Feel the fear…

Saturday, March 3, 2012 Permalink

It’s rare that one can undertake a google search for something… only to find that it doesn’t exist. But today I did just that. Here I am trying to be all honest and knowledgable and stuff but I’m stymied by the dastardly World Wide Web.
the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth In searching the internet however, I discovered that there are some very fucked-up people out there. I mean, did you know there are words for: a fear of lockjaw or tetanus (Tetanophobia) or a fear of chopsticks (Consecotaleophobia). I mean, a fear of tyrants (Tyrannophobia) seems quite sensible; however a fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth (Arachibutyrophobia) is just downright loopy.

Given this amazing site, www.phobialist.com* listed every phobia imaginable and a gazillion more, I was shocked that what I was searching for wasn’t there. I mean, I know I’m strange but surely I’m not THAT weird. However, after much research… what I wanted wasn’t to be found.

I’ve decided you see, that my ‘condition’ MUST be a phobia. After all, it’s not normal. I’m sure.  And by finding others with a similar ailment will surely offer me some sort of reassurance or validation. But it wasn’t to be. And it all started with a whinge-y tweet about my empty pantry.

Yes Sir-ee, I’m talking about my fear or dread of going grocery shopping. Weeks go by when I cannot literally force myself to go into a grocery store. Back when I was eating a whole heap of crap I had added motivation as there were caramello koalas or corn chips waiting for me at the end of that grocery-shopping rainbow. But now, nothing but an empty fridge (or toilet roll holders) can force me to drive the 5 minutes down the road where I have a choice of our country’s TWO big supermarkets.

I’d like to think that my antipathy has something to do with the fact that I’m eating healthily and worry I’d be tempted by ill-placed chocolates; or chip aisles calling my name.

But seriously, most days this week I have ‘intended’ to take myself off to the grocery store after work in the evening. And each night – I put it off. Once upon a time I shopped regularly. But not recently (so thank god I am single and childless!). Most successful have been my forays into online grocery shopping, but the difficulty I face is that the company I use doesn’t have everything I need. I need to visit both big supermarkets to buy EVERYTHING on my list. (Yes, yes, I know… if this was Twitter there’d be a #firstworldproblem hashtag there! And… I should know better, after my years of living in developing countries. But…)

While googling for information I read of others admitting they don’t like grocery shopping – something to do with strangers speaking to them, or spending money and the like. That is NOT my problem. I’m happy to talk to anyone. And I LOVE spending money.

It’s really only the ‘idea’ of grocery shopping that I hate. The notion of HAVING to go.

 

gratis photograph

gratisphotography.com

And last night I finally forced myself to go. I mean, I HAD to as I was out of girlie products AND needed toilet paper. The essentials. (Oh, and eggs, meat and lots of other things!)

Although I didn’t get everything on my list (I refuse to do anything other than a basket-shop and WILL NOT use a trolley as am way too impatient for that) I was quite chuffed that I made the effort. And, in reality, including the drive to and fro – and quick foray into the bottle shop – the whole adventure took me 20 minutes. And let’s face it, 20 minutes out of my day is NOTHING!

I had hoped that – having not gone for a couple of weeks – it might break the ice (like when they make shark phobics jump into shark-infested waters!), but alas no. My ‘to-do’ list included a visit to the other supermarket this morning and I wasn’t able to force myself into my fabulous little beast for the 5 minute drive. But, maybe this afternoon….

Please tell me that it isn’t just me; that others are stymied by the necessity to grocery-shop. I mean, I know that there doesn’t seem to be a bloody word for it, but it CAN’T be just me. Surely. Please! Anyone?

*Cos it’s so entertaining to poke fun at others’ phobias… here’s a few more:
Porphyrophobia- Fear of the color purple.
Ouranophobia or Uranophobia- Fear of heaven.
Oenophobia- Fear of wines.
Myxophobia- Fear of slime. (Blennophobia)
Levophobia- Fear of things to the left side of the body.
Bogyphobia- Fear of bogeys or the bogeyman.
Kyphophobia- Fear of stooping.
Hobophobia- Fear of bums or beggars.
Defecaloesiophobia- Fear of painful bowels movements.
Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia- Fear of the number 666.
Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia- Fear of long words.

