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LudwigPastorius

(12,937 posts)

87. I too had a monster under the bed.

Thu Jul 10, 2025, 12:37 AM

Jul 10

Fortunately, once I got in bed, I was protected with covers...which are widely known for their magic, monster-repelling abilities.

The very first nightmare I remember having was very abstract. It was just of a long rope stretched across a darkened room. Gradually, a knot appeared in it. Then another, and another. As it filled up with knots it terrified me. I knew that when the knots got bigger and bigger, and it was noting but a line of knots, I would die.

Other things that scared me: the rosebush outside my bedroom window would rub against the window screen when it was windy. I just knew it was somebody clawing, trying to get in.

I remember having dreams of something big outside coming for me. I couldn't see it, but could hear the earth rattling thuds as it slowly made its way toward me. (This scene was played out almost perfectly in the first Jurassic Park movie when the T Rex gets loose and the kids are trapped in the jeeps. I guess Spielberg had the same kind of nightmare I had when he was a kid.)

There was also a picture book with a black and white picture of Marcel Marceau in full greasepaint peeking around a corner and grinning hideously. My brother and mom used to scare me with that picture, and thought it was funny to watch me cry.

That only takes my up to about the age of five, so I should probably see a therapist.

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debm55

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As a child or an adult what are/were you afraid of ? I am afraid of clowns. Always was. I was always afraid of the [View all] debm55 Jul 8 OP

My parents were fundies. When I was taught about The Rapture that totally terrified me. Coventina Jul 8 #1

I am so sorry, that was done to you. So glad you recovered. debm55 Jul 8 #4

Awwww, {{{TINA}}} SheltieLover Jul 8 #11

Vampires EYESORE 9001 Jul 8 #2

Thank you very much. Usually those programs are on after 11: 30 on Saturday nights. I am sorry you saw that. debm55 Jul 8 #5

Oh, they showed horror films from the 50s every day EYESORE 9001 Jul 8 #10

I am so sorry for you. We had cartoons on after school. debm55 Jul 8 #24

Well...it's not like I couldn't have watched cartoons instead EYESORE 9001 Jul 8 #25

Closet door left slightly ajar in my bedroom at night.. sop Jul 8 #3

Oh that would be very scary. debm55 Jul 8 #6

I had one of those "scary closet doors as well" SheltieLover Jul 8 #12

I am glad you had parents that were aware of your fears. SheltieLover. debm55 Jul 8 #28

I'm glad, too, Deb. SheltieLover Jul 8 #31

My father until the night he died. no_hypocrisy Jul 8 #7

You know what no_hypocrisy. I could add my parents to my list of things I was scrared of. Love -no , Fear-yes. I had my debm55 Jul 8 #27

My heartfelt condolences debm55. no_hypocrisy Jul 8 #30

The very same things you were afraid of. MuseRider Jul 8 #8

I forgot the clown stuff.....same. MuseRider Jul 8 #13

I don't know why.they would do that. Bad parenting skills. is my guess. debm55 Jul 8 #23

I feel your pain my dear MuseRider. I really do. The bed was terrifying for me. So were the clowns. But my own family debm55 Jul 8 #33

Oh I can so identify. MuseRider Jul 8 #45

I am 70, My father is dead. did I cry, no. My mother and siblings still live together. Do I visit-no, Do I call no. debm55 Jul 8 #49

Kosmemophobia underpants Jul 8 #9

Thank you very much underpants. I never heard of that. It must be very scary for people with that condition. debm55 Jul 8 #22

Spiders, centipedes, anything creepy crawly. Diamond_Dog Jul 8 #14

Thank you Diamond_Dogs. I agree. And I would also add snakes. debm55 Jul 8 #19

Oh yes, definitely snakes! TY Deb. Diamond_Dog Jul 8 #50

This message was self-deleted by its author Grim Chieftain Jul 8 #66

When I was very young, my mother's old-fashioned wringer washer SheltieLover Jul 8 #15

Thank you very much SheltieLover. I can why you were scared.At the age of three, I did get my hand and arm up to the debm55 Jul 8 #16

OMG, Deb, that had to be terrifying! SheltieLover Jul 8 #17

Thank you SheltieLover. We had one of those furnaces too. I thought it was hell. debm55 Jul 8 #18

Yes, I suppose I thought it was a monster that would drag me to "hell." I din't realize at very young age that "hell" is SheltieLover Jul 8 #21

Thank you SheltieLover. debm55 Jul 8 #34

not me but my late mom ( name redacted ) , AllaN01Bear Jul 8 #20

I am so sorry that Scarey things happened to you and your mom. debm55 Jul 8 #35

The Chicken Heart That Ate New York LogDog75 Jul 8 #83

Cancer. CrispyQ Jul 8 #26

Thank you very much CrispyQ, Stil keep up with the mamograms --those can be very scary too. debm55 Jul 8 #36

