igotplans2
Member
Only in recent months have I realized a lifelong phobia's probably related to a traumatic past life experience. Bridges. I'm absolutely terrified of them. The worst case scenarios are very long or high and arching bridges that go over bodies of water. I have panic attacks, and feel like I'm going to die from fright before the deadly collapse I'm sure is going to occur when I'm in trapped in the middle of the bridge.
The crazy thing is that I've always been afraid of even short, low bridges over shallow creeks. My elementary school was a nightmare, because the building itself was separated from the parking lot and playing fields by a creek Three bridges connected them. The creek couldn't have been more than 50 feet wide, and 15 feet to the creek bed below. The water was shallow enough that, even if a kid fell in, they'd barely get wet. Still, I had anxiety attacks. My legs trembled and I'd hold my breath every time I crossed. The center bridge was concrete paved, but the two end ones were riveted steel. Rowdy boys loved to run and stomp across, making them rumble as much as possible. I did my best to hide my fear, but always walked slowly in the middle, doing my best to avoid being jostled. I was certain my body would somehow wind up at just the right angle to go through the spaces in the railings (a virtual impossibility) if anyone bumped into me. Thirty years later, I found myself back at that school when my son was a student there for a year. I was still scared of those freakin' bridges.
It isn't just bridges over water that bother me. When I started driving, I'd freak about highway overpasses, sure that one would collapse onto my car some day. The only thing that made me feel better was knowing the odds of getting hit were low because I'd be underneath for only a second or two. Still, I held my breath until I was clear of them. It's such an extreme, irrational fear that it has to be rooted in something that actually took place. I'd love to figure out what it is. Is there a way I could get to the bottom of this :tongue: without the help of a therapist or hypnotist?
The crazy thing is that I've always been afraid of even short, low bridges over shallow creeks. My elementary school was a nightmare, because the building itself was separated from the parking lot and playing fields by a creek Three bridges connected them. The creek couldn't have been more than 50 feet wide, and 15 feet to the creek bed below. The water was shallow enough that, even if a kid fell in, they'd barely get wet. Still, I had anxiety attacks. My legs trembled and I'd hold my breath every time I crossed. The center bridge was concrete paved, but the two end ones were riveted steel. Rowdy boys loved to run and stomp across, making them rumble as much as possible. I did my best to hide my fear, but always walked slowly in the middle, doing my best to avoid being jostled. I was certain my body would somehow wind up at just the right angle to go through the spaces in the railings (a virtual impossibility) if anyone bumped into me. Thirty years later, I found myself back at that school when my son was a student there for a year. I was still scared of those freakin' bridges.
It isn't just bridges over water that bother me. When I started driving, I'd freak about highway overpasses, sure that one would collapse onto my car some day. The only thing that made me feel better was knowing the odds of getting hit were low because I'd be underneath for only a second or two. Still, I held my breath until I was clear of them. It's such an extreme, irrational fear that it has to be rooted in something that actually took place. I'd love to figure out what it is. Is there a way I could get to the bottom of this :tongue: without the help of a therapist or hypnotist?
