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Commonly Held Phobias

Conroy

Conroy

New Member
Recently I've been thinking about two of the most commonly reported human irrational phobias. I happen to have both of them, and I'm sure many others do too.

The first is a fear of heights, and the second a fear of spiders.

With the insight past-life regression gives us into phobias and their sources, and also given that these particular phobias seem to be reported fairly commonly, I wonder if there could have been some massive event which occurred en masse in the dim and distant past to explain so many people's fears of these things.

I know that in part my fear of heights comes from a past-life death, where a parachute failed to open. But I can't help but think that there may be a lot more to it than that. Have there really been that many people who have died in a similar way, do you think, to reflect the number of people who have this phobia?

I've no idea where the spider phobia comes from. All I know is I can't look at one over a certain size without practically having a full-on panic attack. This phobia seems to be incredibly common and just makes me wonder whether there was some huge trigger event which affected a lot of people simultaneously, way back when.

What do you think? Also, can anyone think of any other 'popular' phobias? I'm sure there are several.
 
I'm sure they are both PL related. In the past many people probably either fell or were thrown off cliffs, volcanoes, etc. The Mayans or Aztecs threw people down the steps of the pyramids. As for spiders, even I worry about being bitten by black widows hiding in gloves, shoes, dark places, etc. And now I worry about mosquitoes and West Nile Virus. Every summer there are people who die from it in my area. Ten years ago it was unknown here.
 
I never worry about spiders, and squash them with a bare hand. That tells me that I wasn't alive during the "event" Conroy, although I'm not discounting the possibility that one occurred. ;) I do have the fear of heights, and I think both phobias are common. Claustrophobia is fairly common - might that come from cave days, where we didn't want to be backed into a corner, and have to fight our way out?
 
I'm sure that there are individual cases where fear of heights can be attributed to a trauma in a past life, but I think in the main, human beings are just hard wired to fear heights, to varying degrees. We are, after all, naturally ground dwelling creatures, we don't climb very well (compared to four legged animals) we don't have wings, and we can't jump very high, so the sensation of height immediately puts us out of our comfort zone, triggering an instinctive defense mechanism that could be interpreted as a phobia. Of course, some people enjoy the 'rush' of taking off in a plane or braving a fairground ride, but whether you love it or hate it, the adrenalin rush felt by all is still a defense mechanism which some people interpret as fear, while others interpret it as a thrill.


As for spiders, another common phobia. They are creatures that look repulsive to mankind because they have no features that we can relate to. They have eight eyes but no head, they use hydraulics instead of muscle to move. They've resided on this planet for millions of years before humans were here, yet we know so little about them. I have 3 tarantula's as pets and they really are the most fascinating animals. I've never particularly liked spiders, but I wanted an unusual pet and I've kept tarantulas for a year now, and the longer you study them and get used to their little habits and routines, the more you realize that they are such gentle animals with purpose and even a slight variation in personality. They only bite when threatened, and even then they'll opt for more diplomatic defense measures before they strike. I see spiders in a completely different light now, I love my three, and they've all got names!:tongue: so if you want to cure your spider phobia, then I can't recommend a tarantula highly enough :D
 
BriarRose said:
I never worry about spiders, and squash them with a bare hand. That tells me that I wasn't alive during the "event" Conroy, although I'm not discounting the possibility that one occurred. ;) I do have the fear of heights, and I think both phobias are common. Claustrophobia is fairly common - might that come from cave days, where we didn't want to be backed into a corner, and have to fight our way out?
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If something did happen to precipitate a mass reaction, perhaps you were alive during that time, but were in a geographical region unaffected, BR. Who knows? Who knows if anything like that did occur? It just seems odd that so many people have that phobia without any obvious root. This is what happens when I have too much time to think about things :D


Your comment about claustrophobia is an interesting one, and that would make sense. I've also heard of a case before (possibly one of Brian Weiss' cases, although I'm unsure off the top of my head) where in some ancient cultures servants were buried alive in chambers, along with their masters when they passed on. That could also account for claustrophobia in the present day.


I'm sure there are many potential causes of phobias such as claustrophobia and probably heights. I just struggle to think of many potential causes involving spiders, and the number of people suffering from that phobia just makes me curious.
 
