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Forums » Smalltalk » Things you refuse to do for 'weird' reasons

Is there anything you can't/won't/refuse to do for a 'weird' reason?

As an example...

Warning, this is a bid morbid and has to do with death/anxiety.


Ever since I was little I cannot and refuse to sleep on my back because every show and movie I had ever seen when someone dies, especially in their sleep, they're always lying on their back.

My subconscious and otherwise, over time turned this into 'can't and absolutely will not sleep on back to prevent death'. I only sleep on my sides and if I roll over onto my back in my sleep I almost always wake up instantly to roll over.

Lying on my back = dying in my head.

It's a bit silly, but it is what it is.
I have one. A sibling tried to do me serious physical harm when I was a very small child and on the toilet- so now I have to be able to securely lock the bathroom door and be alone or I can’t go. That includes public restrooms. I’ve gotten some really weird looks and comments from friends and lovers in past years over that one.
Mercyinreach wrote:

My subconscious and otherwise, over time turned this into 'can't and absolutely will not sleep on back to prevent death'. I only sleep on my sides and if I roll over onto my back in my sleep I almost always wake up instantly to roll over.

Lying on my back = dying in my head.

It's a bit silly, but it is what it is.

Not too silly, I think it kinda makes sense. Have you ever seen someone who does sleep in a position like they were dead? It’s bizarre.
Mipps

If I walk in cemetery, to which I have in the past quite often... I cannot step on the rectangle space in front of gravestones.
my gut turns like im stepping on a live person lieing there. For some reason I find it horribly rude. so i only walk around or in between.

I was also hit in the head alot with Nerf guns projectiles (thanks to my brother) and balls (basket balls, soccer balls, baseballs) I had the WORST luck. so now I recoil like a pansy any time something flys through the air at me or a nerf gun is drawn. so needless to say, I refuse to play sports involving said ball projectiles and i swear to gatos ima throw away my man's nerf guns while he is underway if he keeps aiming them at me XD
I cannot sleep with my feet aligned with a doorway.

Just newp, can't do it.

When I was a kid, I was told that if your feet are facing the doorway and it's lined up with it, your spirit will leave your body and walk away when you sleep, so you'll die. The other version was some sort of ghost/demon will grab your spirit by the feet and drag it away, leaving you dead.

Don't know the origins of that lore since I grew up in a massively multi-cultural place. So yeah, since then no feet aligned with doorways.
Oh. And whistling at night. That's a huge no no too.

Again, growing up, I was told that whistling at night would attract demons and ghosts and is basically inviting bad things to follow you to do harm.
Mipps

That reminds me, i cant hang wind chimes. I was told when i was young they bring spirits.. both good and bad. I had some messed up experiences when i was younger.. so NOW they freak me out. i take those suckers down. and when im at other people's homes that have wind chimes they freak me out.. make me.. paranoid.
Mipps wrote:
That reminds me, i cant hang wind chimes. I was told when i was young they bring spirits.. both good and bad. I had some messed up experiences when i was younger.. so NOW they freak me out. i take those suckers down. and when im at other people's homes that have wind chimes they freak me out.. make me.. paranoid.

I heard that tooooo!! People are like, "Aren't wind chimes sooooo soothing?" And I'm like, "NO!"
I have a penchant for watching murder documentaries. Most of the time when there's real crime scene video / pictures, the rooms or homes seem dirty or unkempt. That being said, every night before I go to bed I tidy the house like clockwork just in case I get murdered. I want my house to be clean. >///>°
If I'm sitting or laying, I need to have me knees bent and/or supported. I get really nervous about my knees snapping backward if they're straight over open space. I also don't like people touching my knees or elbows.
I have a bunch of “weird” little quirks — but the people who love me find them endearing, haha.

1.) Whenever I sleep in a hotel room, I have to be in the spot farthest away from the door. I will not sleep on the bed closest to the door — no matter if I get the far side (toward the middle of the room, for example). I really don’t know why, except for in my mind I’m paranoid of someone breaking in and feel like I’d have more time to think of what to do/escape if I’m farther from the door? Bizarre, lol.