Snakes be seeing them at the zoo or ChazII Jul 8 #29

thank you very much Chazil. I have a fear of snakes too. I know some are improtant to the environment but they still debm55 Jul 8 #37

Snakes. Still am. OLDMDDEM Jul 8 #32

Thank you OLDMDDEM, some fears are very stuck in our minds. I am scared of snakes too. debm55 Jul 8 #38

Mosquitoes and the basement Imalittleteapot Jul 8 #39

Thank you very much for posting your fears. mosquitoes can be scary. But the basement it the light at the bottom of the debm55 Jul 8 #40

I am night blind so was always terrified of the dark because I can't see anything in dark conditions. lark Jul 8 #41

That would be very scary to not communicate.and having a loss of control debm55 Jul 8 #42

Why do things that make you feel bad? lark Jul 8 #43

thank you lark. Very good question. debm55 Jul 8 #44

Also those things nearest to us as a child or adult are the things that frighten us the most and be hard to change in debm55 Jul 8 #47

That thing in the basement 2MuchNoise Jul 8 #46

Oh that is scary. We lived in a duplex. Bedrooms on second floor. bathroom in the basement. No light switch. Had to go debm55 Jul 8 #48

Oompa Loompas dlilafae Jul 8 #51

Thank you dlilafae. Yes they are scary. debm55 Jul 8 #54

Street cleaners sestina Jul 8 #52

So sorry sestina. They are scary. debm55 Jul 8 #57

I am afraid of my own medical destiny... Moostache Jul 8 #53

Be at piece my dear friend. I am 70 and there are times I forget what I went to the kitchen for, why I bought something debm55 Jul 8 #60

Please go see a neurologist who specializes in dementia, if you haven't already ms liberty Jul 8 #67

Grizzly Bears PikaBlue Jul 8 #55

So sorry PikaBlue. They are scary. debm55 Jul 8 #56

There have never been any grizzly bears where I've lived. PikaBlue Jul 8 #58

Thank you PikaBlue, you don't come across as a grizzly bear but as a rabbit or otter as a spirit animal. Love you. debm55 Jul 8 #62

Today I am the Grizzly PikaBlue Jul 8 #71

You have our prayers and thoughts for your daughter and the family. Stay strong, Grizzly. debm55 Jul 8 #73

Thank you! PikaBlue Jul 8 #75

Miller moths madamesilverspurs Jul 8 #59

Thank you very much for sharing with us, madamesilverspurs. I am glad you have found methods to get rid of them my debm55 Jul 8 #64

Huge waves on Lake Michigan catbyte Jul 8 #61

Thank you very much for sharing with us , my friend. Not being able to run away from danger is a way your debm55 Jul 8 #65

I was lucky, but I was also taught how to handle being caught in an undertow and also how to safely catbyte Jul 8 #68

This might sound weird, but Jilly_in_VA Jul 8 #63

Thank you Jilly_in_VA. Yes, I understand. Thank you for sharing with us. debm55 Jul 8 #78

Heights. As a baby I would scream and become hysterical if I was set up high ms liberty Jul 8 #69

Arachnophobia (no picture!) 🐭 justaprogressive Jul 8 #70

People being angry at me... 3catwoman3 Jul 8 #72

The dark/My own imagination Mad_Dem_X Jul 8 #74

This is a weird one. greatauntoftriplets Jul 8 #76

That is different. greatauntoftriplets, but as a child fears are all different. If you had an occasion where you knew debm55 Jul 8 #80

I don't recall my parents ever eating octopus or calimari. greatauntoftriplets Jul 8 #81

When I was a kid purple_haze Jul 8 #77

Thank you very much.I am glad you have gotten over that fear. And purple-haze, as long as you have love in your heard to debm55 Jul 8 #79

I had a nightmare about a tall skinny man with a pumpkin for his head. applegrove Jul 8 #82

Giant rats LogDog75 Jul 8 #84

The open ocean, heights and spiders all freak me out. Rizen Jul 8 #85

Mine is relatively minor and I got over it chowmama Jul 8 #86

I too had a monster under the bed. LudwigPastorius Jul 10 #87

thank you very much, LudwigPastorious. I think monsters under the bed is very common as is running away from a monster debm55 Jul 10 #90

Monster under the bed. One day I told him to leave. He did. DUU Jul 10 #88

Thank you very much, DUU, When my son was young. We filled a spray bottle with" monster spray" to do away with the debm55 Jul 10 #89