From: lapd_dispatcher4 <lapd_dispatcher4@...>
Subject: [unusualphobias] I'm terrified of pool drains...
To: unusualphobias@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wednesday, June 3, 2009, 9:11 AM

And until I ran into the unusualphobias. com site, i thought i was alone. Like some of the people on the site, I always walk around and look into the pool so i know where the drain is before getting in. Its funny, because just this morning, i was at the gym, and went into the pool area -- i stood there looking into the pool to see if i could find the drain (i didnt see one) and an elderly lady said "trying to decide whether or not to get in?" and i just said yeah and quickly walked out. it really is embarassing at times. my fiance picks on me. if were in a pool, he'll go down to the deep end and touch it and make me freak out. i LOVE to swim, and i love pools - if i swim to the deep end, ill do everything i can to avoid going near the drain -- ill also swim as fast as possible down to the area and back. it really is awful!! i guess its called "drainophobia" from what ive seen (which isnt much) and out of all the crazy phobias out there, i cant believe there isnt more people who have posted about this! when i was younger (im 24 now) i went to a state park here in FL that had a GIGANTIC pool.... it was probably like kidney shaped but it was just as big or bigger than a olympic size... the drain in the center was this large square / rectangle shaped black hole with the grates over it... i was already scared of them and this made it worse. ever since then -- the black square ones, the nicer looking white square ones, or the round ones -- i freak out. i cant take it. its only pool and hut tub drains, not sink or anything like that. im scared of "old pools" too. if theyre real old, and have like chipping bottoms, or just LOOK old, i get skeeved.