Monday 9 July 2012

Quirk.

I am afraid of feet. Thankfully it's winter here so feet are covered generally and I don't have to see or think about feet much at the moment, but seriously they freak me out. Generally I think most people's feet are pretty unattractive (no offence), but that's not what bothers me. What I really can't stand is having people's bare feet touch my skin. It actually happens more than you'd probably realise (if feet don't bother you) - under the table when eating, people sitting closely on the lounge or on the floor - it's creeping me out just thinking about it!

AAARGH they're coming right for us!!!! [via]
As someone who studies psychology, obviously I've considered that perhaps I had some sort of foot-related traumatic incident in childhood that haunts me to this day. The thing is, I really have no recollection of such an event. Maybe Freud was right and repression is real, and I'm just that good at making sure this foot memory never comes to the surface... NEVER! 

I also can not endure shoe sharing. The reason I bring this up is that yesterday my sister nicely lent my mother some of her slippers to wear since it was cold, but it really freaked me out. Other people were very shocked and confused at my reaction that I would refuse to give my poor mother some slippers to borrow if she were cold. Sorry Mum but knowing our feet skin cells would be interacting makes me want to vomit. 

Baby feet: allowed.
The problem with telling people is, they then seem to think it's highly amusing to go out of their way to TOUCH ME WITH THEIR FEET. Boy feet are definitely worse, and they are the feet that have been shoved in my face. The thing is though, if someone says they are scared of spiders, do you rush out and find a spider to dangle in their face? I hope not. So what gives? Perhaps the difference is that a spider phobia is really quite reasonable, since well the spider could bite you and you could die (or at least experience some pain). The consequence of people's feet touching me is... tinea or something I guess. Yeah I realise this is a stupid thing to be afraid of.

Ahem. Anyway, sorry about that crazy rant. I will say that for some reason I can tolerate baby human feet (not sure why) and I've forced myself to become accustomed to Husband's feet - though this has definitely not generalised to other people (even his identical twin who genetically has the same feet). 

Do you have any quirks like this that people love to tease you about? Would you try to touch me with your feet if you were to see me in person?

10 comments:

  1. I hate feet too. But I hate shoes/socks more, so I walk around barefoot as much as possible. This has lead to callused, disgusting feet. I subject everyone to these ugly feet, but if anyone else is barefoot around me I gag. Ew.

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  2. Haha. I don't understand the feet phobia but I don't see why people need to feel the need to torture you with bare feet. I knew a girl who had a balloon phobia and people were the same way with her, always trying to put balloons on her. Some people are just mean!

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  3. I only like good looking feet, with my thoughts being that mine are quite good looking (thus all the pictures of my feet)... Oh man, you must hate by blog background then!
    Also, I hate when people purposely go and do something that you've said not to. I think it's completely disrespectful of your person, as though they think they know better than you and don't care about your personal cares. Like when I say I hate mushrooms and genuinely do not want to eat them because they are fungus, so people think it's funny to make food and hide mushrooms in it. BOOOOO.

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  4. I had a friend in college who was this way about feet. And yes, for some reason every felt the need to try to touch her with their feet, which seems like a terrible way to react to someone's phobia. I guess maybe it's like a, "That can't possibly be true, so I'm going to test it out" type of reaction. Still dumb.

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  5. I hate feet too - although it's just a general dislike along with thoughts that they are ugly rather than a phobia. Although I would be squirmish if someone tried to touch me with a bare foot - I'd probably find something to hit the foot (maybe a pen or something equally disposable and pointy) so that they wouldn't do it again.

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  6. I don't like other peoples feet brushing against mine either, I not sure what it's based on though. I just don't like the feel I guess. Also, I'm really ticklish on my feet, I can't let the sales assistant at a shoe store help me out with shoes either! I would just die! And I do think it's mean and stupid that people who know try to do silly things like touch you with their feet! Argh!

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  7. I clearly don't have an issue with feet, since I wrote a whole blog post titled "It's a Good Thing I'm Not Afraid of Feet."

    I have a (somewhat irrational? perhaps?) fear of worms. I think they are icky and nasty and disgusting and I can't stand them. When I was in middle school, a couple of my guy friends learned this and went outside of the church and hunted for a worm for like...20 minutes and then ran back inside and THREW IT ON ME. I'm pretty sure I didn't talk to them for like...a month.

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  8. Feet are the worst. Except baby feet -- you're right! Babies don't walk or sweat or anything. They're pretty harmless.

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  9. Oh feet- being that I danced for neary 16 years I actually like feet... silly to say- but I do- many people who aren't dancers don't feel the same way though. hahah :)

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  10. You pretty much took the words right out of my mouth regarding my opinion on feet. I think it is irrational, but I think everyone is entitled to one irrational fear, Freudian theory or not. Anyways all this talk about feet is getting to me, excuse me while I give myself brain freeze with a Slurpee.

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