiful fresh clean fish - and I ordered fish for dinner. The inside of the thick filet of fish was almost entirely ccupied by a giant worm-like blood-red and dark-grey worm parasite. As big as a grown man's middle finger. Chew on THAT for a second! And if you're so terrified of parasites like you claim t be, sushi is the last thing in the world you'd want anywhere near you, never mind put in your mouth and swallow. All raw fish contains microscopic parasites, all of it. Our bodies for the most part can deal with them whilst they're in our digestive tract, but you're REALLY kidding yourself if you think you're gonna be parasite-free eating raw fish. Chances are, you've got parasites living inside you nice and comfy for a long time; most people do, but especially raw fish eaters. MWA hah hah ha ha hah haaaaa.....

*gag, wretch*

AAAAARGH! Why do you tell me these things! *gag*

But what nost people dont know about (most) sushi is that it's not raw, it's just chilled. Nigiri is usually raw, and sashimi always is.

Originally Posted by Earniel

Not to mention the tuna used for sushi is majorly overfished. Tuna catching is even banned until the end of the year now in the Mediterrerean because they already gone way overboard with the quota in september already. Rather not the best food for an ethical future marine biologist.

AAAAAWW. *waves habd dissmisively*

I know it is, so I try to avoid tuna, especially blue tuna, and I'll usually have eel and (rarely) salmon, but the only fish least likely to giove you parasites is eel.

[Lotesse]

Originally Posted by Nautipus

*gag, wretch*

AAAAARGH! Why do you tell me these things! *gag*

But what nost people dont know about (most) sushi is that it's not raw, it's just chilled. Nigiri is usually raw, and sashimi always is.




AAAAAWW. *waves habd dissmisively*

I know it is, so I try to avoid tuna, especially blue tuna, and I'll usually have eel and (rarely) salmon, but the only fish least likely to giove you parasites is eel.

Yeah, yeah. So basically you are not at all phobic of parasites in raw fish, it was all just something to post here for the hell of it the other day, I get it. Not a real fear. Well, keep on keepin' on, then, li'l buddy! More power to ya, and your wee parasites, too, meh he he he he he he....

And you say "Bah" and wave your paw at the tuna netfishing depletion problem? For shame, seriously what, are you...are you a ... a REPUBLICAN, perchance? No just playin', who cares about politics. For years and years I was one of Them. Haven't been since the early nineties, but anyway who cares. However, you might want to consider caring about the depletion and human-enforced and perpetuated forced extinction of some of our world's animals, like what Earniel was saying. I mean, it would be cool not to be so cavalierly dismissive about it. It's way uncool to just say "yeah yeah yeah, whatever, ha ha" about species in our oceans rapidly swimming towards the end goal of extinction thanks to the efforrts of greedy fishing companies propelled to make business because of wanton consumers who love sushi and tuna sandwiches whenever they want it, wanton consumers like anybody in the wealthy western or Japanese areas of this planet.

Think about it.

And again, I am calling you out, Nautipus, on your so-called "phobia" of parasites, because I think you're posing and really don't have a phobia at all of raw-fish parasites. You seem more than content with continuing to eat whatever sushi you feel like, comfortable with your belief that all parasites die if they are "chilled." Must be nice, to be able to deny reality so deftly, must be nice, I do envy you that...

[Jonathan]

That's a nasty little nematode, Lotesse. Parasitology is interesting so thanks for posting! However I think when that site calls Anisikiasis a "major health hazard", they might be taking a bit it too far. The statement doesn't seem well-founded. Expressions like that are often used by the media to start a scare, so more people will buy their papers and whatnot

Anyway! I think if you eat sushi only occassionaly, the risks are slim that you'll get infected. So keep eating it, I sure will . Sushi is healthy.

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Nautipus

I know it is, so I try to avoid tuna, especially blue tuna, and I'll usually have eel and (rarely) salmon, but the only fish least likely to giove you parasites is eel.

If the eel is sweet-water eel, then there's another point you could worry about. The European eel for instance resides in mud and in some regions takes in the pollution that has built up in the river beds. Some are loaded with heavy metals, not very healthy. Of course, that's over here, I don't know what sort of eels lands on your plate. (More phobias to worry about! )

But it is indeed wise to be picky about what fish you eat, I've always bagdered my family to buy at least tuna of which the can either has the Marine Stewardship Council logo (supposedly sustainably caught fish, although I have been hearing there have been some lapses in checking that, still better than nothing) or an emblem that signals the tuna is caught without danger to dolphins. Me, I don't eat tuna out of principle. I absolutely love well-made sole, but alas, over-fished as well, so only on special occasions... So sad, but no fish for me.

[brownjenkins]

I love fish, but prefer it cooked. Sushi is okay, but nothing like a well-grilled fillet.

[Nautipus]

Originally Posted by Lotesse

Yeah, yeah. So basically you are not at all phobic of parasites in raw fish, it was all just something to post here for the hell of it the other day, I get it. Not a real fear. Well, keep on keepin' on, then, li'l buddy! More power to ya, and your wee parasites, too, meh he he he he he he....

And you say "Bah" and wave your paw at the tuna netfishing depletion problem? For shame, seriously what, are you...are you a ... a REPUBLICAN, perchance? No just playin', who cares about politics. For years and years I was one of Them. Haven't been since the early nineties, but anyway who cares. However, you might want to consider caring about the depletion and human-enforced and perpetuated forced extinction of some of our world's animals, like what Earniel was saying. I mean, it would be cool not to be so cavalierly dismissive about it. It's way uncool to just say "yeah yeah yeah, whatever, ha ha" about species in our oceans rapidly swimming towards the end goal of extinction thanks to the efforrts of greedy fishing companies propelled to make business because of wanton consumers who love sushi and tuna sandwiches whenever they want it, wanton consumers like anybody in the wealthy western or Japanese areas of this planet.

Think about it.

And again, I am calling you out, Nautipus, on your so-called "phobia" of parasites, because I think you're posing and really don't have a phobia at all of raw-fish parasites. You seem more than content with continuing to eat whatever sushi you feel like, comfortable with your belief that all parasites die if they are "chilled." Must be nice, to be able to deny reality so deftly, must be nice, I do envy you that...

First, I was just joking with Earniel, I kmow that it's over-fished, and that's why I dont eat tuna and why I rarely eat salmon. But you must realize, that the salmon you order is usually aquacultured, not caught wild, at least the salmon I eat is, and the parasites that are usually found in the wild arent present in the aquacultured tanks. Now secondly, when I say "chilled", what I mean is that it has been cooked thourghouly enough to kill the parasites that could be present, then chilled. You can specially order it prepared that way, which is what I do.

Once again: I have only tried tuna sushi once, dont like it all that much, know it's overfished, so I stay away from it. But I mean come ON, when I did the whole yeah, yeah, thing, it was just playful banter, nothing more. I wasnt waving away the importance of the situation, so dont assume I did.

Now about my phobia. Alright, let's say it's not an all out phobia, but I am extremely afraid of them. I cant look at a picture of them, and I sure as hell cant look at a bottle of them in biology class. I HATE them with a passion, but I dont let that passion control me, so I guess it really isnt a phobia, but it is definately a huge fear. But for you to say I was just posting for the hell of it was extremely insulting.

[The last sane person]

Well, she has a habit of doing that, dont take it personally, she does it more or less to everyone.

Now, to be on subject; I have an outstanding fear of landmines.