Originally posted by carole
My Phobia is a little different to you all, and probably more difficult, because I have to deal with it more on a daily basis,I have social Phobia, this has affected my life dramatically because it is so mis-understood and not really accepted, I strongly believe it is genetically inherited as my mother is the same.
I have the same phobia. I've been on medication for social anxiety for several years (6 or 7, I think) It helps take the edge off but that's about all. I don't have many friends. I prefer to stay at home with my pets, they are my friends. If someone comes to the door I don't answer, in fact I usually end up locking myself in the bathroom or a closet until I know they are gone. My friends know to call me before they come to the door so I know it's them. I always keep the blinds closed if I am home alone.
I don't go anywhere alone except for work. I usually am fine at work because the people I work with are like family and I am very comfortable with them. My boss calls it my "safe place". But I still sometimes have problems there. I usually try to hide it there though, I put on a smile and try to keep going strong.

Originally posted by slick
The only thing I can truly say is my fear is waking up in the middle of night and my apt. is on fire. I can't say that fire is a fear because when I'm camping I can light fire and feel perfectly comfortable. I think it more that trapped feeling that maybe I cannot escape a burning building.
That's my other big fear. I too am fine around a camp fire, but I've had a fear of my home or car burning for as long as I can remember. I lived in upstate New York when I was little and we had a wood burning stove. Every year before my dad started using the stove he would run through a fire drill with us. We'd have to feel our door and see if it was hot, etc. we'd have to open our window, push out the screen, climb out the window, and run to the tree far away from the house. I would have nightmares about actually having to do that as a result of a real fire. I also had nightmares of the car blowing up into flames, as that's how my uncle died at age 21. I don't have the nightmares any more, but it's still a major fear of mine.

My third major fear is a newer one. Ever since the hurricanes last summer I have been terribly afraid of thunder storms. As soon as the sky gets dark I start to go into a panic.