overrating phobias

[jazz]

recently, iv been watching programmes over here such as "I'm a Celebrity" and fear factor..etc, you know the sort
and i can't help but get the niggling feeling, that the term "phobia" is overrused.
don't get me wrong, im not saying that anyone on this site is not truly phobic, i don't doubt that for a second other wise we wouldn't be here..but you often here people say quite flippantly.. "oh no, i have a phobia of that "
is it just me, or do people say this without really the knowledge, that perhaps we have when it comes the severity of the word "phobia."One ofmy friends annoyed methe other day when i got panicky over lunch, and said something like " yeh, but everyone has a phobia, we just have to deal with it "-- i didn't have the energy to argue that 1 in 20 people have a phobia, it's a point right?
sorry to rant, but id appreciate your feedback.

[r311dude]

I totally know what you mean...I've seen people go like, oh I have a phobia of this and that..and I sit there and kind of stare at them. Cause I see how they react in situations concerning thier phobia..and it's nothing compared to when I get a panic attack..I never put them down, but I just think a lot of people use the term, phobia loosely..like for me..I am afraid of spiders..but not deathly afraid..they should just choose thier words more carefully.

[ejb199]

totally agree Jazz. It actually really annoys me when people say 'oh ive got a phobie of that' - as far as ive read/heard etc - a phobia is a fear of something so severe that it impacts on everyday life! i.e like ALL of us here and emetophobia!

i hate to use my sister in an example...but its classic of wat really gets up my nose. she doesnt like ladybirds - yet she says she has a 'real phobia' of them. and my mum always says she does - u know - like if it ever gets into conversation. now my argument is that if it really was a phobia - she wldnt step out the house for fear of them - or wld have daily panic attacks etc.

and the thing that annoys me the MOST - is that my rents treat 'her' phobia seriously and tell ME to grow up!!

wats that abt!!

[mbs730]

The problem is that people THINK they know about certain
things that they in fact know nothing about. It annoys me more than
anything.</font>

[jazz]

im glad im not alone on this one!
aw Em, i love ladybugs [img]smileys/smilies_06.gif[/img]i can appreciate how frustrating for you that must be..i mean, having emetophobia, that intrudes most things we do, ie) eating, going out..but i guess having a fear of ladybugs, that doesn't really keep you inside the house does it?
thats not to say some people dont feel like that
rich and miriamhave a point, the term is too "loose" and people consider everday fears to be of some major importance, i don't think it's fair to us real phobics

[rhinoseri]

Yes, I find that quite annoying also. Also, it seems that some people think that it is "cool" to have a "phobia" of clowns...


This summer, at the camp that I go to, this one girl who was in my cabin- she was a real jerk, but whenever we asked her to do anything, she would refuse. Usually she wouldsay something along the lines of "I don't like to clean out the sinks (or something like that) It's just like Anna not liking throw up. You guys don't makeher clean up vomit!" I mean, really, developing a phobia of cleaning sinks,just because she doesn't like to.


And yes, I have had people tell me that everyone has a phobia. Someone's said to me: "I have a phobia of ants, but you don't see me crying and shaking when I see one..."

[jazz]

god, thats really ignorant! and it's along the lines of what my mate said to me the other day.
people almost seem reluctant to see your point of view, and it's god damn annoying..it was the whole "everyones" got a phobia that got me..because, no, they don't!
without sounding self-rightous, people should think before they open their mouths into a topic they don't fully understand.

[r311dude]

All I can sayis even though these people may overuse the word phobia, don't get angry at them. Negative energy never solves anything. Try putting yourselves in thier shoes. Think about it. Other people don't understand our phobia of vomitting, so maybe we don't understand thier fear of so and so. Just try to put yourself in thier position is all I can say, even though that washing the sink story sounds like that girl was just trying to cop out. But yea, keep the positive energy flowing, no need for negativity.

[bethany]

i sooo agree........there is a difference in merely being afraid of something and being literally phobic of something. I know i don't like snakes but i dont panic when i see them. People do overuse the word "phobia" for sure. That's why when i tell people i am phobic, they take it like it's no big deal b/c they are so used to hearing the word as meaning "a little scared" lol...the word is used way too loosely. -megan

[charzysbebe]

Very annoying!!! My daughter says she has aracnaphobia, because she hates spiders. Well, her whole life doesn't revolve around fear of spiders, and avoidance of spiders....so, I know she doesn't truly have a phobia.


She said there was a spider by her bed not long ago, and that was all I had ever heard about that. [img]smileys/smilies_05.gif[/img] Charlotte

[ejb199]

Hey Jazz - i like ladybirds too - its my little sister that doesnt! Lol - altho i hate beetles - wierd isnt it. And i find the yellow and black ladybirds wierd....

I hate spiders too but i def wouldnt go as far as to say im aracnophobic. I guess if someone were really aracnophobic then they wldnt go outside/or get realy scared - havea fear of picnics too maybe...stay clear of the banana aisle in supermarkets blah blah blah

ems x

[helsbels]

The thing that really annoys me about other people's use of the word 'phobia' is the fact that because they use it loosely, they assume that we're using it loosely as well and so they don't understand the true extent of the fear and the way it affectsour lives. Like a few people have touched on already - I think that people just think we don't like to v* and they don't see that as a problem fear because actually nobody likes to v* phobic or not... I don't think people generally understand the panic and the anxiety associated with it and the avoidance tactics. For that reason, if I ever do describe my fear to people (which isn't very often) I actually avoid using the term 'phobia'.

[Jenneh]

AHH Let me hav a rant!!!! pleeeeeeeeeease??


i too get very very pissed off with that. like when people say they have a phobia of spiders ... i say... no.. you have a FEAR of spiders... unless they are literally unable to go into the room or if they see one, have a panic attack smthing lke that.... otherwise their phobia is very very very weak.


and i know someone said that we shudnt turn this into a negative post.. but i think we've got to have our moans about valid things.. otherwise we may start getting bitter and twisted with each other when really its just societies reactions to us that gets us. i dont know...


Jen xxxx

[jazz]

Agreed, we all need a rant once in a while.. i often think, if more people were to watch reality tv programmes, along the lines of Fear Factor etc, then there would be a wider understanding of what a phobia really is.
toomany times i have heard people go on about their "phobias" only for them to forget whatever it was they were phobic of.
i can understand the fact that they're perhaps not fully aware, but in the meantime, i can only feel frustrated for all of us who have to listen to their complaining..lol