I wonder if anyone but me has a loved one (whose identity I will guard with my life) who suffers from a little known fear I have chosen to call Trashcanaphobia. Maybe it is not your loved one. Maybe it is you. See if any of this sounds familiar. Sufferers of Trashcanaphobia inexplicably leave all sorts of things – used Splenda packets, or even running shoes, for instance – on otherwise spotless kitchen counters for hours on end or until a codependent loved one moves them. Here’s the definitive part of the diagnosis: and all the while with the trash can only a few feet away. After watching this strange phenomenon for a matter of years (I’ll not say exactly how many), I have come to the conclusion that said sufferer cannot help it. Said sufferer obviously has a terror of trash cans.
Here is a recent documentation of this little-explored and afore unexplained phenomenon:
This very morning, my mind was even further expanded concerning phobias when Melissa’s cell phone dropped in the middle of rich conversation as it does every single morning. I called her back and got the usual voice mail, then about 10 minutes later like clockwork she rang my line. I answered the phone with, “I bet anything your cell battery was dead.”
“Yep, it was.” (It almost always is.) “Colin told me yesterday that he can come up with no further explanation for why I constantly have a dead battery except for an undiagnosed fear of phone chargers.”
So, that’s two of them in our family at least. We’ll call that one “Cellchargaphobia.” I think my daughters told you several years ago that I have a phobia of unfried foods. We’ll call it “Unfriedaphobia.” I’ve gotten some victory over it the last few years but it is still my phobia of choice.
So, please say it’s not just the Moores. Any odd family phobias out there?
PS. We’re having fun here today. Those in a mood to take themselves too seriously will want to find a different blog for the next 24 hours. You are dearly loved but we’ll talk to you later in the week.
Oh my goodness…….I’m soooo happy to know that I’m not the lone one here. My sweet husband not only has that trashcanaphobia but his phobia goes even further….sugarbowllidaphobia!!!! Egadsssssss. I cringe when I come home from school and see that lid to my precious Polish pottery (that cannot be replaced here in the states) sitting so close to the edge of the countertop. Makes me quite nervous. So, my routine each evening coming in from volleyball practice/tennis practice is to go straight to the counter and put the lid on the bowl and put the “whatevers” in the trash can. I definitely do NOT have trashcanaphobia! Grin!
One of my children sufferes from pickupdirtysocksaphobia while the other has stopplayinguitarsowecanhearourselvesthinkaphobia. I love them. I do.
I have a trashcanaphobic in my house too! It seems to only be a fear of the bathroom trashcan though. I suffer from Toomanytripsupstairsaphobia…I can’t seem to make too many trips upstairs to put stuff away so I always have a pile hanging on the banister at the foot of the stairs!
I know it’s been said, but it is also the laundrybasketphobia in my house too! After 15 years it has gotten a little “better.” Instead of all over the floor, the clothes are usually piled near the basket or ON TOP!!!! Seriously???? Just lift the lid!!!! Maybe after another 15 we will be able to get rid of this phobia! LOL! ;O)
In my house it is takethingsupstairsandoffthestepsphobia.
The family walks by everything waiting to go upstairs.
My oldest son which is 19 has a don’temptythetrashcanaphobia.
His trash can is heaping over with cups from every fast food place in town.He just keeps throwing them at the trash can day after day as if it was empty till I finally tell him or empty it myself. Drives me crazy!!!!
Someone in my home always puts things in the trash can, always puts his dirty clothes in the laundry basket, never leaves his clothes or any of his belongings laying around….however anything having to do with the kitchen is a phobia….no cooking, no helping with dishes etc. So what would that be called????? Nokitchenaphobia????? He loves to eat!! My phobia is visionaphobia….I need to see things visually and thus lots of “stuff” is left out so I don’t forget I have it or forget to take it (as in vitamins, etc).
Always hated my mother’s cluttered counters….guess what!! Got um!!!!
