just got out of the hospital. - Open to All Other Health Topics Message Board

dstebbins · 11-19-2005, 10:18 PM

Hi. I'm David, and I'm a sixteen-year-old junior in high school. It should be noted that I have an irrational phobia of fire. How I can talk about fire is beyond me, but I can't stand the sight of it. I don't mind them on TV, or in a book. It's just when I see it in real life that my phobia kicks in.

So I was in Chemistry class two Mondays ago. My teacher was demonstrating the classical science experiment of mixing potassium with water. If you know chemistry, you know what happens next.

When the fire came up from the water, just that little bit, I lost all sense of myself. I vaguely remember myself screaming and knocking over desks, and I have memories of the school principle and my mother in her work uniform trying to help me to my feet. Most vividly, however, I remember feeling so terrified that I felt like I had seen the Devil himself. I had only regained full sense of myself about a week ago, when I was laying in a hospital bed, with my parents and best friend (age 20) by my side.

When the doctor came in, he said "Oh good. He's awake." He told me that my heart was slightly weakened from a minor heart attack. He said it was miraculous, how minor the heart attack was, because the shock he recorded should have triggered a heart attack strong enough to kill me the instant I saw the fire. I guess God was with me. Praise the lord.

Can anyone give me any words of comfort? I feel so weak right now, although I felt ten times as weak when I first woke up. I can't even type as fast as I used to without my fingers becoming fatigued.

SolidSnake320 · 11-20-2005, 12:44 AM

well... good to see your still alive..

I have sort of a similar phobia.. but it's more common..
it's with roller coasters..
I go to six flags sometimes. I ridden some, but I still have alot of trouble..
Everytime we arrive... I see the big coasters..

I remember riding Viper for the first time.. But as I was going in. I felt sheer terror..
I was horrified.. I kept thinking to myself.. "*** are you thinkin? Turn around!"..
I kept pounding the wood rail with my fist really hard, making a beat just to calm my nerves.. I felt terrified, that really nasty feeling you get in your gut.. I also felt like throwing up.. I saw the exit or the "Coward's Exit" which is what I told myself it was.. To keep from taking that oppourtunity to escape while losing an oppourtunity to have one of the best rushes in my life..
When the coaster came, I got on. Took a deep breath.. On the first drop it was scary, but I found myself enjoying it after that.
From then on, I was into coasters..

It's just a matter of forcing yourself..

I am sure it is harder with you.
I hope this helps, but think about the great and positive things about fire..
Cooks your juicy steak on the grill

MMMMM!!!!

Melted Marshmellows

Sitting with your girl warm by the cozy fireplace

Try introducing yourself to fire little by little.. For instance.. Have someone light a candle from far away.. Look at it.. Notice it is just tiny little flame..

It's puny! Just one quick blow and poof.. it's gone!

walk little by little closer.. notice it has not turned into an inferno?

it's still a small little candle...

just don't listen to those voices that tell you it's dangerous..

dstebbins · 11-20-2005, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SolidSnake320

Try introducing yourself to fire little by little.. For instance.. Have someone light a candle from far away.. Look at it.. Notice it is just tiny little flame..

It's puny! Just one quick blow and poof.. it's gone!

walk little by little closer.. notice it has not turned into an inferno?

it's still a small little candle...

just don't listen to those voices that tell you it's dangerous..

No offense, but don't you think I should wait until my heart gets better before I take the risk of another, potentially more serious heart attack?

besides, I sit in the back of the class. My teacher assigned that seat to me because of my height, so classmates wouldn't have to look around me. I didn't even feel the heat. It was just the sight, and I paniced from a candle's worth of fire, and it ALMOST KILLED ME FOR GOD'S SAKE!

I can imagine that you think you were feeling "sheer terror" on the roller coaster, but for god's sake, I had a freaking heart attack!

SolidSnake320 · 11-20-2005, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dstebbins

No offense, but don't you think I should wait until my heart gets better before I take the risk of another, potentially more serious heart attack?

besides, I sit in the back of the class. My teacher assigned that seat to me because of my height, so classmates wouldn't have to look around me. I didn't even feel the heat. It was just the sight, and I paniced from a candle's worth of fire, and it ALMOST KILLED ME FOR GOD'S SAKE!

I can imagine that you think you were feeling "sheer terror" on the roller coaster, but for god's sake, I had a freaking heart attack!

I said that yours must be worse than mine.. A heart attack is serious.. I never said to try right away

.....

What is it about the fire that triggers the fear?
Was it a bad childhood experience?
Are you afraid of it dropping and catching the house on fire?
Or just spontaniously bursting?

Anyway.. Hope you get better real soon to go home

..
Just remember one thing. There is nothing to fear but fear it'self..

I know that a phobia, especially one as bad as yours is extremely hard to get rid of.. But try not to let it get you down.

It takes time to get over your worst fears. Like you said "I guess God was with me. Praise the lord.". Now I don't think God allowed you to have a phobia to be mean.. It may be for a reason.. Everyone has something for a certain reason.. Maybe he has something planned for you.. A way of getting over your fear.

SolidSnake320 · 11-20-2005, 05:45 PM

I have a confession actually..

It's not coasters I am terrified of.. It's Earthquakes.. I have lived in california for years. And in the year of 2000. There was the hecter mine earthquake. That was the first time I awoken in a quake.. I was terrified.. I could not sleep that night cuz the after shocks.. The next night I also had trouble sleeping.. Then later I found out that I was sleep walking. My parents were alittle weirded out an worried.
Then later I found it was some sort of post tramatic stress syndrom that I had... I was still in shock from it that in my sleep I got dilusional.. I just could not sleep well because I had a feeling that another quake was going to happen... I was thinking "It's comming, I just know it".. Any little thump noise I heard stressed me out alot..
Since then for about a year I slept with the light on.
But later.. In class we had a discussion about death.. Then that's when it hit me.. The only reason why I am scared of an earthquake is because I am scared of BEING scared..
The last quake was tough, but LOOK! I am still here.. That quake had nothing on me! Not even a scratch!
Then I figured that hey... We all die sometime... Just laugh in the face of death.. Not that I am crazy and risking my life.. But I am just not afraid anymore....

For example. We moved to Illinoise a few years back.. We almost had a tornado. But instead of feeling helpless and terrified like I did with the earthquake.. I ran to the closet got the digital camera, and ran outside to record it..

It was not a scary feeling, but more of a mix between terror and excitement.. I knew it was something big and dangerous that was happening but I just really wanted to see a tornado in real life.
I was relieved but also disapointed that it never touched ground :P ..

But anyway. I hope something happens not for anything bad, but for something good that SCARES the fear OUT of you.. And you find yourself "a shell of your former self"..

Good luck man! I hope you can get over your fear. Take your time. When you are ready..

And don't take my story to heart or anything.. Not telling you to kill yourself with all my "not afraid of death" buisness..

Just give yourself some time..
Fire is just an element you need to respect.. It's not out to get you. Fire only gets dangerous if you are careless.. Other than that it's just an active form of matter that releases energy as heat.. Just abunch of boring science :P ..

I know that statement can't cure your phobia. But as long as you find some help, find some way. You can get rid of it.
Just take your time. Enjoy life. And stay away from spoiled milk

..