A rather...unusual fear/phobia (Old-Timey Topography)

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Yeah, I know that there was already a thread dedicated to irrational fears, but I feel that mine is so unusual that it warrants its own page.

Maybe it also has to do with a sub-fear of agoraphobia (fear of wide open spaces), but my biggest irrational fear of all time, which I've had all my life, is...pencil-drawn old-timey topography illustrations. I'll give you a small example of what I'm talking about:

http://www.retronaut.com/2013/03/the-ki ... he-oceans/ (this one isn't too bad, but it still shows off a LOT of ocean, which plays dangerously close to my agoraphobia)

In a nutshell, this fear encompasses pictures of land drawn long before modern technology made accuracy possible, so the artist/s usually had to use some imagination or creative license when making these maps. Worse still is images of panoramas of the entire earth, drawn in the late 19th century. But the most nightmare inducing images to me are old-timey topography drawing of the entire earth as shown in OUTER F**KING SPACE!! ! And dont even get me started on such illustrations that also featured drawing of human faces on the moon and other planets!

But even bound to earth, my sense of agoraphobia could still be triggered severely if the subject had to do with being in the middle of the ocean. The editorial cartoons lampooning and paying tribute to the Titanic sinking tragedy in 1912 are the best example I feel; seriously, just look up some of those editorial illustrations on Google and tell me those don't shake you up a little on the inside, I dare you. If you do, I guarantee you that the image of an anthropomorphic iceberg ripping the Titanic apart with its bare 'hands', or a single memorial wreath floating in the middle of a wide open ocean will appear in your nightmares tonight.

I mean, I know that images can't hurt me, but they sure can scare the piss out of me!

How about you guys and girls? Have you ever been scared by similar looking illustrations? If you have, and you absolutely must share an example, NO PICTURES PLEASE! Links are okay, but NO PICTURES!

Fluttershy11

I understand your agoraphobia. It seems weird because I grew up in the country, but really wide-open places make me feel very uneasy, my moth goes dry and I have trouble swallowing. Although I like to swim the thugh of being trapped in the middle of the sea with nothing but water below me and sky above me (especially clear, empty blue sky) makes me feel kind of sick. In fact that's what caused me to have a panic attack on a ferry boat when I tried to go outside, even though inside it was very noisy and crowded. I hate the thought of being on the Praries because of the wide open flatness with hardly any trees, hills or buildings to make me feel "secure" One thing I'm truly sorry to say, however, is that being a typical cartoonist I draw faces on the sun and moon all the time... also I bookmarked that page the picture is in because I like looking at old "retro" pictures, especially stuff about science and medicine and what was "modern" back then.

From your description it sounds more of an issue with non-realiality maps and pictures. That's how I read your description of faces on the moon as beeing the worst for you. To me they are just realy dumb things to draw or imagine. For that matter, the faces on the map The Kiss, is litteraly dumb, but I like the map. I'm thinking you have a pronounced reaction to non-reality representations of reality. Whereas I get a feeling of "that is just dumb". A reaction I suppose, nothing like yours.

Acrophobia(heights) and Arachnophobia(spiders) are my main fears. Although my sister has monophobia(being alone). Phobias are perhaps the most irrational things in life, but that doesn't make them any less invalid. I hope your fears don't stop living your life, and good luck to you.

I was thinking about this last night.

Humanizing of objects, ie maps and moon, is called anthropomorphism.

Anthropomorphobia — fear or dislike of anthropomorphic traits. = Common enough that it has a word for it.

I must admit, the humanized face of the moon does disturb me. It's just so wrong.

And a document that attempts to explain why we humanize things.
http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/03/01 ... 11766.html