Great blogging today……love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bible Bunny in NO MI
P.S. 16 days to Grand Rapids….. 🙂
Is there a phobia for not having a clean house or not being able to get it in order. Even though you want one. Like a regretacleanaphobia. LOL.
love ya guys!
I am laughing my sides off right now!!! My sweet, dear husband has to go around behind me and close every door and drawer that I have left open because I apparently suffer from severe closingthingsapohobia!!! Someone else in our house has a filethingsawayphobia that results in paper stacks growing right before our eyes!
This is hysterical! I have outsiderefrigeratordoorphobia. Everything I think is important gets stuck to the front and sides of the thing!! I tell myself that I will remember if its on the fridge. Yea, right! I just passed up the baby shower invite I was suppose to rsvp too last week! OUCH. Oh yea, and also cleaned off my daughter’s art project from the first day of school, which was back in August!
Blessings Ladies!
well, he who shall remain nameless has trashcanaphobia, and the other phobias which live in our home include, cleanroomaphobia, and dirtyclotheshamperphobia as well as the ever present doitnowaphobia (that one is mine). Really enjoyed this fun post today!
to-do-o-phobia. cannot stick to a schedule to save my life. also a fear of capitalizing.
My husband (whom is amazing about washing the dishes.. and I really shouldn’t complain) doesn’t every wip off the counter afterwards.. and he spills water and soap etc on it.. and leaves a hug puddle.. so when I go to the sink my shirt gets wet.. Not really sure what you’ll call that.. wipethecounterphobia!
And my mother.. she is funny.. whenever she makes coffe.. she always and I mean always spills the grinds on the counter.. so hers is aftertogettoostrongcoffeephobia.. since she always misses the basket! = )
I thought of another one that I have and it came on me in the middle of the night when I caught my husband drinking our new favorite V8 strawberry-banana juice right out of the jug, and for some reason, I then developed a case of “drinkoutofthecontainerphobia.”
This leads to my husband’s long-standing phobia which is called “leavealittlemilkinphobia” whereby he refuses to throw out the last of the milk or juice or whatever because he may also have a slight case of trashcanaphobia…
We need some intervention here.
Us empty nesters have a little case of “dowhateverwelikeaphobia”
And I love it!!!
Gran Jan
Jan, oh Jan, my hubs does that as well. Even out of my very own small gaterade bottle, over night….love that man, but I’m wondering what I might get if I drink after him in my very own gaterade bottle? 🙂
Blogcommentaphobia…admitting it is the first step 🙂
My heart goes out to unsaid member of your family who has trashcan phobia because I suffer in a similar way. I unfortunately have “take the trash out” phobia.
I am afraid of taking the trash out. I am afraid of lifting the dirty, smelly, bag and having it leak and maybe even rip as i am carrying it out spilling chicken guts and dirty napkins all over the place. I have heard this happen to people and it is a wonder they have survived. Also, I am afraid if I actually make it to the trashcan outside with the smelly, dirty, bag that when I open the trash can the horrible smell inside or some horrible varmint will pop up and it will be the end of me 🙂
Needless to say I do not take the trash out. My husband does.
Maybe you can write a book on this~you may help many.
(Love you Beth and thanks for the laughs.)
Geri
I also have
ou’dogslifephobia – fear that my dog will not have everything she wants/needs when or before she wants/needs it. I will drop whatever I am doing at any time of day or night to tend to her.
But I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I love that sweet old puppy. 🙂
My husband has a bad case of trashcanaphobia, inseparably linked to an equally bad case of replacethebagaphobia. Bless his heart he can’t seem to get over his fears and put a new bag in the trash can!! I have a terrible case of foldaphobia, and wettowelaphobia in which I tend to dry my hair with my towel and place it on the foot of my husbands side of the bed, resulting in a damp spot…I can’t explain this beyond saying that I think it’s because our master bathroom is so small you basically have to climb on the potty to close the door, so rather than trying to maneuver the door closed (and then open again) to hang it on the hook, I just toss it on the bed!!
