Good morning all;=)
I hope you got a nice sleep! I did and even if I woke up to rain today there were no thunder storms. Many of you have asked me about my fear of thunder so I thought I´ll try and explain my fear.
As I have said already before I have always had a really big phobia for loud noices like fireworks, thunder, balloons bursting, sudden loud noices like a car back-firing e g..
Neither me or my mum actually know when the phobia started but she says I have had it since I was a small baby so I guess either I was born with it or something happened very early. Now when I have two children myself, I can see how fast a little child can be scared for something that we, as adults, do not see as something so "dangerous". Things like a big truck passing really close with a loud noice can be enough to scare a small baby.
But my fear has always been there and it is and has always been a handicap for me in my life. I have never been able to have balloons in my b-day parties, never liked fire works, always been extremely afraid of dark clouds in the sky since it can be a thunder storm on its way.
I have tried every single thing there is to get by this. Therapists, hypnosis, psychics, electro stimulance and lots more. Cause the only thing I have ever wanted was to get rid of this phobia.
It makes my world a tiny bit "smaller" and I think noone wants to live in fear of something.
When I went to school things also got worse with my fear after the kids understood I had this fear. I remember them taking balloons by my ear and burst it, coming home to my house placing these "pull crackers" between the door handle and the wall so that when I opened the cracker burst and made a loud noice. Very funny to do this, I am sure, but it only made my phobia so much worse.
So there it is - my phobia. I wish I had a phobia for spiders or something instead cause that would be easier to cope with. Being afraid of booms are not the easiest thing and doing the job I do is a lot about exposing myself for this, especially in the festivals and travelling to warmer places.
Playing in festivals are a really hard thing for me and that is why I mainly never stay at the festival area more than for just singing. I get there just before gig start and leave immediately afterwards.
So if you sometime see me with my fingers in my ears somewhere, you know why;=)
Enjoy the day now!
Posts
Hi Anette! I woke up humming "While your lips are still red" ;D and I had a turn on that song .. fortunately I don't have a phobia and I'm sorry that you have: ( Also have a nice day:))
ReplyDeleteHey Anette! My first comment on your blog although I have followed it for some time :) But I felt I had to recommend this since it played a big part in balancing my own body and getting rid of several of my phobias and unhealthy thought patterns.
ReplyDeleteIt's called Corrective Sounds and might at first glance seem pretty freaky, but all I know who have tried it, told me it helped or even cured their problems.
http://www.correctivesounds.com/practitioners.php?country_id=1
I don't know if they have practitioners in Sweden, but there are some in Copenhagen and you can check them out in the link above. Just thought I'd share :) Take care!
Hej Nettie! I'm sorry to hear how big role this phobia has in your life. At the same time you also are really brave when telling us about it. I'm sure there's a lot of people who suffer the same things as you and may be ashamed, so it's great to see you being so open and showing that actually it's nothing to be ashamed of! Thank you for that. You told you've been seeing a therapists but have you tried a therapy called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)or any other cognitive behavior therapy? I'm a psychology student and I have been doing my bachelor study and now master thesis about ACT and as I've been researching it, it's been many times mentioned to be effective in treating phobias. It's a real science/arts behind ACT so need to be a afraid of any kind of "crap", but of course it's always individual how it works for one. So, this was just to let you know about this option if you already didn't know - anyway I hope you can manage with your fear and I wish you as little amount of booms as possible in the future! Kram från Finland! :)
ReplyDeleteHello Anette, I have exactly the same phobia. I even fear the entrance in fast foods with children playing with balloons, I have to use the drive in.
ReplyDeleteIt's like this since I'm a child, with champagne bottles, this kind of things.
I never found anything to help (except runaway!!!) and I thought I was the only one to live this.
Hey Anette :)
ReplyDeleteI have a problem very similar to yours (although maybe it's not really a phobia in the literal meaning in my case): I can't stand loud noises.
Thunder strikes, weirdly, do not represent a big problem (as long as I'm in a safe environment), but all the other noises drive me nuts (fireworks, for instance).
It all started when I was a little child: the machine my mother used to grate the cheese in the kitchen made an awful noise, and I used to run screaming and hide in my room. So I always had it.
