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We all have our ‘worst nightmare’ situations. It could be being buried alive, getting stuck in an elevator, or suddenly ending up face-to-face with a crocodile.
But what if some of those seemingly absurd fears actually came true in real life? How would you handle such situations?
These photos from the Fears I Never Knew I Had subreddit show just that. It’s a collection of creepy moments you likely never knew you’d come across. Many of these images involve terrifying arachnids showing themselves in unexpected places, gnarly injuries, and supposedly tranquil moments taking sudden, unpleasant left turns.
Scroll through if you’re ready to be freaked out. But proceed at your own risk.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Spray Some Bug Spray On Your Eyeballs, Will Ya?
WindySwede 1 year ago
I briefly scrolled past this one and saw the spider in headphone, I thought to myself "What could be worse than this!?". Well, this was! 🙀🙅♂️
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shanila.pheonix_ 1 year ago
my friend accidentally sprayed bug spray on my eyeballs a few days ago. i am eternally greatful
Dread Pirate Roberts 1 year ago
Reminds me of my one professor back in college who found an article about a lady that got a leech stuck to her eyeball, complete with instructions on how to remove said leech. So he hung it on the door to his office lol he's a legend.
RELATED:
#2
Always Check
WindySwede 1 year ago
might be better than tick tick tick, from the first one 😬
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Rabbit Of ill Portent(she/her) 1 year ago
"what's this web thing I keep hearing the humans talk about? Is this how to find it?" -the spider, probably
Irrational fears are said to be a byproduct of both genetic and environmental factors. According to Dr. Katherina Hauner of Northwestern University, it’s a maladaptive response that affects 9% of Americans in their lifetime.
In her interview with Scientific American, she noted that such fears could develop from a frightening event where a person has no control, even if they just witnessed it.
“For instance, watching a devastating airplane crash on the news may trigger a fear of flying. That said, discerning the origin of the disorder can be difficult because people tend to do a poor job of identifying the source of their fears.”
#3
Yep, Being More Careful With Jackets Now
Rabbit Of ill Portent(she/her) 1 year ago
GAH WHY THE HEY-ELL AM I LOOKING AT THIS?!?!?! okay I'm sorry for the constant caps lock on my comments, I will try to stop cause I know how annoying I must be getting 😶
#4
Jeez
Hilary Mol 1 year ago
And that's why we make sure open loads are secured before moving the vehicle an INCH. Holy moly.
Bill Swallow 1 year ago
One *SLIGHTLY* good thing - it looks like this was someplace where the driver sits on the left side of the car. Had this happened in England, it would have been - unfortunate. Hope he didn't have a passenger.
Debra Robinson 1 year ago (edited)
It would still get them. If they're tall enough, probably. Maybe can duck really quickly.
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Maartje 1 year ago
Not Final Destination but The Omen : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf1O0qoXN1Y
Rabbit Of ill Portent(she/her) 1 year ago
I don't even need to watch the link you provided. I see that scene very well in my head already 😳 (high five for the reference ✋🏻I like the way you think🤘🏻🖤🤘🏻)
Load More Replies... Rabbit Of ill Portent(she/her) 1 year ago
For the love of the gods, does anyone know if the occupants survived?? 😳😳😳
Justin Tyme 1 year ago
On a side note, that sheet illustrates how trashy plywood has become. That one appears to have around 40 knotholes on it.
#5
Almost Finished My Nectarine On My Lunch Break Today And The Pit Broke Open While I Was Taking A Bite, Revealing An Ant Colony, Eggs And All
Groundcontroltomajortom 1 year ago
I found a maggot in my nectarine once, scarred me for life!!!
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detective miller's hat 1 year ago
We have a super fancy coffee machine at work (absurdly expensive, but my boss likes his gadgets--the machine basically just enough coffee for one cup so in theory you always get the freshest possible coffee). I never liked the coffee it made as I thought it always tasted faintly of the machine, so I never drank it. At one point last year my boss and my other co-workers said the coffee tasted weird and the machine was acting hinky. Opened up the side and lo and behold, where the grounds had built up around the bucket you're supposed to empty after every few cups, AN ENTIRE HECKING ANT COLONY.
