Phobias

Post by **FatherJack** » February 14th, 2010, 3:11

Phobias. What are yours and how do they affect you when you encounter them? Do any games calculatingly try to trigger them and do they succeed or are you able to rationalise them away as "just a game" but does that then damage your immersion?

For me, I'm scared of spiders. When I unexpectedly come across a particularly large, spindly one in my house my reactions range from total muscle seizure to panicked screaming like a girl or a choked gargle somewhere in between the two.

In games, they make my skin crawl and I itch for a while afterwards, plus I tend to check the corners in my home more than I would normally, but I wouldn't say in-game ones scare me.

Post by **Grimmie** » February 14th, 2010, 3:19

I hate spiders, but I don't have a phobic reaction, I think.
I usually just either distance myself, squish them, or try to ignore.

My phobia is wasps, and to a lesser extent bees. (BEEEES!)
The hive plasmid in Bioshock made me uneasy, while I was able to play with it in the game, I didn't long stare at the blisters and wasps on the weapon model.
Giant enemy wasps in games also make me feel a little uneasy, but like with spiders it's not a phobic reaction.

In real life I fucking freak. I tense up, sweat, feel my heart race and want to put as much distance between me and the wasp as possible.
Wasp nest in the loft during one summer tending the house was a fucking nightmare for me. I woke up and the house was swarming with them. Ugh.

Akiakaiu · Post by **Akiakaiu** » February 14th, 2010, 5:24

Heights, can't stand them at all, to the point of nervous on a chair changing a lightbulb. Haven't had a game bother me with them though. Mirror's Edge was fun jumping off buildings since I know it's just a game and i'm sitting in my chair.

I do get squeamish when I see a needle puncture skin, but that's not a phobia, just a thing that bugs the shit out of me.

Wiggy · Post by **Wiggy** » February 14th, 2010, 8:57

Mine's heights, but it's odd - I can quite happily be in a plane doing aerobatics and feel great. However, put me more than 3 feet up a ladder and I'll go pale and refuse to go any further. Actually, I think I once threatened to punch my Dad because he wanted me to clean his guttering.

Post by **Roman Totale** » February 14th, 2010, 9:42

I hate snakes - they are creatures of hell unleashed upon earth. The way they move, the shape of the mouth, the eyes...

Urgh!

Never seen anything in a game that sets off a snake phobia though.

Also, whilst I have no problem with being injected or having blood samples taken personally, I simply cannot watch them on television. Don't know why, but it just really freaks me the fuck out.

spoodie · Post by **spoodie** » February 14th, 2010, 10:32

Grimmie wrote:squish them

You shouldn't do that, they do a useful job. I don't particular like insect and spider, they can make my skin crawl, but that seems harsh. I always catch them and put them outside.

I have a problem with heights as well, but only cliffs and tall buildings kind of heights. Certain death drops I suppose. Some platform-type games have bothered me because of this, jumping on platforms over a deadly drop. But I can happily play Mirrors Edge, Assassins Creed, etc.

Post by **Grimmie** » February 14th, 2010, 11:12

I only squish hooj ones I don't think I could grab with the paper + cup treatment.
Anything smaller than a 50p piece I tend to catch and release.

Post by **Joose** » February 14th, 2010, 11:31

Only time ive ever squished a spider on purpose was that massive bastard that scared the pee out of me last year. But then, I hit it with my boot and it ran away, so im not sure that counts

buzzmong · Post by **buzzmong** » February 14th, 2010, 11:55

I've not found my phobia yet, I suspect if I have one it'll be something odd like the phobia of flying rhinos or something to the same level of rarity.

I'm not saying I've got no fear, I don't like wasps and tend to move away sharpish if I can't see them, but if I can see one I'll quite happily use a piece of paper to move it out the window.

Hornets are similar, except I make it my mission to get the fuck out of dodge asap if I can only hear them and not see them. If I can see them and they're 5 feet or more away I'll watch it for a bit before deciding a plan of action. It's not a phobia though, I don't go pale/get excited/freeze/cack myself or anything like that.

I'm cool with snakes and fairly ok with spiders as well. Normally make sure I've got an active spider with a small web near the ceiling in my room during the summer to keep the flies away.

