When I was a little boy probably about 3 or 4 years old. My mother used to play a harmless game with me when I was in bed. She would say, "There are crabs at the bottom of the bed and tweek my toes from under the blankets" All seemingly harmless!
Now at the age of 50 (something) at night, sometimes, I have to pull my feet up for fear of those imaginary crabs. Only conscious logic allows me to stretch my legs again.
Does anyone else have similar leftovers from childhood? Is this phenomena common?
2006-07-09 10:47:15 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
totally understand what you mean, since i was young i have had a huge fear of swimming pools and the sea, im over the pool thing now but still working on the sea, reason bieng the frosties advert with the woman sat by the pool and she uses a remote control which opens a cage built in the pool to release a shark xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx horrific as a child i reckon xxxxxxxxxx
2006-07-10 02:42:41 · answer #1 · answered by candypants 3 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Hey Tim
You must be feeling anxious about other things, feeling stressed and maybe a little depressed as well. You may know/not know the real cause for your anxiety so are simply thinking back about happy times, when mum was twinkling your toes and thinking about crabs in your bed as a projection of your inner fears/worries.
Many people react as you do, be it crabs, wolves, food stuff, anything really! It is called transference and affect so many of us!
Why don't you write a list of things causing you worry/stress/anxiety? Then try working at all the issues there one after the other. And at night ... Open your bed wide so you know there are no crabs there, then tuck yourself in and think of your mum giving you cuddles, love! Think about waking up in the morning, how your mum would cook breakfast for you, take you to school etc.
If feeling you still cannot cope with bedtime, then ask a doctor for help. Please don't worry! Your doctor will not think you mad. He'll simply put you on a course of anxyolitics for a short while.
Best wishes
2006-07-09 20:55:22 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would say that there is not one single person out there who does not have a leftover from their childhood, and yours is relatively unobtrusive. While I try my best to be a non-judgemental and balanced parent myself, I know that I will be passing all sorts of "leftovers" on to my own children. I'll bet you have too, if you have any children. If your mum did that to you with the intention of scaring you, then that was a poor decision based, probably, on her own childhood. If she did it because she remembered lonely bedtimes as a child and just wanted to play, then that too is a leftover from her childhood.
I wouldn't worry about it. It's a relatively unobtrusive leftover!
Sleep well, and watch those crabs. They can be real beggars when they've been in bed all day and not in the sea, just waiting for you to go to bed...
2006-07-10 09:12:59 · answer #3 · answered by R.I.P. 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like you have a 'learnt' response, that disturbs your sleep. Conscious logic is fine, but you are awake by then. How about seeking the advice from a counsellor? You will receive non-judgmental listening, you may find a way to overcome this fear. Your GP would be able to recommend a way to get this help. Many people have learnt behaviours that are not helpful to them. I wish you well
2006-07-10 05:41:55 · answer #4 · answered by silentium aqualis 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, isn't that strange how the most seemingly harmless things can stick with you? My stepdad used to say "I'm just pulling your leg" when he was joking with me. I started fearing that someone would come out from under my bed and pull my legs, dragging me under the bed.
2006-07-09 11:53:23 · answer #5 · answered by Call me AL 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i got lost when very young on Friends of my fathers farm since then i dream and wake with palpitations that I'm stuck in this Field and there's no gates and i cant get out , it doesn't sound scary but i feel the fear of being two years old being stuck in this Field . i tend to have this dream when I'm stressed and properly not sleeping that well . i feel for you as when i watch jaws the movie with the shark i cant go to the loo as i think hes gonna bite my bum and that was my dad teasing me after we watched the film when i was about 8 or 9 . hope you feel better in the knowledge that others have the same feelings .
2006-07-09 21:39:39 · answer #6 · answered by j.j. 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Goya has an entire series about this. The one in particular that I remember is captioned "The sleep of reason produces monsters" or something like that, and is really rather informative about the average human subconscious. Don't worry about it - you can try sleeping with a night-light on...
2006-07-09 13:28:48 · answer #7 · answered by Camber 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My siblings...all older than me...used to lift the blankets to tickle my feet because they knew it bothered me. To this day (I'm 36 1/2) I cannot have my feet sticking out from under the covers...even if it is hot out I still at least have to have a sheet over me.
2006-07-09 11:02:16 · answer #8 · answered by Ryan's mom 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes, my aunt told me that there was a dead person under her bed,and if her arm dangled over the side of the bed that dead person would grab her arm and try to pull her under there too. I am over 50 and I still wig out if I wake up and my arm isn't in the bed with me!
2006-07-09 12:38:46 · answer #9 · answered by Jo 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes i am 50 as well i was allways told their was scorpions under the bed i think to stop me getting out of bed and even to day i still look under the bed just to make sure their are none crazey but i do laugh about it
2006-07-09 10:54:15 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