ChrisR said:
I'm sure that there are individual cases where fear of heights can be attributed to a trauma in a past life, but I think in the main, human beings are just hard wired to fear heights, to varying degrees. We are, after all, naturally ground dwelling creatures, we don't climb very well (compared to four legged animals) we don't have wings, and we can't jump very high, so the sensation of height immediately puts us out of our comfort zone, triggering an instinctive defense mechanism that could be interpreted as a phobia. Of course, some people enjoy the 'rush' of taking off in a plane or braving a fairground ride, but whether you love it or hate it, the adrenalin rush felt by all is still a defense mechanism which some people interpret as fear, while others interpret it as a thrill.
As for spiders, another common phobia. They are creatures that look repulsive to mankind because they have no features that we can relate to. They have eight eyes but no head, they use hydraulics instead of muscle to move. They've resided on this planet for millions of years before humans were here, yet we know so little about them. I have 3 tarantula's as pets and they really are the most fascinating animals. I've never particularly liked spiders, but I wanted an unusual pet and I've kept tarantulas for a year now, and the longer you study them and get used to their little habits and routines, the more you realize that they are such gentle animals with purpose and even a slight variation in personality. They only bite when threatened, and even then they'll opt for more diplomatic defense measures before they strike. I see spiders in a completely different light now, I love my three, and they've all got names!:tongue: so if you want to cure your spider phobia, then I can't recommend a tarantula highly enough :D
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Thank you for your insights on both of those. There seems to be a lot of sense in what you say. All the same, I think I'll leave my phobia intact for now, if that's the only solution to it :D
 
I agree, Conroy, even though I have no fear of them. I don't see them as pets, but I am happy that you and the "gang" found each other, Chris! :D
 
I feel very strongly about spiders. It's widely believed that without the existence of these arachnids, mankind wouldn't be able to thrive, perhaps not even exist. This is due to their consumption and killing of pesky, genuine pests on the planet that could multiply at alarming rates if they didn't exterminate them the way they do. I've made it a point to mention this to every person I meet and it always upsets me when a spider is killed due to fear of how it looks. I keep thinking that the reason people don't like them is simply because their appearance is frightening and it angers me. I do feel there is something inside us which feels afraid of these creatures - but then I also think it may be a cultural thing because there are people in certain countries who have no fear of them. I'm sure that God-awful film 'Arachnophobia' didn't help either.


I always feel a need to protect spiders because I see it like they are friends to man, they are essentially protecting us (the house spider in the corner of the room has more interest in snapping up the pesky bugs that swarm all over the house than actually attacking us!), yet we kill them based on how they look. I used to be mortally afraid of them until I learned how beneficial they are to mankind, and conquered my fear when realizing how unfair and irrational it was to hate the arachnids that are doing us a favour purely by existing. And I am sure they are much more afraid of us than we are of them.


I am, of course, referring to the majority of spiders and not those select few who can kill a human if someone provokes them. Even though, whether intentionally or unintentionally, the key words there is 'provoke'. Like a lot of creatures, they won't attack unless provoked.
 
I agree, Skye. They don't harm you if they are not provoked. I live with two arachnophobes, unfortunately, and my husband and daughter scream to be saved. My advice to ignore the spiders is unheeded. My husband is terrified of wasps and bees, although he is not allergic. Those, and the fear of snakes, are really common fears.
 
Most spiders, like the "long legs", I ignore. But the poisonous ones like the black widows are a different matter. Yes, spiders do provide a service.
 
This is an interesting concept, but personally I think it has more to do with evolution and wanting to keep ourselves from harm and dangerous situations that would have been dangerous to our ancestors and it probably something hardwired in our genes.


What I'm more concerned about and interested in are phobias that have absolutely no good explanation because they are not things that most people are afraid of. Those are what lead me to believe there are past-life explanations.
 
Personally my worst fears are anger and height; urban without glass or bars, I tend to freeze when I come into these situations.
 
I tend to agree with ChrisR that fear of heights is something hard wired into humans as a defence mechanism. I am a recreational pilot n this life, and can climb umpteen thousands of feet into the sky and cavort around the clouds without any fear of being high above the ground at all. But stick me on top of a high building close to the edge, with nothing between me and tumbling to my doom but half a foot step, and I'm as terrified as anyone else. It's all about exposure to risk: while flying, I'm sitting down in a machine which keeps me aloft and over which I have control. Standing on top of that building, however, the slightest mis-step, a gust of wind, etc, sends me hurtling to my death!


