#actually phobic

[crimsonprayer]

unfriendly reminder that phobias are actually considered anxiety disorders and not just a fun word for fears

[redtail-lol]

What's the difference between a trypanophobe choosing not to get vaccinated and an antivaxxer?

Trypanophobes have to struggle with a lot more distress getting a shot than the general population, making it a mentally taxing and emotionally painful ordeal. This is not the lived experience of normal people above the age of 12. There is possibly some nervousness but it is not the same.

Trypanophobes don't spread misinformation and fearmongering about vaccines to convince others not to get vaccinated. We want herd immunity.

Trypanophobes don't treat being autistic like it's the worst thing that could ever happen to someone. Trypanophobes aren't ableist by being trypanophobic

Trypanophobes are a small number of people and we aren't actively recruiting more because we know our fear is irrational.

And sometimes trypanophobes will get vaccinated and get through their fear, even when its hard, because antivaxxers have made herd immunity less achievable. Antivaxxers have a belief and don't believe their fear is irrational so they won't ever get vaccinated until they change their beliefs.

Trypanophobes and antivaxxers will be enemies forever

[cassetteandco]

Guys search up your disability + “warrior t-shirt,” the results are hilarious and terrible

[normal-with-adhd-is-a-joke]

the lady at the blood work place tried to give me advice about my phobia. Lady I am 24 and have had this my entire life. I have a system that works. The reason it didn't work today is because the first guy who tried to take my blood wasn't familiar with taking it from the backs of hands and he still tried and couldn't do it. She told me I should request the same person every time because I was probably anxious about having to encounter a new person every time, which no, I really don't care about that. It's the needle, because I have a needle phobia, not the person holding the needle that I'm afraid of. I'm only anxious about a new person when they obviously have no idea what they're doing and forge on anyway rather than asking for help. Literally everyone I've seen at that office knows how to take blood from my hand except him, even the lady he called in got it first try. It would have been so easy to go "you know, I'm gonna go get someone who I know will get this first try". They both also continued to check the veins in my arm after I told them they weren't allowed to take blood from there which made me really uncomfortable. Yes I'm aware my arm veins are easier, I know you would prefer to take it from there, you're still not allowed to.

[loser-pet]

I think I know why I’m scopophobic

I’m a ghost! of course I hate it when people stare at me. I’m invisible. I’m not supposed to be seen. but sometimes my cloak breaks and I’m visible to the world. and then I freak out when I realize that people can see me… it’s weird. I just get so scared and confused when people actually talk to me and treat me like I exist (especially in public). it also explains why I hate getting my photo taken and having video calls with others.

maybe I’m just having some delusional thoughts rn, but being invisible is infinitely better than being seen. I wish I could stay invisible. if anyone wants to see me, I can just hold my plushies to show I’m still there. and I’m fine with talking, but at the same time I want a way to communicate without talking.

ugh. just random thoughts I needed to blurt out

[the-1-foxy]

Some people don’t understand how a fear of something actually dangerous can be a phobia, because if it’s actually dangerous then the fear isn’t “irrational”, but it absolutely still can. For example:

Say, the ocean, that’s relatively dangerous, if you’re in a boat being a bit afraid is reasonable.

Someone with a phobia of the ocean might feel like they’re going to literally die because they saw a picture of the ocean on their phone while safe in their house.

Yes phobias are actually like that. So please stop saying you don’t think something is a real phobia, when you don’t know how that fear is actually causing people unnecessary distress in their daily lives.

[keyboard-smashing-butwhensad]

*taps microphone*

Stop FUCKING tagging your art that could trigger a phobia with the tag for that phobia! They are not trigger tags. That is literally not how they work. Full stop.

No, your art of a snarling rabid dog shouldn’t be tagged #cynophobia. Or even #tw cynophobia (still comes up when you search cynophobia due to how tumblr search works). #tw dogs would suffice. I guarantee you the people who have cynophobia have that tag blocked.

If you take the tags used for discussing a clinical phobia, we have nowhere else to go! Do you not understand that? Do you not understand that? Because it doesn’t feel like you do!

[chaoticbuggybitchboy]

Actual phobias suck actually.

[imjustexistingtbh]

i was really really hopeful that i might be able to go to a ren faire this summer, but i was looking at photos from midsummer in washington and. i don’t think i’ll be able to go. i don’t think i can do it. there were too many instances of people wearing masks. i don’t think i could do that.

[phobia-culture-is]

phobia culture is people not taking your phobia seriously because “haha, why are you scared of butterflies, they’re harmless! : )” I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW I HATE YOU. I’ve had people look me in the eyes and tell me ways they’d intentionally trigger my phobia. I’ve had “friends” try to trigger it by looking up images on my school chromebook. Why doesn’t anyone understand how distressing it is??? Like, these people aren’t NEW to phobias, they’re decently respectful of like, needle phobias. Why does the respect just crumble away when someone determines it’s a “silly” phobia?

!!

[normal-with-adhd-is-a-joke]

If IVig ends up being the thing that works most reliably for long COVID I'm going to throw a tantrum. House MD ass situation. "Dr. House, the patient has Feels Like Needles Will Kill It Disorder. Should we give it a pill for the condition we're treating?" "No, the patient needs more needles to live."

[sourb0i]

This disability pride month, I just want to give a shoutout to people with phobias!

I have a phobia of water-- even the idea of swimming or being submerged can give me a panic attack-- and while I don't consider it a disability since swimming is not a part of my day-to-day life, I know people who have phobias of cars; they can't even ride as a passenger. I've known people who had very deep seated phobias of the dark and always had to sleep with the lights on. I know crippling that fear can be.

So to everyone who has a phobia-- whether you consider a disability or not-- I see you. Your fear isn't stupid. It isn't something to be made fun of. And you're not alone.

[sw33th3rt]

I overcame one of my biggest fears today. The battle is far from over, but a huge step has been made.

[godhusksapostle]

I’m always careful around people and I take their phobias very seriously. U hate bugs/arachnids? Cool but I really like them so idk how well we would get along. You’re afraid of big words? Yeah I can’t read them either.

I don’t care what you’re afraid of (in a /pos manner) because I know exactly what it’s like to have a weird fear. Obvs one of my biggest ones in nuclear war, but one of if not my worsts is escalators. Fricking escalators

I do not like them because i watched The Final Destination at a young age and that one death if ykyk

They are creepy stair-conveyor belts and you would have to either bribe me or force me on one, and I will cry for a few minutes if I have no other option like stairs or an elevator.

Yes I know it’s irrational, no I probably won’t get over it anytime soon. Fml and I’m tired of hearing how weird and wrong I am for being afraid of them

[steampunk-raven]

People without phobias learn the basic fucking definition of what a phobia is challenge

[imjustexistingtbh]

an interesting crossover between my autistic literal thinking and the way using the -phobic suffix for bigotry harms the phobic community is that on my first day of 8th grade, my english teacher had a talk about expectations, rules, respect, etc. and one slide said “no phobias or isms” which was supposed to mean no homo/transphobia, racism, sexism, etc. however. my little autistic phobic brain thought that meant i wasn’t allowed in the class because i have phobias. i literally went up to the teacher after class like “😔 i have phobias of masks, flying, doctors, etc. am i still allowed in this class or do i have to swap teachers? 😔👉👈” and i think that’s kinda funny but also kind of an interesting analysis on how phobic people are harmed by conflating bigotry and phobias