2.) I refuse to allow my food to touch on a plate. I know this isn’t that uncommon, but my family laughs at me for it. I just do not like my food mixing or touching. I also always save the thing I like the taste of most for last — even if it’s literally just a bite-sized amount.

3.) I refuse to let people touch the inside of my elbow — like where they draw blood. Freaks me the heck out. It’s not a common spot for people to just grab, but friends and family and even my boyfriend have all accidentally brushed over it — and I cringe whenever it happens. I have a needle phobia and never got over the first time I had to be stuck as a kid for a blood test, but seriously: can’t have ANYTHING touching or prodding me in that weird little spot.

4.) I used to never go to bed without locking our basement door. The house was renovated maybe three years ago, and after that door was replaced (still has a lock, mind you), I was able to give up the habit. But I do lock everything, like on instinct the second I get home. We live in a great neighborhood and nothing ever happens, but it’s a reflex for me.

5.) I don’t know if this is neccesarily “refusing”...but I don’t lie about serious things, ever. I know a lot of people tell little white lies every now and again, and I’m guilty of that even though I try not to be, it still happens every once in a blue moon. But I know a few people who will blatantly lie about tragic things like family injuries/personal traumas to get out of things they don’t want to do. I become really superstiitius about that kind of thing and always fear that that very thing has a higher likelihood of happening if the person lies about it. My mom’s pulled it a few times, not to that kind of extreme, but I told her about my own little superstitious belief and it changed her perspective. I guess it’s kind of like “I’m not gonna risk jinxing anything” state of mind, if it makes sense.

6.) I refuse to eat messy finger-foods in public because I loathe having messy/sticky fingers, and I’m sorry but napkins do not cut it for things like ribs or chicken wings — I just can’t, lol. Especially when stuff gets under my nails. Drives me nuts.

I’m half asleep but I love this thread, it’s interesting — so I had to reply.
7.) I forgot one — I cannot sleep without at least a sheet over one of my legs. Even if I’m super hot, I gotta have at least something covering some part of my body...or I feel weirdly vulnerable? In the same vein, can’t have any limbs hanging off the edge of the bed, because my inner eight year old still believes something will snatch at me from under the bed.

I’ll be back if I think of any others. I’m clearly a mess, lmao.
Atrevida's quote

Atrevida wrote:
I have a bunch of “weird” little quirks — but the people who love me find them endearing, haha.

1.) Whenever I sleep in a hotel room, I have to be in the spot farthest away from the door. I will not sleep on the bed closest to the door — no matter if I get the far side (toward the middle of the room, for example). I really don’t know why, except for in my mind I’m paranoid of someone breaking in and feel like I’d have more time to think of what to do/escape if I’m farther from the door? Bizarre, lol.

2.) I refuse to allow my food to touch on a plate. I know this isn’t that uncommon, but my family laughs at me for it. I just do not like my food mixing or touching. I also always save the thing I like the taste of most for last — even if it’s literally just a bite-sized amount.

3.) I refuse to let people touch the inside of my elbow — like where they draw blood. Freaks me the heck out. It’s not a common spot for people to just grab, but friends and family and even my boyfriend have all accidentally brushed over it — and I cringe whenever it happens. I have a needle phobia and never got over the first time I had to be stuck as a kid for a blood test, but seriously: can’t have ANYTHING touching or prodding me in that weird little spot.

4.) I used to never go to bed without locking our basement door. The house was renovated maybe three years ago, and after that door was replaced (still has a lock, mind you), I was able to give up the habit. But I do lock everything, like on instinct the second I get home. We live in a great neighborhood and nothing ever happens, but it’s a reflex for me.

5.) I don’t know if this is neccesarily “refusing”...but I don’t lie about serious things, ever. I know a lot of people tell little white lies every now and again, and I’m guilty of that even though I try not to be, it still happens every once in a blue moon. But I know a few people who will blatantly lie about tragic things like family injuries/personal traumas to get out of things they don’t want to do. I become really superstiitius about that kind of thing and always fear that that very thing has a higher likelihood of happening if the person lies about it. My mom’s pulled it a few times, not to that kind of extreme, but I told her about my own little superstitious belief and it changed her perspective. I guess it’s kind of like “I’m not gonna risk jinxing anything” state of mind, if it makes sense.