Although I hated spiders as a kid, I rapidly grew out of that particular phobia. They do indeed do human kind a huge favour, and our homes would be over-run with other buggy creatures were it not for their house patrols! Personally, I can't stand to kill anything, and when I see a spider sometimes appear in my bath, I always remove it before running water. I drowned one once by accident, and was surprised how saddened I felt afterwards.


Snakes, on the other hand, I loathe. I'd still never deliberately kill one (except in self-defence), but they send shivers up my spine! Fortunately, here in the UK snakes are relatively far and few between.
 
Here in the American Southwest you always have to be aware of rattlesnakes when visiting the mountains and foothills. They do us a service also in keeping the rodents under control.
 
I have one very irrational fear, and haven't met anyone else who shares it. I've been afraid since childhood of being killed by an object falling out of the sky. Every time a piece of space debris, like a satellite, falls, I'm sure it's headed right for me. I don't go into a frenzy, but I'm very relieved when it's down. Does this scare anyone else? OMG
 
BriarRose, perhaps that is related to another lifetime or maybe an experience you had when you were very young? I hadn't given that fear any thought before you mentioned it just now. :D


There isn't really anything I'm afraid of except the one thing that I won't speak aloud because it frightens me so much that I fear saying it as all sorts of paranoid thoughts rush through my head! I know for a fact it's related to a past life though - worse still, this fear will inevitably come true this day, I just need to minimize the circumstances as best as possible.


By the way, happy new year everyone!
 
BriarRose said:
I have one very irrational fear, and haven't met anyone else who shares it. I've been afraid since childhood of being killed by an object falling out of the sky. Every time a piece of space debris, like a satellite, falls, I'm sure it's headed right for me. I don't go into a frenzy, but I'm very relieved when it's down. Does this scare anyone else? OMG
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99.9% of space debris, meteors, etc land in the ocean. But if you are that .1% it's a BIG DEAL. Sounds like something hit you on the head in a past life.
 
BriarRose said:
I have one very irrational fear, and haven't met anyone else who shares it. I've been afraid since childhood of being killed by an object falling out of the sky. Every time a piece of space debris, like a satellite, falls, I'm sure it's headed right for me. I don't go into a frenzy, but I'm very relieved when it's down. Does this scare anyone else? OMG
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I never let it stop me going out, but I do think about it sometimes, but that's probably because I'm an amateur astronomer more than it being a past life issue. Did you know that you're more at risk of being hit by an extraterrestrial object at 2am in the morning? That's because of the way the Earth travels around the Sun. At 2am on any night, if you stand outside, it's like being tied to the front of a truck while travelling at 67000 miles per hour down the highway as you are at that time facing the heavens head on as we travel along our orbit. At 2pm, you're tied to the back of the truck so you're safer then ;) Still, the chances of being hit by anything are so tiny that it's not worth worrying about as 99% of space debris is burnt up in the atmosphere. Still I thought you might enjoy that useless piece of trivia :D
 
:rolleyes:

BriarRose said:
I have one very irrational fear, and haven't met anyone else who shares it. I've been afraid since childhood of being killed by an object falling out of the sky. Every time a piece of space debris, like a satellite, falls, I'm sure it's headed right for me. I don't go into a frenzy, but I'm very relieved when it's down. Does this scare anyone else? OMG
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I wouldn't say scared but it was sure entertaining in a thrilling kind of way to see documentaries about the upcoming 2012 disasters on how a astroid would fall from the sky. :smug:
 
Well, that will give me something to think about at 2:00 A.M. LOL My specific fear is a meteor, but there's a fear of planets colliding, like the one I've heard about with a "rogue" orbit. You guys are right - I may have once died in an avalanche, or had an enemy hurl a rock down on my head.
 
This song goes through my head every time I read this comment.

But no seriously, I wish you the best of luck in finding who this person was ^_^
 
I have a fear of crossing a bridge over water. Doesn't matter on foot or in a car. I did once have a deja vu kind of experience in Montreal, where a friend and I were waiting for a bus, on a bridge, in rainy stormy weather. For a few brief seconds I could actually feel myself falling over the side into the raging waters below.


I'm not as bothered by spiders as I used to be. I don't like the thought of one crawling on me, but I've gotten to where I can scoop them up in a cup and take them outside. I do that for all bugs, I can't bear to kill things, there is no need for it. I've even trained DH (for the most part) to scoop the bugs up and take them outside.