My husband most definitely suffers from trashcanophobia and putanythingawayphobia. Another peculiar phobia runs in his family (it is WONDERFUL that I am so perfect!)…and that is cabinetdoorcloseaphobia. He cannot close a cabinet door to save his life. And when we went to visit his father for the first time after we got married, I immediately burst out laughing as I walked into the kitchen and EVERY cabinet door stood wide open! Obviously these phobias are not easily (or ever) cured and are most certainly hereditary!!
Anyone else notice that the more we look at our fears together, the more they seem to multiply?
Is that Siestaphobiaphobia?
Yes, indeed!
As well as many of these above phobias – my kids suffer from “ismominthehousesomewherealoneaphobia” which results in “ican’tsearchforherwithoutyellinghername100xaphobia” which results in “ican’tleaveheraloneinthebathroomaphobia”. This was so much fun 🙂 What a hoot!
Yes, Yes! I remember these phobias!
TRUE girl, True!
Oh yes, I too remember those days, if I wanted to find the kids all I had to do was go to the bathroom and they would start knocking on the door calling for me. 🙂 Such sweet memories, and now that phobia has been passed down to my grandson who is doing the knocking now and calling out for Nanuh!
Used to think I could go “potty” by myself when the kids were grown, but my hubby does this as much as the kids. I have been known to say “I’m going to the potty now, and I’m Going ALONE.”
Oh, my goodness, Yes! Did it ever occur to them that maybe we are in the bathroom because WE….WANT….TO…BE….ALONE!!!!!
I have putmyreadingglassesdowninthe same place aphobia. It helps when I’m around my 2 year old grand daughter because she loves to keep track of them…. Glass es… not always a good thing for a 2 year old to have in their little hands.
oh a light day feels good thanks Beth!
Too fun! The last two blogs remind me of my favorite scene in “Steel Magnolias” when Sally Fields goes from extreme seriousness to hilarious laughing with her friends…all within minutes. Thanks Beth! Life is so fun!
In my household, we have a bad case of cleancounteraphobia. Am I the only one who lives here who thinks a clean countertop is part of a clean kitchen?
Floors are another matter though. Sigh. I have mopaphobia and to a slightly lesser degree, sweepaphobia. Give me carpet and a vacuum cleaner and I’m good to go, but I do so detest mopping! (Good thing my husband doesn’t!)
My phobia would called donothaveanywheretoputthisstuffphobia. I do not have a place to put things like VBS , old coke bottles that my husband collects , decor for church, scrapbooking, art supplies etc. It all seems to go here and there__a drawer, a closet or out in the shed outside(not the Bible stuff)or in a plastic container.
Don’t worry my “Beth Moore Books” are on my bookshelf where I can get hold of them at all times…along with my Bible and other Christian books.
I evidently have a fear of turning off lights. I leave on every light in the house. You can follow my trail and see which rooms I’ve been in. I’ll name it Lightswitchaphobia. Drives my husband crazy. HE on the other hand seems to have a fear of a completely clean kitchen counter. He doesn’t leave trash but he does leave little piles of mail, papers, keys, change, etc. Makes me nuts! So let’s see, that would be cleancounteraphobia?
This is wonderful. At least I now know what is wrong with my husband and children. At least it is not fatal.
My husband does the same thing. He says he doesn’t want to have to wash his hands after touching the trash. So that leaves me to wash my hands if I throw his trash away. He is slightly better after years of marriage.
My husband can’t brush his teeth without gagging profusely. Grosses me out and he does it every. stinkin. morning. I try to blast my hairdryer so I don’t have to hear him. What would that be called toothbrushingaphobia?
I have foldaphobia, too Amanda and my kids always ask where their clean socks are. They now know to go look in the laundry basket. They’re clean, but not put away!
Oh…and your real problem is….that your trashcanaphobia person has to open a cabinet door first…(grin).