Along the years I've found that there is nothing much that can be done to avoid it; don't know about you, but in my case it's not about the loud noise in itself, but it's the "body feeling" that comes immediately after and lasts some seconds that it's terrible... It's like my body hates the sudden "rush of adrenaline" that follows the scare.
Have a great day :)
Oh dear Nettie, so sorry to hear this:(
ReplyDeleteI hope you will get rid of that phobia. When it's thundering, just think of something nice that makes you happy and try to forget the thunder, I am sure it will be ok :)
Children can be so cruel, I know that.
By the way..you look really great ;)
Big hugs and take care
Love
Ena :*
Eilora; Wow, I am the same as you with that. I hate McDonalds due to all the balloons kids play with... thanks for sharing, I have always felt so alone in this phobia and kinda weird having it. So thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi Annette, I know that this blog is old but now I find it. I' m Sebastian FroM Argentina. I feel very confortable read your story. I had the same Phobia and really I'm so alone because nobody (family and friends)understand my phobia.
DeleteI'm so proud of you.You are very brave to tell us(I feel a coward and I dont want have a girlfriend for this phobia).
I'm sorry for yor departure from Nightwish but I know that your future will better.
Merry Christmans and happy New Year.
Salute from Argentina
PD: Sorry for my poor English.
Hey, Anette. :) I have the same phobia of thunders.. In past monday there was a big storm here, and I was so scare.. I just want to get under the blankets in my bed. But, it's the nature, and we cannot do anything about it, only stay calm and wait to be over :)
ReplyDeleteKisses
Patrícia :)
i actually love thunders and lightning but ofc i can understand you. the heart-flower looks awesome.
ReplyDeleteHi Anette, I feel sorry for your phobia and I really understand you, because I have phobia too.
ReplyDeletebtw Great picture ;-)
Good Morning to you Gorgeous Anette!
ReplyDeletePhobias are strange for sure! Mine is spiders & for some reason they always run at me :| they are horrid things all old & decreped looking, big old house spiders eeeek you can be minding your own business & then suddenly you look at the wall & there it is with all 8 legs stretched out & they move soooo fast on stilt legs urghhhh shiver :\
I would like to hold a tarantula though, they are fury & more pet like ermm maybe that does not make sense...old house spiders are creepy!
I kinda understand you loud noise phobie to some degree, for example if me & my bf watch a horror movie I dont like loud sounds once the film is finished,,,when the credits come up i have to turn the music down fast or if my bf speaks i say shhhhhh lower your voice haha he thinks iam strange but i dont care hahahah
I think it makes us more interesting
Have a wonderful day Anette
Thanks for Always sharing with us your sooo lovely & your loveliness is never ending xxx
Oooooooh i forgot my other phobia! This is really scary for me....I cant go in a big open room if its empty & with a big high ceiling ...like for example if i went into a stadium that was empty with all the lights on & closed with the roof I would be terrified ...like a dot trapped in a huge room... yeah thats very scary for me!!! If i go into a big empty field i am not afraid at all it has to be an enclosed building with a high ceiling & vast space.... again.... i feel the shiver :(
ReplyDeleteI'm exactly the same with wasps... it's extremely embarrassing sometimes and has cost my ice cream many a time ;) I can become quite hysterical if one of the evil little things chases me around. So if you ever see me yelp (sad but true) and run away from thin air you know there is a wasp about....
ReplyDeleteSome of my friends used to make wasp noises at me if they knew I knew there were wasps about, but they stopped when they saw just how much they freaked me out.
But I love thunder - no wasps about in a nice big thunder storm ;) lol
i Anette,
ReplyDeleteSchooltime is the hell, if another kids out the school make stupid joke with the fear from the classmate °~°.
I have a spider-phobia. This is not more so heavy like to the beginn.
But now i can look to a spider, without to get a screaming fit. OK! Someone a race wild away. *whistel*
Have a nice day.
