Ask Lemmy

The invisible shark in the swimming pool. I will say nothing more

Dropping my phone when I’m in a high place

Flying insects. I scream. Period.

Also, I adore them and I am fascinated by them. Period.

My spouse was still sleeping earlier so I tried to sneak into the room to grab my phone I left on the nightstand. When I was walking out I stepped on a stuffed mouse on a string (usually hangs from a doorframe so the cat can play with it but he pulled it down apparently). When I stepped on it I thought it was a real animal and soon as my foot felt the pressure of pushing down on such an object I jerked it up roughly to my waist, kicked the door I was trying to walk through and it slammed shut.

One of those moments where you want to apologize, but really then you are just causing more noise to wake them up further.

Tldr; I'm an idiot

Being murdered for being trans while living in Oregon. It shouldn’t happen, but it’s not impossible.

Prions. Misfolded proteins that manage to get into your brain and just wreck shit. I don't handle anything that would be contaminated or anything but just the idea of this non-living thing that will just replicate and cause havok - horrifying.

Suddenly falling over the railing that separates me from the long fall below.

I don't generally have balance issues, and I know hundreds of people have successfully leaned on that railing, but I'll be good standing a few steps back.

Small birds. Their tiny little dinosaur motions. Jerky and predatory. I have monkey brain issues with them and it takes all I have to override it.

The least logical thing I know is Donald Trump, and I'm afraid this idiot will set the world on fire...

Falling. I've had a fear of slipping and falling since I was a kid, even just walking downhill can trigger it. I think it's a vertigo type thing.

Having a slug come into contact with my feet or my socks or my shoes, but only if I am wearing them at the time. Anywhere else on my body is fine. I don't know what harm will come from this occuring. I do know it is fine if a slug is touching my shoe, I pick it off, and then put on the shoe. My fear of snails is likely but unverified.

Floors I can see through (metal mesh, drainage grates, thick glass, etc.)

I struggle to walk across it, even when it can hold literal cars.

Answering a question like this in a place where it could be hoovered up by a hostile foreign power. I'm not interesting enough to be targeted specifically but they can cast a wide net and stash away the info for a rainy day.

Oh, what the heck, couldn't really hurt. My greatest fear is friendly medium/large dogs (Labrador Retriever to Irish Wolfhound-ish) followed closely by collections of good science fiction books and too much time to read them.

Talking to people

Palmetto bugs.

Getting stabbed on the bus. Everytime a crazy guy gets on the bus and starts yelling im like fuck today is the day.

Its not logical because the chance of it happening is extremely low due to low crime + he cant stab everyone on the bus so ive got a 1/30 chance. Also i probably only have the worry because very often i read news about people getting attacked on public transport in my city.

Helicopter rotor blades. I'm afraid they will hit my eyes. Even seeing them on a video is very uncomfortable and I have to look away or close my eyes until they're gone.

Meeting myself in any variation.

I have no idea why, but I've always had this idea that if I met another me in the world it has to end in one of us dead. Doesn't matter on the origin, clone, copy, alternate timeline, time travel, doppelganger, replicant, don't care. There's absolutely no way around, it's on sight and to the death.

This is one of my most consist feelings in life and I often wonder if it's because I consumed my twin in the womb. As a child I came up with an arrangement that if I accidentally time travelled I'd be able to use to contact myself indirectly so that we can't cross paths.

Of course, the chance of any of these things happening is insanely low so it's kind of dumb to have a plan in place for its eventual occurrence.

That a huge carpet of ants will sweep into my neighbourhood and eat everything, including me. I blame Macgyver.

Blood tests. I guess it is understandable from an emotional viewpoint but it is certainly not logical. I also can't watch scenes in movies where they inject drugs. Eeeeh!!!!

Spontaneous human combustion.

Watched a documentary on it as a kid and I've had the fear in the back of my mind ever since

Dying with unspent money in my bank account

The current US federal government.