I have a dryerphobia. I always seem to forget about the last load of laundry in the dryer. Then when I need one of the articles of clothing I turn the dryer back on because I also have an ironphobia I have probably only used an iron 10 maybe 15 times in my 20 years of existence (sad I know). I too have a trashcanphobia but it seems to be only with water bottles. Just yesterday I found 11, count them ELEVEN, water bottles rolling around in my car after not even 1 whole week, and I’m sure there are probably one or two more hiding under my seats. They are all empty though, so maybe I just have an addiction to water….hmm.
In our house it’s clotheshamperophobia. Socks lying on the floor next to the hamper are the #1 symptom. I fear it is horribly catching. Last night I counted 3 t-shirts, 2 pairs of jeans, 2 bras and a pair of my own socks on top of my hamper. However, in all fairness I must say that my clothes were lying on my hamper just in case they weren’t THAT dirty….
Two big phobias – cannotsleepwithmyhandsuncovered (cannot sleep with my hands uncovered) phobia and this one I am sad to mention, mustreadwhatothersarewriting (must read what others are writing) phobia. This one is terrible in church or Bible Study so I always sit beside one who doesn’t take notes or at an angle so I can’t see. I just want to make sure I’m getting it all so I check – I promise I don’t want to cheat! My heart is pure on the cheating but it is sure cloudy on the nosy!!!
I have sleepaphobia. I am afraid to go to bed at night. I try to eek-out every last second of “free-time” I can. I love my young daughters, but I also love to just relax with my husband. I sometimes fear that going to bed cuts that time short. (I think my husband has sleepaphobia too.)
Well Beth, an observant counselor may have already noticed this but…
It seems clear to me that you are an enabler (and perhaps have issues yourself) – note the convenient door behind which that trash can normally hides….
My husband has trashcanophobia. I find those empty flavor packets for water on the counter all the time along with the empty foil packets that his sinus medication comes in along with the empty box that he took the foil packet from ..AND the cabinet door is open from which he took the medication box. There have been times when I’ve left them there so he can “realize” what he has done. But he is CLUELESS!!They could stay there for days and it wouldn’t bother him a bit while it drives me insane!
I did not see the SLI simulcast, but I like what someone else remembered from it about we are insecure if everything is an offense. Ouch! Stomped on my toes there. Maybe I will start lovingly picking up those packets and be thankful for my Godly man. THANK YOU!!
I must admit I have clean-top-of-dreser-aphobia. I can clean off my dresser but within days anything that does not have “a place” ends up on my dresser and will likely stay there for the next twelve months.
Thanks for the laugh Beth and I especially love the aerial view of your kitchen.. from a chair??
My husband sadly suffers from DealingWithPaperPhobia. It is so much easier for him to stack mail, receipts, paperwork in a pile on the counter, in a random box, nightstand, etc. and never return to it again.
My husband has hamperphobia. He leaves his underwear and socks on the floor a few feet from the clothes hamper.
Life is so full of funny moments. Thanks for making us smile!
Love ya!
My boys have laudrabasketphobia and I would love to start a therapy group for other mothers who find laundry and towels all over the house. Maybe they think the basket will swallow their clothes….actually I think the basket is magic because things go into it dirty and then appear later cleaned, ironed and folded or hanging.
I’m the magic laundry fairy and they better be so glad that I DON’T suffer from washingmachineaphobia! HA!
Cannot explain to you the depths of “hopelessness” I have been experiencing the last week or so. This blog helped so much. Don’t get me wrong, I know God is good . . . all the time. But sometimes “stuff” goes wrong and it stinks. At any rate, I chuckled even over this today and it felt good.
My son suffers from hidemydirtysockaphobia. He cannot put them in the dirty clothes. Instead, he MUST spend twice as much time to hide them somewhere to keep from putting them where they belong. Go figure! He’s simply a small “dad”, though because hubby certainly suffers from clotheshamperaphobia. Gotta love ’em!!!
Taskophobia is the fear of completing a task. I have been diagnosed and everyone knows it (my ‘tag is on the outside’). 🙂 I currently have 4 knitting projects going, 5 unfinished books, and half a green wall half a wall papered wall in my kitchen. Thankfully I am greatly loved by the King of Kings who never leaves anything (or anyone) undone. Phil.1:6 He is so good!
