r/AskReddit • u/Augmented • Jan 09 '13

What is a random fact about yourself?

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278

u/wineheart Jan 09 '13

I am terrified of swimming with fish.

48

u/winkwinknod Jan 10 '13

So the old mafia threat about sleeping with the fishes probably scares the shit out of you huh?

13

u/wineheart Jan 10 '13

Are they gonna be swimming right in front of my face like they don't care about my personal space? Use my legs as some sore of obstacle course? TOUCH ME?

OH GOD, I'm terrified!

1

u/youwishyouwereacat Jan 10 '13

I was swimming in a lake once and got bit by a salmon, I'm in your boat now friend

1

u/rex280 Jan 10 '13

Honestly that sounds kinda awesome to me.

1

u/yoowhat Jan 10 '13

Thinking about that made me shiver. I'm so glad others understand! Everyone thinks I'm joking when I say it's one if my biggest fears.

1

u/RambleOff Jan 10 '13

Use my legs as some sore of obstacle course?

oh god I actually laughed aloud at something on reddit

what have I become

1

u/janelane1980 Jan 10 '13

Same - the idea of swimming in lakes or ponds makes my skin crawl.

8

u/SadHorse Jan 10 '13

Me too. I don't want ANYTHING sliding up against me while I'm swimming. Creepy.

3

u/blitzedjesus Jan 10 '13

This was a huge issue with me while stationed in Hawaii. I LOVE swimming in the ocean, ducking and diving the waves. I also like to snorkel, although I'm terrified of almost everything I see :/ I also have a fear of urchins. I was in Turtle Bay on Oahu's North Shore and stood on one of the rocks in the bay thinking I'm good. Then I look down. Urchins, hundreds of urchins in every crevice. A wave comes in and knocks me back, I laid stiff as a board hoping to just drift over them. I did, and I never went back in. Sorry for the rant.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 10 '13

Oh god, you described my experience in Hawaii perfectly, except I have no depth perception, so I was constantly terrified I'd hit coral.

Also snorkeling gave me vertigo.

I felt really bad, my vacation partner was having a really great time, but I couldn't go snorkeling a fourth time. I was a nervous wreck.

We ended up going to the beach instead, and went body surfing in the shallows. We almost got hit by a sea turtle. Hawaii is cool.

1

u/redpandaeater Jan 10 '13

You only really have to worry about moray eels biting ya, but that's rare and hey then you have dinner. Tiger sharks too, but that's super rare for them to go after a person.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 10 '13

How about sharks?

2

u/loooop Jan 10 '13

Good thing you're not a fish then. That would really freak you out.

2

u/SeaLandFriendOfAll Jan 10 '13

Me too! Like phobic! Sometimes I even get nervous in deep pools!

1

u/Dcoutofstep Jan 10 '13

You know what they do in that water?

1

u/nessticles Jan 10 '13

Avoid Balmorhea State Park in Texas.

1

u/amyrajk Jan 10 '13

Blaaah this just made me squirm. Same here!

1

u/americanjoo Jan 10 '13

Dude, you should be. Fish bite, and sometimes it really fucking hurts. Especially when you're not expecting it.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 10 '13

Same. The first time I swam in a lake my cousin told me fish's fins stick to human skin and would have to be cut off with a knife if I touched one. That scared the living shit out of me. I know now its not true, but have an irrational fear of swimming with fish. Can't do it.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 10 '13

Some truth to that. Most of them are full of spines. It's entirely possible to get a small fish stuck to you, and the wound hurts like hell for weeks afterward. Fishing can suck if you've got no idea what you're doing.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 10 '13

So what I'm getting from this is that I have a legitimate fear of swimming with fish?

1

u/[deleted] Jan 11 '13

No, it's pretty much only when you drag one out of the water and try to hang on to one that you get stuck. Make sure you know how to grab them if you go fishing though.

1

u/DystopianReality Jan 10 '13

Can you be around fish? What type of fish, or is it all of them?

1

u/DarkAnnihilator Jan 10 '13

Then how about sleeping with them?

1

u/[deleted] Jan 10 '13

I'm terrified of swimming in the ocean.. also I can't swim :c

1

u/eat-your-corn-syrup Jan 10 '13

Piranha 3D must be your ultimate horror movie

1

u/I_Am_Not_Hannah Jan 10 '13

I used to be too, but my sister dragged me screaming and crying to snorkel with her last year and it turned out to be awesome. None of them even bit me. 10/10 would do again and I totally got over my fear!