Nicole Weymann 1 year ago
I'd like to upvote you twice - one additional honorary upvote for correct spelling of "lo and behold"
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WalterWhiteSavannah 1 year ago
I had the same thing happened but it was a peach and the pit was full of earwigs and baby earwigs. To this day the one thing that terrifies me is f*****g earwigs.
Poppy 1 year ago
I was sat at my desk at work podding and eating peas as a snack when I looked down and saw a small caterpillar type thing. I threw that pod of peas away and opened another, yet another with small caterpillar type things in. Try another one and this one had more of these things in them. I ended up throwing the entire bag of peas away.
Steve Robert 1 year ago
I once bit into an organic peach. A fruit wasp came out directly towards my mouth. I don't eat organic fruit anymore.
#6
Accidentally Running Into Someone Holding An Open Cardboard Box And Cutting/Bruising Your Eye On The Flap
WindySwede 1 year ago
They did not, also it was 11 years ago. OP """No sadly. I didn't have insurance at the time and I was incredibly naive so when my boss told me workman's comp doesn't cover "being a dumbass" and to finish my shift I believed him and let it be. I'm probably really lucky there was no serious damage to my vision."""
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Mad Dragon 1 year ago
I learned that if you see a blood spot in your eye after a trauma, go to Urgent Care or the ER. I was hit in the eye by a bungee cord and immediately went to doctor. He told me that if I had waited I likely would have lost vision in that eye. As it is now I have to get that eye checked for glaucoma every year for the rest of my life.
Zedrapazia 1 year ago
If that happens to you, go to the doctor immediately. Your retina can get torn off and you'll get blind if it isn't fixed quickly.
Kylie 1 year ago
Yup. I had retinal bleeding in one eye and now I have to have an injection in my eye every couple of months and it will never get fully better due to scarring.
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ROSESARERED 1 year ago
Bruised eyeball, looks worse than it is. Our skin normally turns bruises blue, the white of our eyes can't hide it. As long as no fluids are leaking from the eye, or swelling of the eyeball/iris, it should be fine..I got hit in the eyeball with one of those dangling charm holders on pencilcases.
Mike_the_nike 1 year ago
I once did that with an umbrella… The saddest prt was that I was alone in the room 😭
There’s also instructional fear acquisition, which neuroscientist Dean Burnett explained in his article on The Guardian website. It’s the kind of fear we develop after watching a horror film that leads to three sleepless nights in a row.
“Certain horror films are particularly good at this, presenting everyday things like birds as things to be feared, associations which stay with people for a long time,” Dr. Burnett explains. “The Final Destination series is particularly cruel in that it tries to make people terrified of ‘not dying.’”
#7
This
Full of Giggles 1 year ago
On the bright side, she has photographic evidence for workmen’s comp claim.
BoredPossum 1 year ago
What I see here: Mr Spock tilting the table to burn a poor woman's eyes out
#8
ATM Shut Down With My Card In It
Human #1,232,867 1 year ago
It happens to me on my way to the airport. I went to withdraw money and my card was kept inside. I have to come back 3 days later to have it back from the bank office in another city.
Clover 1 year ago
Yeah, that happened to me once. There was a power failure while using the ATM. The machine shut down, wouldn't give me my card back. It was after hours, so the bank was closed. I called them the next morning. They said that I'd have to go to their main office in another town, to get my card. I didn't think that was fair at all.
#9
Not Seeing Spiders On My Hoodie In The Dark And Putting It On
Fat Harry (Oi / You) 1 year ago
Those aren't spiders, they're opiliones (harvestmen, or in some parts of the world, daddy longlegs). Totally harmless.
Titanoboa 1 year ago
whenever I see one I gently pick it up and show it to a nearby person :D I enjoy the sound of screams
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Connie Hirsch 1 year ago
Looks like Daddy Longlegs, which generally don't bite. Still wouldn't want to do it, though.
#10
A Fear Of Eating Too Hard
I dislocated my jaw... While eating cereal.
Deeelite 1 year ago
For real! I can repair my roof with it when it dries in the bowl
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Alex hayes 1 year ago
It happens for some people with hyperlaxity (not sure that's the correct translation)
#11
Omg
flower petals 1 year ago
My name is Moth, Randy Moth, from His Majesty’s Creepy Service.
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ZuriLovesYou 1 year ago
That, my friend, is a reason to never move to Australia.