Even in the convent we suffer from these many maladies.
For me it is clearsurfaceaphobia.. I cannot have an uncluttered surface in my presence. It will automatically collect junk.
I also have a raweggaphobia … don’t even talk to me about eating raw cookie dough – gag!
Loved this today! so fun!
Beth we have several. I have several members of my family that have a phobia of the trash can and those same members are afraid of putting their socks in the hamper. For that matter anything in the clothes hamper. Hmmmm, could it be the clothes hamper they are afraid of. That is just to name a few. I am glad to know that my house is not the only ones with people who have strange phobias. You know like not wanting to put your clothes away ever because, well, they say what’s the point. On that fine note. I hope you have a wonderful day. Kim B. in AZ
Um, I have a family full of waterdropaphobes. It’s trying when said waterdropaphobes are married to or the children of a woman who walks around the kitchen, allowing water to drop from her hands, in search of a hand towel, or who washes her face morning and night with her hands, no washcloth needed, and may, possibly leave water drops all around the sink. The elder waterdropaphobe has been known to swipe a towel around the sink, drying up the water drops. The youngest, has a bottom drawer in the kitchen filled with a supply of rags, so he can clean up after said offender. He’s only 18 mo. old! Who knew we were born with our phobias?!
I have a few:
1.) I think hair is beautiful… But on the floor etc. I am grossed out. I would call that Hairnotattachedtoheadphobia!
2.) I also suffer from Takethingsoutofthecarphobia. I just can’t stand to carry them in all five feet.
3.) And last but not least Leavingshoesscatteredphobia!
Glad to get that off my chest! Ha!
My 16 year old daughter has trashcanaphobia in the worst way. Thank you so much for sheading light on this little talked about problem. Is there a 12 step program? I go into her room and it looks like the end of time and trash is everywhere!
My precious loved ones have what I will call “dresserphobia”. By this I mean they fear their clothing actually being folded behind closed dresser drawers. It MUST be UN-folded (think: rumpled) and left to see the light of day (think: all over the floor) or else either the clothing will possibly mold or shrink or something otherwise damaging to the fiber content will occur if left in the darkness.
After reading the length of that last sentence, I believe I too suffer. From “punctuationphobia.”
Oh, and I have “doghairphobia”.
Enough said.
Hi Redeemed, it’s Mary and “Maggie” and we know ALL ABOUT DOG HAIR! Esp. with a yellow lab that sheds ALL the time. She used to have run of the whole house, but now she has just the down stairs. Less cleaning and sneezing! 🙂 Nice to see you again!
Well, I do love to have some fun now and again! I can hardly point out the speck-a-phobias in my loved ones eyes as the plank-a-phobias in my own are too big.
I believe hangaphobia may be my biggest fear. For some reason that I can’t even myself explain, I must let the clothes I’ve worn that day {the ones that aren’t dirty, of course, I do have my standards!} sit on the wing-back chair in our bedroom for a day or two before I can get them back in the closet where they rightfully belong. I’d like to say I blame this on the very teeny closets in our 1923-era home. But, that would be a lie. It is more my 1966-era self that just hates to hang up clothing!
Thanks for the real-life laughter and the blessing and reminder that none of us is perfect and all of us are quirky in our own special way.
At our house it has always been “rollaphobia” and I evidently am the only one immune. This basically means for the last 28 years (8 children) I am the only one with the ability to replace an empty toilet paper roll with a new one! Sometimes to prove I am worthy of this ministry I will go the extra mile and fold the new paper ends to a lovely point. Like at the fancy hotels. Punn intended.
Wow…this fun, but it’s scary because I think that we pretty much have all of these phobias in my house! My husband definitely has trashcanaphobia and laundrybasketaphobia as well as dishwasheraphobia. I definitely have foldaphobia and cleansurfaceaphobia!! Thanks for the good laugh today!