16 Comments
  • Nikki @ Styling You
    March 3, 2012

    I hate it too! Seriously. And I have a family who requires food and lots of toilet paper. Click and Collect at Coles is my saviour – I do it online and then drive through parcel pick up to collect!

    • Debbish
      March 3, 2012

      It’s the one time that being single is a good thing. Only I suffer if I’ve been slack!!!!

  • Sharmila
    March 3, 2012

    I absolutely hate it too! I try and do it first thing Sunday morning when the supermarket is quiet takes me 20-30mins max! Though, I do like Nikki’s idea .. might give it a go.

    • Debbish
      March 3, 2012

      Sharmila

      I tend to use Coles online if I have visitors coming, so do a bulk buy then and have some poor delivery guy lug the bags in from the truck and up my stairs (though I help!). Mind you, I feel like I’m ordering heaps of stuff and then the guy arrives and it can carry my groceries in one big crate!

      The Coles pickup here in Bris is on the southside somewhere, so too far for a lazy sod like me to drive. Delivery isn’t expensive ($5-15 usually) but all of the products are a bit more expensive.

      When I was doing early morning exercise on the weekend I also used to be one of those people (*losers*) standing outside Woolworths at 8am on a Saturday, waiting for it to open.

      Deb

  • Runa
    March 3, 2012

    I don’t mind the grocery shopping. It’s carrying everything into the house I don’t like & the actual cooking. But I love to shop for the food and put it away at home and the do dishes. I just do not like to cook… so I end up with a lot more ‘unhealthy’ items than I would have liked for myself. But, I am getting a bit better!

    • Debbish
      March 4, 2012

      Hi Runa and thanks for visiting this site! I’m almost the complete opposite. I don’t mind the cooking, but it’s the rest of it I hate!

      Deb

  • Misha - The Bling Buoy
    March 7, 2012

    Would you believe I was also searching google for the term meaning “phobia of statistics” for a guest post and came up with nothing! I was completely shocked! Surely the majority of the population are terrified of statistics? But alas, no. They merely have “arithmophobia” – a fear of arithmetic. Which is fair enough, but still…

    • Debbish
      March 7, 2012

      I know… given some of the weird stuff people are phobic about, you’d think some of the more sensible phobias would be there (statistics, grocery shopping and the like!)

      Deb

  • KCLAnderson (Karen)
    March 8, 2012

    The older I get, the more I hate it. It’s not a fear so much (unless I’ve heard that there’s an outbreak of stomach virus and I fear that other people will be vomiting in the grocery story [I didn’t see THAT on the list pf phobias]).

    • Debbish
      March 8, 2012

      I completely forgot to check for the fear of others vomitting….

      I think I just need to get into a pattern of internet shopping. It’s far more efficient!

      Deb

  • Mum of Adult Kids
    March 9, 2012

    I loathe grocery shopping.. although I don’t think I’d call it a phobia because I’m not afraid of it, I just don’t like it.

    Nor do I like it when peanut butter (or anything really) sticks to the roof of my mouth! I can understand that one. Does that make me loopy? 😉

    • Debbish
      March 9, 2012

      That’s true – not sure if I just hate it a lot, or dread it (because I hate it). Hmmm…..

      And on the peanut butter issue – no it doesn’t make you loopy. As for some of the other phobias…. well….

  • Becky from BeckyandJames.com
    March 9, 2012

    You sound like my dad. He absolutely has a fear. I certainly don’t love it and, depending on how the week’s going I dread going with three kiddos!
    I, personally, have a phobia of cows… Just thought I would share.

    • Debbish
      March 11, 2012

      Cows, really? Hmm…. will have to google that one! Can’t recall it from my list. #notmakingfunofyouIswear

  • Maureen
    March 11, 2012

    I knew we’d be friends. I hate going food shopping. I know, I know, I love to cook but the thought of hauling all that stuff home and trying to find a spot for it gives me hives. For a while I was ordering from Coles just so the little man would haul everything to the kitchen bench. Better but I couldn’t talk him into putting it all away.

    Absolutely lovely meeting you!

    • Debbish
      March 11, 2012

      Hi Maureen… Lovely to meet you too. Yes, grocery shopping is the bane of my life. I can usually only convince myself to go if I have an ulterior motive. (I called in after today’s workshop because I wanted to have some rice-cakes… so got the boring stuff while I was there!

      Deb

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