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Dr. Burnett also pointed out that humans have evolved to acquire phobias, especially against predators. He mentioned studies showing that primates develop a fear of snakes much quicker than other stimuli.
“If you’re evolving in an environment where snakes are a genuine but subtle threat, this tendency would help no doubt. It might explain the spider thing (arachnophobia) too.”
#12
Scorpion Tangerine
ZuriLovesYou 1 year ago
Yeah? Well, so am I. One of us has got to go, and it's not going to be me!
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According to Dr. Burnett, sufferers of irrational fears and phobias are fully aware of what they’re dealing with. And because it involves multiple brain regions, the condition becomes more complex to handle.
“You can’t simply make someone encounter the thing they’re afraid of to show them it’s harmless,” he explained. “As far as the brain is concerned, the fear response IS a negative physical consequence, so on a subconscious level, the phobia is self-fulfilling.”
#13
Had To Use Tweezers To Yank This Guy Out Of My Belly Button. I Live In Central New Jersey
Tamra 1 year ago
Lyme disease is scary as hell. I have a friend who's in the same boat as you. I really hope we find more effective treatments.
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Nicole Weymann 1 year ago
The things you learn on BP...quite the education, innit?
Load More Replies... Zedrapazia 1 year ago
It's a tick. If you're not vaccinated, go to a doctor, they can carry horrible diseases. If you are vaccinated, keep a close look on the bite
Danish Susanne 1 year ago
Must have thought that you are safe so long as you stay away from Australia
Load More Replies... #14
So, I Found A Piece Of Blender Blade In My Coffee This Afternoon
SkippityBoppityBoo 1 year ago (edited)
I was in a bar in San Francisco and had a beer in a glass. It wasn't until I'd almost finished the beer that I realised that the glass wasn't actually supposed to look like that. They must've been collecting glasses but stacking them inside one another, I've worked in numerous bars and clubs, we all did it when collecting glasses from tables. One must've broken but the bottom thick part was still stuck inside in glass that I was drinking from. We didn't have to pay for our meals or drinks. Obviously they were worried about a lawsuit due to possibly drinking a tiny shard of glass... Btw? I DID get checked out at A&E.
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 1 year ago
They only charged OP for two ingredients. The blender flavor was free.
#15
Leaving A Mirror Next To A Window And Accidentally Burning Your House Down
Cherry Knobloch 1 year ago
I have little hoods that I keep on the various magnifying glasses I have around my home and studio.
Nicole Weymann 1 year ago
Nope. Works a treat at the right (or wrong) angle. Crystal balls, too, BTW.
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Research suggests that irrational fears may feed underlying anxiety. Some of the disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder.
The research also pointed out that these anxieties usually pose little to zero threat to the person. It states, “Many people living with anxiety know their fears are irrational, but certain thoughts and situations still set off a flight, fight, or freeze response.”
#16
My Gas Pedal Getting Stuck On My Floor Mat
Giles McArdell 1 year ago
I had this on a motorway doing 70mph, managed to kick it back in to place before anything bad happened. Since then I make sure nothing loose is ever in the drivers footwell.
BlackestDawn 1 year ago
Not exactly. It was the cover on it (top part) dislodged and slid forward, pinning the gas pedal in that position.
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Korthias 1 year ago
Pretty sure there were a bunch of cars that got recalled because of this, following several fatalities
S 1 year ago
It was Toyota who got the most publicity for it. I worked for Toyota at the time. All the cars where the accelerator jammed on were caused by after-market, i.e. non-Toyota car mats. For PR purposes they developed floor mat anchors, and velcro strips as a redundancy.
Load More Replies... Grundel County 1 year ago
I was listening to a pod cast about some people who died and due to uncontrollable acceleration of their vehicle. They suspected this had happened. They never really found out what happened, but did determine through tests that applying the brakes, even with the throttle wide open, would still stop the car.
sleepybear 1 year ago (edited)
i cant legally drive so i dont really understand this image. is it that the car would continue driving if the pedal gets stuck?
DC 1 year ago
NEVER switch to neutral. Your brakes are way stronger than your engine is. Mandatory since decades... Grandpa had that happen, he hit the clutch, the rev limiter didn't limit and he needed a new engine for his Citroen CX. The 3rd or 4th ... he went through quite a number of cars, of which a lot died a premature death due to ... operational deficiencies.