Shada · Post by **Shada** » February 14th, 2010, 12:06

Vast open expanses of water is the only phobia I have that I'm aware of. I'm also afraid of stinging insects, but not to the extent that a picture of one will scare me in any way.

Games do trigger my open water phobia, often not calculatingly. Basically any games that allow you to fly over open water or even have a map that's out at sea will do it. Even gmod's full water map. Doesn't trigger if I'm on a boat, though. Boats are safe.

Post by **Roman Totale** » February 14th, 2010, 12:31

Shada wrote:Vast open expanses of water is the only phobia I have that I'm aware of.

Ah yes, forgot my fear of the sea. I blame that on Jaws (in my mind the scariest film I've ever seen).

I've just picked up a huge spider in the bathroom and let it out the window. I am a manly man.

Sheriff Fatman · Post by **Sheriff Fatman** » February 14th, 2010, 12:52

Shada wrote:Vast open expanses of water ...

A bit of this and a bit of deep water combined. I only realised when I was doing a qualifying dive on The Zenobia. It was the first time I had been way out and way deep (relatively speaking). The sheer fucking scale of the thing, combined with a real feeling of being somewhere I didn't belong, actually took my breath away and I ended up having to cut the dive short because I had used my air too fast

Great experience but I don't have a future as a deep sea diver.

friznit · Post by **friznit** » February 14th, 2010, 12:57

I don't think I have any. The only thing that really annoys me is screaming babies on aeroplanes where there's no escape, but it's not a phobia as such. And I've liked bees ever since we got our first hive at home. They hard working, industrious and surprisingly clever little critters that only sting you if you threaten them. Wasp otoh are cunts.

cashy · Post by **cashy** » February 14th, 2010, 14:00

My phobia is the female. Thankfully, my career as a gamer has helped to distance me further.

The only real phobia I have is heights, but being an electrician it's probably for the best that I'm stubborn enough not to let it get the best of me.

Post by **HereComesPete** » February 14th, 2010, 14:10

Coulrophobia - clowns. Raised heart rate and cold sweats if they get too close or I can't get away. No idea why as I never got touched up by some fat drunk dressed as a clown whilst a yoot. I do take great pleasure in shooting, stabbing and garrotting the clown in hitman.

Open water, large drops and other such awesome things do tend to tweak at me, but I tend to go and find that instead of shy away, bungee jumps and the like.

Baliame · Post by **Baliame** » February 14th, 2010, 14:32

Wasps and bees, not quite a phobic reaction but close enough. I stepped into one of the alpha wasps (the ones that ate so many grapes (we have those and they make excellent wine) that they're 2-3 times their normal size) when I was three, since that I pretty much try to avoid them. Seeing wasps in a game don't really make me feel uncomfortable, unless they're a few times larger than me.

As for heights, open seas, stuff like that, no phobias really, just slight unease or (for, say, bungee jumping) what the fuck am I doing feeling.

MORDETH LESTOK · Post by **MORDETH LESTOK** » February 14th, 2010, 14:55

I have a phoibia about publicly stating my phobias that someone with this knowledge might torture me with it someday...

Although, I will tell of my fear of heights. I've been on quite a few rollercoasters and the climb up just kills me. The rest is quite fun.

My friends went on the "new super-tall" coaster and I refused to go on. Karma got em back for calling me a pussy...they got stuck near the top for about 40mins and had to walk down the tiny little steps down...needless to say...mass quantities of beer were to be had...

Post by **Dr. kitteny berk** » February 14th, 2010, 15:04

I don't have anything that gives be any real phobic reactions, but a few odd things that creep me out a little.

I'm pretty uneasy with heights, but only to a point of self preservation these days. (used to be scared shitless of bridges as a kid)

Not keen on caterpillars, they're unnatural and wrong, especially if they're hairy.

I don't like other people with needles either, I can spend all day prodding myself with needles, but someone else with them worries me.

Fred Woogle · Post by **Fred Woogle** » February 14th, 2010, 15:14

My 2 main phobias are,

Lack of Metal & Lack of Beer

amblin · Post by **amblin** » February 14th, 2010, 15:42