Nalon
thank you for taking the time to explain, i didn't realize how hard it must be for you being so close to all the explosions and firework on stage, you never showed it, so good for you :)
ReplyDeletei remember when as a child(it was a war time in my country) i use to run from school to home with the granates falling around the city and planes flying real close by, and i remember those sounds vividly, also never liked firecrackers and still don't like loud sounds, but it makes sense, that our subcounscious works in that way, even if we are not aware...
take care and have a great day, sweety :)
Hi Anette, thanks for sharing your fears with us. Personally, I love thunder storms, and don't see how anyone could fear them, but, I'm sure they must be terrifying for you.
ReplyDeleteI have an irrational fear of spiders, though. Every night I check between my sheets and blankets and in my pillow cases to make sure there are no spiders around. I also check inside my shoes before putting them on.
I'm also really scared of having dirty teeth. Sometimes I can't stop brushing or flossing my teeth cuz I'm afraid I haven't cleaned them enough, even when my gums are bleeding...well, I'm trying to make you feel better about your fears, :D
Take care, love,
Emily
Ehi Anette,
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry that you have these phobias.
The only thing I can say is that we all have a phobia; thunders, spiders, water etc...
Nobody's perfect, but we have to try to live our life with a smile on our faces :)
Don't worry, you'll be always the best!
Lucy
Hi Anette,
ReplyDeleteI can totally understand you, because I know what it means to have a phobia. But you wrote, that it is much easier to have a phobia for spiders. You can believe me, it's not! I have an extreme arachnophobia. That means, that I have not only panic if I really see a spider. I simply can't do anything, that includes the possibility to encounter a spider. Since I live as a single, you can imagine what it means to me if I must clean windows or the balcony for example. Last time I needed 30 minutes or longer until I was able to move a bag with potting compost away from the balcony wall because there were a spider web behind it. Just yesterday I had do ask my friendly neighbours for help because I needed my deck chair from the attic. Many things in my life would be better and easier without this phobia.
I go to a therapist because of this and another big fear and I hope I'll get rid of it sometime.
Lovely greetings from Germany
Ines
Hiay,
ReplyDeleteI wonder how do you manage with this fear on NW tour? Cause there you have wonderful fireworks.
Take care,
Abby
Hi Anette,
ReplyDeletei'm really sorry for your phobia and i hope that one day it could disappear from your life and that you could live serenely.
Today i'm going at the funeral. :(
Thank you again for you kind and sweet words that you've written me in the last post! I really appreciate them!
I got a question for you but you are free to answer me or not. Someone told me that in Sweden before to celebrate the funeral pass 2 weeks. Is it true?
Have a nice day and take care!
Big hugs
Hello Anette
ReplyDeleteI didn't even know that your phobia is that heavy. That what the kids did with the balloons to you was really mean of them. Remembers me of former school years. I have a spider phobia. People thought it was funny to catch spiders and trying to put them on my neck.
Greetings and hugs from Germany
Sarah
I am pretty much the same way, only I wouldn't consider it a phobia, it just really bothers me.
ReplyDeleteI remember watching fireworks as a kid and my twin sister and I would always cover our ears and never really enjoyed the show, but never understood why children much younger than us were able to stare up at the sky and not be a bit bothered by the loud booms. The same goes for firetrucks in parades we attended. We would literally hold our breaths as they went by sincerely hoping that they wouldn't sound the alarms to entertain everyone. I also never liked balloons for the same reasons. There would be games at school where kids raced down a line, sat on the balloons to pop them, and race back and I never participated because I just didn't like it.
I thought that I would eventually grow out of it, but I didn't. Just a little over a year ago I was watching fireworks at a friend's house and I sat in the car with the doors and windows closed and watched the fireworks through the windshield. I find myself very uncomfortable during thunderstorms and slightly jump every time I hear a clap of thunder.
Well have a wonderful day! :)
It's so hard to cope with any phobia, but on the other hand I think that our phobias makes us unique :)
ReplyDeleteThat must be a difficult phobia to have while doing concerts. I guess with everything going on you don't really have time to dwell on them while on stage? It's so strange how phobias are ingrained.
ReplyDeleteA lady I used to work with was deathly afraid of clowns. even if kids she knew dressed up as one, she had to leave the room right away. I'm taking children not much older then Nemo. It didn't matter.
Sounds trigger some weird stuff, especially if you are asleep. I have a funny, but true story for you!