#17
Finding A Cockroach In My Pistachio
PanPan124 1 year ago
If I remember right, pistachios have shells? So how the f**k did it get in there
Debra Robinson 1 year ago
When it was tiny enough to crawl or squeeze through.
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Sven Grammersdorf 1 year ago
I found the exact same thing once. I didn't eat pistachios for months.
Outside the common phobias are some rare, weird ones you likely haven’t heard of. One example is arachibutyrophobia, the fear of having peanut butter stuck to the roof of one’s mouth.
Nomophobia is a fear of not having your mobile phone on you. Developed at the dawn of the digital age, it’s a phobia that 66% of the world’s population suffers from.
#18
A Spider In My VR Helmet
Bubs (he/they) 1 year ago
eyyy, it's Markiplier! if I recall correctly, he was paranoid about spiders being in his headset after that. I think he was playing FNAF Help Wanted on vr and felt a hair tickle his face and freaked out. honestly don't blame him! I'm not afraid of spiders but I wouldn't want them climbing all over me
#19
Roof Of The Az Alkmaar Stadium Collapsed Due To Heavy Wind
Money may be a necessity for many people, but some actually fear it. This condition is called plutophobia, and people who suffer from it either fear wealthy people or fear becoming rich themselves.
Optophobia is a fear of opening one’s eyes, and it can be crippling. People who suffer from it cannot live normal lives and would rather spend most of their days indoors or in a dimly lit area.
#20
Little Dude Appeared While I Was Trying To Use The Toilet
Surenu 1 year ago
You say this is your fear, but what about the frog? Do you think the frog is happy? No, you only think about yourself
BoredPossum 1 year ago
The Frog posted it. My fear is to sit peacefully on porcelain and have a damn human come and take a dump on me.
Load More Replies... RabidChild 1 year ago
Poor little guy. Totally harmless! Fear not, just put him outside and let him get on with his frogginess.
Featherytoad 1 year ago
I had this happen after some really heavy rain. He decided to go back the way he came when we were trying to catch him.
People who fear balloons suffer from globophobia. Their fear levels vary, but it commonly manifests among children during birthday parties.
If you fear long words, you may have hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia. Otherwise known as sesquipedalophobia, it is common among people with dyslexia and those who don’t enjoy reading out loud.
#21
Walked Through A Fly Strip This Morning... Spent An Hour Shampooing Glue And Fly Guts Out Of My Hair
Bec 1 year ago
They make some now that have a decorative plastic shell around a central sticky core.
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Charlotte Sandoval 1 year ago
Kinda deserved for having that in the first place and then putting it at hair level
River wolf (she/her) 1 year ago
Oh, I did that one time… at summer camp… after our one shower for the week… :)
#22
So This Fear Came Into My Life, Stabbed Me And Mugged Me. Is There A Way That I Can Get Over My Fear Of Submechaniphobia? It’s Not Like Any Other Fear
Kylie 1 year ago
Nope, that would be thalassophobia. Type that into BP search and you'll be suitably petrified. Submechaniphobia is a fear of man-made objects that are partially or fully submerged underwater.
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DEW 1 year ago
There is a video on YouTubes shorts. It has a person diving into this very very very very deep pool. I couldn't breath. By the time he was going into the this hole like thing I was panicked. I just think what if he can't hold his breath to get back up. He got to the hole and looked like an ant.
WalkieTaco 1 year ago
nooooooope thalassophobia hitting hard here. upvote so more people know that thalassophobia is the crippling irrational fear of deep water. for me, when in deep water, I just immediately either break down crying or have a panic attack
#23
Oh God
Hilary Mol 1 year ago
Unless that's a vehicle in Australia and the spiders did that.
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Lene 1 year ago
What do you say when you wheel this to the mechanic? You just stop the car and ask the mechanic to open the passenger's door and then you watch as he opens the door and the more he opens it the more pale his face gets? Or when he asks what he can do for you today you tell him: that's for me to know and you to find out. And then the mechanic goes on a damage-hunt? I... strangely want to try these scenarios.... 😬
#24
Helicopter Chainsaw
Kira Okah 1 year ago
For trimming trees near powerlines and roads. They do look really cool in use...though really scary if you just see a singular disconnected blade in the ground.
