Anyone heard of this phobia - fear of floor collapse?

[mom2ariana]

for as long as i can remember, i have had a fear of floor collapse. i think it started when i was little and read in the newspaper that  truck had been under a bridge that collapsed. that seemed to introduce me to the possibility. to find out that something you've trusted can fail at a young age can be somewhat traumatizing. now i am scared when im in homes, apartments, etc... my husband and i - despite my opposition - live in an apartment unit on the top floor. sometimes it scares me and other times it doesnt. i get terrified when i think about how heavy the couch is, or the fridge, or especially the washing machine when it's loaded and running. i get nervous bringing home heavy bags of groceries. we are moving into another unit soon and its also on the top floor. im scared of the move. scared to move furniture in. i dont know how to overcome this phobia, but sometimes it can really interfere with my happiness. the thought of buying a home is not as happy as it should be because im scared of the top floors. ive told my husband repeatedly that i want a ranch. anyone ever heard of this?

[Lisa1960s]

I have had this same type of panic attack since I was 15.  I am now 54.  I just had one tonight after being at Thanksgiving dinner with too many people in the house.  I have spent the last hour panicking about Christmas being at our place.  My husband and I live in a upper floor apartment and am freaking out because my son and daughter in law are on the large side.  I've been on citalopram for years and for the most part in works.  It's just the rare times like these that are debilitating.  It is absolutely terrifying to the point I have had to leave my home because I was positive that something was going to happen or have to get out of the car and sit on the side of the road until it passes.  I need help!

[kstar521]

I am on citalopram too, for over 10 years... Wonder if it is related.

[Alexah03]

Do you think it’s a side affect from citalopram?

[Pchezz]

I have this same fear i wish i knew the name!!!

[AMYYYB]

Wow finally I'm not alone! I get so terrified calculating the weight of everything in the room people and furniture included. My hands start to sweat and my mouth goes dry and I start to feel really sick and need to get out. At work we have staff meetings in this converted cottage and the floor is really bouncy and when the door slams downstairs it bounces so bad and then it starts! The room isn't huge. There's a MASSIVE 6 piece table in the middle with 12 chairs full of people. I always sit near the door but it still doesn't help. I feel sick thinking about it and I'm sat in bed now. I look for bungalows to rent as I don't think I can live forever like this it's horrible. It only started when I was 18 and I'm 25 now. I miss not being scared all the time. I even have nightmares about it. I need help but I'm scared if I get help I will be oblivious to the fact I'm going to fall through the floor so I feel I need to know about it. If that makes sense?

[Almaross]

I have this same thing!!! Looking back I had a mild version of this phobia as a child, I would get a sick feeling when the swings would bump. Then as I got into early teens I got anxiety when my parents put an elliptical on the second floor of our home above out foyer... I didn't really notice it until recently I found myself being very nervous at the cottage - asking if trees have ever fallen down on the roof. The cottage was raised, as was the deck and when people walk on the deck I could feel it, when I mentioned that to the owner he said the wood was rotting and would need to be replaced in the coming years. It's only a foot off the ground, and I sat there trying to logically call myself down saying I wouldn't be hurt if it fell but it didn't make me feel any better. The fear is getting irrational... I get sick when I can feel the vibration of the washer and dryer. I even worry about my bed being held up by only four corner posts. I wish I knew the name for this!

[Herdofshepherds]

I have both of these - the fear of trees falling thru the roof when the wind picks up AND the fear of falling thru the 2nd floor of a building. It's been 3 years since you posted this. Have you had any luck overcoming it. It is paralyzing sometimes.

[Paxiled]

I would only say, phobias are an anxiety problem.  It's not so much what a particular person is phobic about as the fact their lives are bothered so much by them.  

[Laurenclaire91]

I have had the same thoughts about everything.
I’ve had these thoughts since I can remember.
Trees falling, buildings collapsing, the weight of certain things. I’ve travelled when I’m as younger and could manage it but now that I’m 28 and I’ve just had a baby is sparked back up. Having something that you care so much about feels like you have it double and about more. I want to really try find a way to deal with it because I don’t want it to effect my babies life. And it stop me from doing things.
It was nice to read that other people feel the same way. They are just thoughts we all have. But maybe we could try help each other out with trying to figure out how to think about it and make our anxiety a little less. I’ve tried hypnotherapy (it didn’t work how you would think but it was still helpful). I’m going to try talk to a different psychologist. I was even thinking of talking to an architect or town planner so they could explain the science of how things are made to with stand weights.
Anyway it was so nice to hear other people’s thoughts on this. And it will be ok.

[Paxiled]

Try a form of therapy called CBT.  Might help.

[JennVS]

I just cried tears to read that others share the exact phobia! It's a relief to know I'm not the only one. Calculating furniture and weight of groceries. The fridge and weight of water in the tub freaks me out. I had this as a child then was finally put on Zoloft. It helped but then I developed (unrelated) fibromyalgia and was switched to cymbalta. I recent went off my meds as I was trying to conceive . I just found out that I'm pregnant. It's going to be a long nine months as the anxiety just started to come back. It's not more frequent and sticking around longer. Someone mentioned aromatherapy. What sents might help? What are some other non medical things you all do to make the anxiety attack go away? I try to take my mind off it but you all know it turns into a snowball once it starts.

[LinksZelda]

I seriously also cried a little reading these replies. The relief I feel is overwhelming just knowing others out there are like me. Everyone around me makes me feel like, its just me. And most of the time I am unsure of how to explain what I feel. Its not normal to them, so they dont understand. This affects me everyday. Even my work sometimes when I have to go to the second floor. We are looking to buy  a house and I CONSTANTLY worry about having a tub on the second floor. Or having a basement. I just dont know what to do. I pretend to be like everyone else most of the day but sometimes the panic gets the best of me and I crash. This is the first time I decided to research it and I am so glad I did. I plan to keep looking into it and hopefully find something that can help. Good luck everyone.

[JaynaMichelle]

I too am in tears reading this as I now know I'm not alone. I have the same "weight issues" and most of the times I try to hide it because I believe people think I'm crazy. But as you know, it takes over you and I crash too.
I will try some essential oils as it seems like my anxiety is getting worse. I live in a two story house we just bought 4 years ago, and I regret it every day. I wanted to buy a ranch style home because I've had this issue since I was a kid. I hope we all find a way to cure our self.