I was sound asleep, I guess my brain thought it was later in the day when it was still early morning and I heard really loud footsteps running up the stairs, I had thought someone had broken into my house. I didn't know what to do because I thought I was still home alone, so I shot up from my bed,went to grab a katana I had in my room. I was about to go all Kill Bill on whoever it was. But it tuned out being my boyfriend at the time. He walked into the room, looked at me, and said : ".. I just wanted to get a pair of socks." Apparently after that I just looked at him really irritated and laid back down.
I had to ask him later that day if that really happen. Great coffee conversation : " so hey, did I try to kill you with a katana this morning? I'm sorry!"
I feel better when I read this because I have the same phobia. It's not as bad as yours (I don't have a problem with thunder for example), but I am terribly scared of balloons, fireworks and those pull crackers. When I was younger I also used to run away whenever I heard a motorbike coming up the street.
ReplyDeleteI also hated to go to my friends' birthday-parties because everybody loved that game where you got a balloon fixed to your foot and then the others had to trample on it do destroy it. I usually ran away crying and everybody was laughing at me.
The worst time of the year for me is February/March, the time of the German carnival. Then the little boys are running around outside, dressed up as cowboys or bandits or whatever and they carry those fake-pistols with blank cartridges. Of course they can't hurt anybody with them, but the 'shooting' is still very loud. I hate it so much.
Thank you for sharing this with us. It's good to know I'm not the only one struggling with phobias like that :)
Well Nettan, I surely understand you.
ReplyDeleteI have phobia of cockroaches :/ It's not easy to deal with it, most people think I'm just being fussy, but I am not. When I see one of these little disgusting insects I start crying and I become numb. :/
I took a Psychology class once, and I read some ways to get over a phobia. One way is to constantly "engage" it slowly. For example, someone is afraid of snakes, a person would hold out a snake and bring it closer slowly.
ReplyDeleteFor your case, probably get someone to make quiet noises, then pick up the volume. Or whatever you can think of.
Another way, though extremely uncomfortable, is what I believe called "flooding." If somebody is afraid of snakes, they throw that person in a room full of snakes. For you, probably lock yourself up in a room full of balloons and have somebody pop them all. You may cry, sure, but it might work.
These are all probably very uncomfortable, but nothing is really comforting when trying to get over a fear.
I had fear in darkness, but I forced myself to walk across a dark room at night, and I got over it.
Väldigt snällt och fint av dig Anette att dela med dig av sånt som är "mindre kul"!
ReplyDeleteSjälv har jag social fobi, och det är inte så roligt det heller.
Att gå på en Nightwish-konsert är för mig svinjobbigt och på gränsen för vad jag klarar av.
Jag brukar alltid köpa ståplats-biljetter och sen står jag längst bak vid mixerbordet, och jag går dessutom alltid in i lokalen sist av alla.
Ungefär halvvägs in i konserten så börjar jag slappna av någorlunda, men helt lugn blir jag aldrig, men det är uthärdligt.
När konserten väl är över så har det varit värt ansträngningen, varenda gång! :)
..och lita på att jag lär vara på plats i Helsingborg... förlåt - Göteborg! (hihihi) nästa gång som Nightwish kommer på besök.
Tills dess, ha det så bra!
I actually saw today this interview with you and Tuomas:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_kHaW6fL7c&t=3m55s
I must admit this time it was funny, you handled it very well. (of course the phobia itself isn't funny.)
I have claustrophobia, and I think I got it when my autistic brother had anger attacks - he used to immobilize me on the foor and prevent me from moving. I was a kid and he is 4 years older so he was stronger. One day he almost chocked me, luckily my grandma appeared on time. So my worst fear is really being trapped and not being able to move. And then there's stuff like elevators, I would probably freak out if I got stuck into one.
Luckily I don't need to use the elevator nowdays and the stairs are always more healthy to use anyway. And everytime my brother has anger attacks I lock myself in the bedroom. :)
I think you should still try if to get rid of it if you have the chance, I really hope you will one day! :)
Hello Anette !!
ReplyDeleteI haven't been writting on your blog because i am on vacations,but i still have a little time :)
I was SO happy to know that Imaginarium is going to be out already in this year!