David 1 year ago
Not scary unless you are just afraid of all large machinery. Typically used in places away from public, like trimming trees along the paths of high power lines. Locally at least - the trees near the 'regular' power poles running along the roads are trimmed by trucks with boom buckets.
#25
Somehow Getting Caught In This Situation
Stryker Tyger 1 year ago
I'm not understanding what's going on here - just tilt the handle down slightly and the bottle opener can be safely withdrawn, right?
Na Schi 1 year ago
Yes, usually this is a situation nobody would care about, as you've correctly stated it is very easily to avoid. However, now think about your body is tied and your hands are restricted ans somebody else places the bottle opener in such a way at your thumb...? Best scenario? Your thumbnail is so weak and breaks and no other major harm gets caused.
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Bob Brooce 1 year ago
I can totally relate to how scary this is because I also couldn't find my pliers once while doing some, um, "research".
So what is the best way to combat irrational fears? Dr. Hauner suggests exposure therapy, a form of cognitive behavior therapy deemed the most effective treatment for anxieties and phobias.
“During exposure therapy, a person engages with the particular fear to help diminish and ultimately overcome it over time. An individual might, for example, look at a photograph of the dreaded object or become immersed in the situation he or she loathes.”
#26
Being Trapped In A Job
Laugh or not 1 year ago
Why is that a fear? If the pay is good for the hours, the colleagues are nice and management is not up their behind, staying in one place is not a bad thing.
Jill 1 year ago
Staying at one job is a nightmare for the current generation apparently. They can't comprehend staying in one place for too long. They always believe the grass is greener on the other side and are constantly changing jobs. 😕 🤷♀️
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Justin Tyme 1 year ago
How is he trapped in a job? Do you actually think that in 58 years, he was not able to find a different job?
DefinitelyNotTheDuolingoOwl 1 year ago (edited)
At the place I'm currently working, there's a guy who's been here for 40 years. Sweet older grandpa-type guy, has a smile for everyone he runs into and clearly has no interest in retiring. If you find something good, hold onto it!
Mary Kelly 1 year ago
there was a lady who worked at my agency until she was in her late 90s...she was still sharp as a tack and a snazzy dresser...she liked her job and liked working...if you enjoy it, why not?
SkippityBoppityBoo 1 year ago (edited)
Maybe Jeffrey enjoys his job? If so, why would he leave? 🙂
DEW 1 year ago
He looks like he really loves his job. Better yet his bosses seem to really like him and want him to feel very special. To have a sign put up in your honor is very sweet. We've all read how bosses will fire someone a week or month before they get their pensions. Go Jeffery!! Congratulations!!!
#27
Nightmare Fuel
Nancy Lynch 1 year ago
That's a sealed bee hive that allows you to watch the bees doing their work.
Sinead Kenny 1 year ago
I love this. Think there is more chance of one flying through an open window and stinging you.
David 1 year ago
No nightmare here. It's sealed. I used to keep bees. Most honeybees are not aggressive. Stinging you is a no win for them. I used to pick up bees in my hand often. Only problem I see here is that hive is rather small. It also looks impractical to harvest but I doubt they do - looks like it is just for educational purposes. Seattle Science Center has a much larger similar setup.
How about you, dear pandas? What are some of your irrational fears? Share them in the comments!
Add New Image
What do you think ?
ssj broly 1 year ago
i dunno why i went through all of them lol now i dont want to go outside, or touch anything. ever
Yvonne Dauwalder Balsiger 1 year ago
Respect! I gave up at 19 and on life 😅
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Kerry Fletcher 1 year ago
Yeah I was like I already have anxiety what can I possibly see that......... Oh..... I'm going home now.
Danish Susanne 1 year ago
I like most animals, but when I see ants inside my house it makes me desperate to get rid of them.
ssj broly 1 year ago
i dunno why i went through all of them lol now i dont want to go outside, or touch anything. ever
Yvonne Dauwalder Balsiger 1 year ago
Respect! I gave up at 19 and on life 😅
Load More Replies... Kerry Fletcher 1 year ago
Yeah I was like I already have anxiety what can I possibly see that......... Oh..... I'm going home now.
Danish Susanne 1 year ago
I like most animals, but when I see ants inside my house it makes me desperate to get rid of them.
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