Another common fear is snakes, and I'm not bothered at all by them. I do have a healthy respect, and I know some of them are poisonous (we have copperheads in the area), but I think they're beautiful.


Heights do bother me, but not in all situations. I do have an irrational fear of climbing up ladders - don't know if that's a height thing (because I don't even like the little two step ones), but it's not a phobia.
 
I'm sure random phobias must be pl.


Same as you Misty, bridges over water. I can't even drive over now & get really bad panic attacks. I share it with my Aunt and late Grandmother, every one else in the family is fine.


I have a vision of us being thrown from a ship that's crashed on rocks. Don't know if it's imagination but it would explain it.


Spiders- I was terrified of as a child to the extreme. They don't bother me at all now. I suspect this could be Australian pl with the poisonous ones there.


The dark-even now & a fear of being imprisoned. Must be last life, spending months alone in a prison cell & I suspect another earlier life ended imprisoned.
 
I have a fear of heights but it's not the usual of being up high and looking down but it starts with me being on the ground.


If I go into a building that has a very high ceiling like a church,cathedral or any structure where the ceiling or roof is high that's where my problem starts.


It's hard to explain but I feel if I look up I get all dizzy, my heart rate goes up and I think I am going to float up to the roof.


Never heard of anyone having this type of height phobia before and the first time it happened was when I was about 4yrs old and we visited the local church and I can remember being terrified of


looking up at the ceiling.


The weird thing is my two feet are on the ground !!
 
SimonF said:
If I go into a building that has a very high ceiling like a church,cathedral or any structure where the ceiling or roof is high that's where my problem starts.
It's hard to explain but I feel if I look up I get all dizzy, my heart rate goes up and I think I am going to float up to the roof.


Never heard of anyone having this type of height phobia before and the first time it happened was when I was about 4yrs old and we visited the local church and I can remember being terrified of


looking up at the ceiling.
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Have you tried to find the past life reason for this? Have you tried the Brian Weiss regression video on YouTube?

 
Thanks for the link, I gave it a go but as its the first time I have really sat down ,tried to clear my mind and relax all that happened was I nearly fell asleep and all those mundane thoughts about life kept popping into my head.


I am the type of person who always finds it hard to switch off so I guess it's just practice,practice ,practice .
 
SimonF said:
Thanks for the link, I gave it a go but as its the first time I have really sat down ,tried to clear my mind and relax all that happened was I nearly fell asleep and all those mundane thoughts about life kept popping into my head.
I am the type of person who always finds it hard to switch off so I guess it's just practice,practice ,practice .
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That happens to me, too. Yes, practice. And don't try it when you are sleepy.
 
I don't believe that all fears are past life related. There are many fears that stem from our own learning, because of scary experiences or because we learn them from others. If a child touches a stove and burns a hand in the process, the next time that child will avoid going anywhere near the stove because they still remember how much it hurt. If a child is always being told that spiders are bad and sees adults around them panic when they see a spider, they will learn that fear.


Then there are fears we have because they're related to things we should have been afraid of when we were fighting for survival in the wilderness. Read about the Uncanny Valley, for example. Things that remind us on some level of predators, disease, and forms of danger are going to make us uncomfortable (at the very least) because we needed to fight or run away from those things.


Some fears may be past life related but I'm more inclined to believe that when there's nothing in that person's early life that can explain it.
 
Fear of Heights and Spiders


I have had a mild fear of heights, but I think it relates to my last life when I was shot down while in combat. We were flying at 20,000 ft when we were shot down over Germany. I remember our bomber aircraft nosing down and spinning earthward until I blacked out. I hold this as the reason. Knowing hasn't diminish the fear. Its not much of a fear, but its always present.


I have always had a fear of spiders, but again this is minor. As a child, I used to say it was because we encountered them in the tropics, but I could not remember a life of being in the tropics. That all changed earlier this month when I visited the Yucatan. Because of that trip, I suddenly had memories of living in the Yucatan with the Maya. It was a peasant's life, on the coast, fishing and hunting mostly, and memories of my family, but it was a vivid and happy too. I suspect I encountered many spiders during this life. This would have been around 500AD. Today, I try to save all the spiders who come into my house. I get them out safely and with as little fuss as possible.
 
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