> > What causes people to have phobias? I have got to have one of the most illogical phobias in the world. Okay, here it is:
> >
> > I'm afraid of being shot on the freeway. Don't ask me how this phobia started, because I honestly don't know. However, for as long as I can remember, I've been afraid that if I look at some person the wrong way and they're in a gang or something they'll shoot me. Isn't that the stupidest thing you've ever heard? I just wish I knew why in the world I have this phobia...it's so stupid. I don't even live in a bad area, either, so it's even dumber.
> >
> > ~Den-"told you it was illogical"Kara
>
> You wanna hear a weirder phobia? (Or would it be more weird?) I'm afraid of people touching my wrists. But that's not it exactly. I'm afraid of them CARESSING or softyly touching my wrists. And I hate when other people touch their own wrists. And by "caress", I mean, pretending to cut it with a knife....ew...just the thought makes me squeamish. And also, I don't like people touching my throat or collar bone. Is that not weird?
>
> Mi"also afraid of the dark, but only when someone else is in the dark with me"a

I'm not actually afraid of being touched in the wrists, but whenever I think even for a moment of someone cutting their wrists (which I don't think about too often, thank Heaven) I can feel exactly what it would feel like and it is unbelievably horrible.

I'm afraid of the dark, too . . . sort of. I'm afraid of being out in the open when the house is dark and I'm the only one up. I just $know$ that someone has broken in silently and is hiding in the shadows with a gun or a knife. When I go into the bathroom late at night I close my eyes, turn on the lights, and then open them. I also check behind the door, just in case.

At my dad's house my bedroom is one of three that goes out to the balcony. The doors to it are all sliding glass doors, and the curtains in my room are so thin as to be ineffective. I am terrified of looking at the sliding door when my lights are off because I keep expecting to see an evil murderer standing there, even though there is no possible way anyone could get to the balcony from outside.

I guess I'm just a wuss. But I still lock the computer room door if I'm up later than everyone else.

-eric "John Malkovich scares me, too" sleator
Sun 31 Dec A.D. 2000