I really liked your pics,they are beautiful :D
I'm so sorry to hear that you have this phobia,it's really bad but i do hope that it gets better,i think that i don't have any phobia,i am just "afraid" of a couple of things ... Lol
I wish you all the best and i hope that i can write you when i have time.
Kisses and Hugs from Portugal
Liliana
Thank you Anette, Eilora, Diane...
ReplyDeleteEveryone who shared their phobias or fears :)
Me for example, I don't know if it is phobia but I really can't be near spiders, especially those with big, long and numerous legs. It's really disgusting for me, just like wasps. I just want them to go away whenever I have them close to me.
Thank you again for sharing, everyone.
Big hugs and best wishes for all :)
César
Hi Anette, it's good that you wrote about this.
ReplyDeleteI know someone who has the same phobias as you but he is actually worse because thunder phobia has totally ruined his life. He is unable to work or live his dream because he can't travel because of this. As soon as he hears that it's going to thunder all he wants to do is hide at home. He gets very depressed as this phobia has handicapped him all his life. He has also tried everything to cure it. At least you can travel and get on with your life so well done. You are very strong. I wish this person in my family could be the same. Who knows where such phobias come from?
I have phobias of the usual things, like spiders and other insects. I also am a bit social phobic and hate crowded places.
Thanks for being so open about things.
Have a nice weekend!
Hi Anette!
ReplyDeleteI have a question. Where did you buy your wristwatch?
You can see it in the picture.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/terytky/2110739096/lightbox/
Greetings
Sarah
Hi Arska
ReplyDeleteI'm the same with balloons. My mother recently took Ethan to the beach and came back with a balloon.. I hit in the bathroom till it was took away from me. I felt horrible as I had to have the balloon took from my son who cried. I just could not bear to be in the same room as it when he was playing with it.
In the end I gave him something special but I am dreading his 2nd birthday in a few weeks.
Carol
Have you tried the soft foam earplugs when you know you are going to be around a noisy situation? They still allow you to hear, but reduce the intensity.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the wonderful music!
I have a question about your phobia... How can you be onstage with all the pyrotechnic used at Nightwish's shows?
ReplyDeleteDid you stop using them or what?
I'm assuming singing helps you pass your phobia since a concert itself means loud noises right? Drums...guitars...speakers that amplify right?
ReplyDeleteI myself do not like the dark and pillow buttons :))
Hej Anette!
ReplyDeleteI know partly what you are talking about. I am scared of balloons too. Once when I was a kid I was at my friend's birthday party and there was this contest that everyone had to burst a balloon at the same time. All the other kids were exited and sat on their balloon but not me. All the bursting sounds surrounding me were horrible and I didn't have the guts to break my balloon.
I still don't like balloons cause I'm scared they will burst accidentally.
You have succeeded to hide your fears about pyrotechnics for one on stage very good.
ReplyDeleteWell,that storm what came last summer,I wasn´t actually so afraid but a little yes.My car was one what I didn´t have to think but instead that to hope that the rain what begun in a moment,wouldn´t last long.I also had to try to protect myself a little so a moment was actually quite little to do.
About movies doesn´t come to my mind many what would been so nasty that I couldn´t watch them anymore but ratherly not.Arachnophobia is one,I remember that too good though there´s long time when I have watched that last time but still,that is ice cold.
Ok,good beginning evening
Gud va skönt att höra att man inte är ensam om att va rädd för höga ljud! Åska och ballonger är bland det läskigaste som finns, och jag har också fått lida för att andra tyckt att ens fobi varit konstig eller kul att göra narr av. Men nu klarar jag faktiskt av fyrverkerier, tack vare många års träning på nyår och valborg. Jag måste visserligen hålla för öronen men nu kan jag se på dem iaf. Jag tycker du är modig som berättar om din fobi och jag hoppas du kan bli fri från den en dag! Kram
ReplyDeleteHi Anette, my name is Alvaro, I'm 24 years old and I'm from Spain, I have this phobia too, I would like to talk to you about it, would be very important for me, thank you :) (gfobia@hotmail.com)
ReplyDelete