I'm channel surfing and stopped when I see this . . . hell, I don't know what to call him.  A grown, adult male that apparently loses his shit when he encounters a lizard.  We're not talking about something like a 20' saltwater croc or large monitor like a komodo.  No, he's freaking out about some little 3" brush lizard on the trail ahead of him.  This dude can't even look at videos or photographs of any four legged reptile.  It literally brought the guy to tears!  I find myself hard pressed not to call him a huge, pillow-biting flip-boy.  I know this is a clinically diagnosed disorder and it's difficult or near impossible for some to control . . . but really?

Sure, I'll admit it.  I can't stand cockroaches.  For as long as I remember I've found them to be vile, disgusting, loathsome creatures.  But when I encounter them, they get disposed of and that's it.  Yea, I'll also admit that scene in Creepshow grossed me out.  

My point is what ever happened to man the fuck up?  You're going to let this unfounded, illogical fear trap you?  One woman on the show won't take her daughter to enjoy the park because she's afraid swarms of moths will attack.  Another can't go in the back yard with her husband and son because she fears birds.

E-95

150 years ago, people did not have these problems.   People have these problems because they are convenient in some manner, and allow them to manipulate other people.    

I know someone like this.   The severity of her response is directly proportional to the square of the number of other persons within earshot.

I'm scared to death of candiru.

I live in mortal fear of prehistoric Trilobites.

So, you know one attention whore.

I can guarantee you that not all people with phobias are like that.  And I can likewise guarantee you that people had severe phobias even 150 years ago.

I've seen a 280 lbs 6 ft man nearly jump onto a stool freaking out over a little field mouse that got into his house.

I'm with you on that one.

E-95

I was 26 years old before I found out my Dad has a fear of spiders... when I asked why he never told me he said "I didn't want you to grow up in fear of anything."

I really can't say that I fear anything.... so, thanks Dad...

- Clint

Back then, Natural Selection was the order of the day.  

Now, we must provide for them, allow them to reproduce, protect them.  Cause everyone knows we're almost out of people.  

I'm not doubting it.  

My comment is colored by the dramatic explosion of psychological syndromes, phobias, conditions, disorders and the like that we've seen over the last couple of generations.   My experience with the drama queen (you got that right!) and many others for whom a simple backhand and the imprecation of "Don't Do That" would have been very effective treatment further casts a jaundiced light.

My inner Walt Kowalski  twangs really hard when i see people with weirdo psych problems parading them for the camera.

I thought I was the only one who knew what they were. I'd rather be bitten by a shark several times than play host to one of thse little fuckers.

I'd heard of them before but an episode of River Monsters provided the real horrifying lesson.

E-95

there are certainly people that fit that description, but actual phobias trigger both sympathetic and parasympathetic responses.  that is, the problem is physiological.  for example, people with blood phobia experience severe physiological reactions when they view simulated blood events, even when they are told that they are not viewing real blood.



and these are motivated patients who are trying to get better.



 

I had a book called Killers of the Seas that I learned about them from. Fucking vampires-and they don't bite you in the neck.

Oh, really?

There was one that lost his shit when he saw puppies

Tribbles freak me out.

Cougars scare me

My 6 year old was the same way.

(and mom's reaction would only feed the drama)