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In fairness, sharks do not look like the friendliest of creatures...

Lynata wrote:I think Purplefood has it right.

It's like with spiders. You know they aren't dangerous (unless you're living in Australia I guess ), yet you still dislike touching them or freak out when you discover one sitting one on a wall next to your bed. It's a human thing that seems to be connected with genetic memory, and in this one case it sounds as if Fifty subconsciously made a similar connection.

Just like any irrational fear it can be overcome with time and will. Increased exposure will probably help?

I'm absolutely paranoid when it comes to spiders.

I tap my shoes ever time before I put them on for fear a spider crawled in them.

I will not stick my hand into a cupboard without wearing gloves. My friend's mother was bitten by a brown recluse while trying to pull a pot out of a cupboard.

I check my blankets before going to bed out of fear that there is a spider between the blankets.

After watching the movie Arachnophobia, I now always check the toilet in case of spiders.

I constantly dust the corners of my house to prevent cobwebs and spiders.

When I see a spider I make my girl friend kill it.

I lost a good friend who has a pet tarantula, told him if the thing ever got on me, I would stomp it. Tarantula got on me when we were playing video games and I stomped it. I wasn't kidding.

I got bit by a black widow a few years back, it only made my fear of spiders even worse.

We had a couple of speakers from an AIDS awareness charity come into college a couple of months ago as a matter of fact. To raise their point further, both of these speakers were both HIV+, one of whom had been diagnosed with the disease for a little under 20 years now (might have been a bit less, but I remember him saying that is was an exceptionally unusual period to be positive yet not have developed full blown AIDS).
Needless to say that these people looked like completly healthy 30-40 year-olds: If I had passed them in the street I would never have guessed they had HIV, so I guess we've probably all made some sort of contact with HIV+ people in our time, yet it's only when we find out the truth that it does become a bit of a phobia (I myself didn't last long during their talk: I passed out after about 15 mins of hearing about blood tests and needle sharing and concussed myself by hitting a table on the way down...)

purplefood wrote:In fairness, sharks do not look like the friendliest of creatures...

Well then....

I also reject my previous statement where I sounded like a douche. Just get all the fear out of your head. It's the thing that holds many people back from doing things. Face your fears, and the fears go away.

My younger brother has had it for about 15 years now. At first, I was similar to the OP in my reaction to the news, but now i'm over it.
It did give me quite a jolt when our new kitten scratched him a few years ago.

mattyrm wrote:It wouldn't bother me, ive had syphilis, herpes, gonorrhoea and crabs.. My diseases would eat that AIDS gak for breakfast!

And that was just Tuesday!!!

I'd shake hands, then I'd wash my hands. But frankly you're in a medical environment. I'd be washing my hands all the time. I'm equal opportunity.



Automatically Appended Next Post:

purplefood wrote:In fairness, sharks do not look like the friendliest of creatures...

Barracudas are much more dangerous. They were the only fish grandpa was afraid of, and he literally swam through burning oil and had a bad habit of playing "catch" with live water moccasins.

Yeah, it's an irrational fear, but there's nothing wrong with having it. What ought to cause you shame would be if you let that irrational fear control you.

Instead, doing what you did, realising that the fear made you act in a way you weren't proud, and then working to do better the next time, and then hopefully even better the time after that, is something to be proud of. Coming here and being honest, and looking for more advice on how to improve is something else to be proud of.

Piston Honda wrote:

Lynata wrote:I think Purplefood has it right.

It's like with spiders. You know they aren't dangerous (unless you're living in Australia I guess ), yet you still dislike touching them or freak out when you discover one sitting one on a wall next to your bed. It's a human thing that seems to be connected with genetic memory, and in this one case it sounds as if Fifty subconsciously made a similar connection.

Just like any irrational fear it can be overcome with time and will. Increased exposure will probably help?

I'm absolutely paranoid when it comes to spiders.

I tap my shoes ever time before I put them on for fear a spider crawled in them.

I will not stick my hand into a cupboard without wearing gloves. My friend's mother was bitten by a brown recluse while trying to pull a pot out of a cupboard.

I check my blankets before going to bed out of fear that there is a spider between the blankets.

After watching the movie Arachnophobia, I now always check the toilet in case of spiders.

I constantly dust the corners of my house to prevent cobwebs and spiders.

When I see a spider I make my girl friend kill it.

I lost a good friend who has a pet tarantula, told him if the thing ever got on me, I would stomp it. Tarantula got on me when we were playing video games and I stomped it. I wasn't kidding.

I got bit by a black widow a few years back, it only made my fear of spiders even worse.

Thank you sooooooo muuch..... Now I've gotta check my room and bed....

And honestly, I would probably of passed out if that big fething spider got on me... that or go temporarily insane...

purplefood wrote:In fairness, sharks do not look like the friendliest of creatures...

Now now, does this Great White not look like it wants to be loved?



(Spoilered because it's huge)