6.) I refuse to eat messy finger-foods in public because I loathe having messy/sticky fingers, and I’m sorry but napkins do not cut it for things like ribs or chicken wings — I just can’t, lol. Especially when stuff gets under my nails. Drives me nuts.

I’m half asleep but I love this thread, it’s interesting — so I had to reply.



I share #5 with you. I think it's just crazy when people do that. I'll lie about my car, but not abou myself or a person a love getting sick. No way! Don't wanna jinx it.
Atrevida wrote:
7.) I forgot one — I cannot sleep without at least a sheet over one of my legs. Even if I’m super hot, I gotta have at least something covering some part of my body...or I feel weirdly vulnerable? In the same vein, can’t have any limbs hanging off the edge of the bed, because my inner eight year old still believes something will snatch at me from under the bed.

I’ll be back if I think of any others. I’m clearly a mess, lmao.

Same, sort of. I usually need a covering of some kind, be it a sheet or a blanket. It has to be over most of me, up to my waist at least and usually shoulders.

The rule doesn't apply, however, when I'm really sleepy in the car. I can pull over, lower the chair, stick a sweater under my head, and... just... sleep.
nightmqre

I can't handle being around people eating. I'm pretty sure this might be due to autism and sensory issues, but I can't stand the noises people make when eating. Even if they're using all of their manners, eating with their mouth closed, etc, I seem to, for whatever reason, be able to hear all the disgusting noises as if they are actually smacking their lips ridiculously loudly and such. It's like my hearing is heightened but only for that one particular thing.

My 9-year-old sister knows exactly what I mean. She'll be eating perfectly normally and I have to tell her to eat with her mouth closed even though she is, because it doesn't sound like it. It's the same with the entirety of my family, so I end up having to eat alone most of the time instead of with them. :/ The noises also make me cringe, twitch and get abnormally angry at it to the point where I start yelling or kicking things.

My mom say's its a weird and stupid reason because she doesn't understand how prominent the noises are for me, and she says they don't usually bother normal people.
Due to my own personal issues and battle with autism (ASD) I cannot stand certain fabrics. I must inspect every piece of clothing that touches my skin and I have to travel with my own blanket because I cannot and I mean CANNOT sleep under hotel covers.

I order a specific blanket and use them up to 5 years. Me and my partner sleep under seperate comforters because I do not like their cover. It feels like a sleeping bag. I hate sleeping bags.

How do we cuddle? We just meet in the middle of our blankets and then when we sleep we sleep. We both prefer not having to share.

The fabric has to be smooth - mostly cotton. Nothing scratchy or makes ANY noise. Fur, Fleece, Silk, Sleeping bag, Wool, Knitted... NOPE.

Clothes? They have to be comfy, never tight, never itchy, never scratchy... Any noise? Nope. Sleek pants that rub together sound like nails on a chalk board.

Shopping for clothes actually doesn't take me as long as you think. I know what I'm looking for.

But yeah, fabrics for me? I refuse to wear anything that sets me off... And I've thrown out a lot of fleece blankets over the years. It's a very popular gift where I'm from...

Only smooth quiet cotton please! I'm a weirdo.
Weird little (likely anxiety related/maybe other things related) things I can’t do:

1) Start eating before others do/eat alone while I have someone else around me.

2) Opening a new bottle of soda even though I legit live here. I will finish the bottle then wait until someone else opens one because I don’t want to seem greedy.

3) Take something to snack on from the cookie cabinet unless my partner did it or I bought the thing for myself with my money (not from our shared account)/it was gifted to me.

4) Sit next to a stranger, whether this is in a waiting room or on public transport or even at a movie theater. I’ll go to great lengths to avoid this by standing up instead of sitting even tho there’s plenty of room to sit or picking a seat on the end of a row and having someone I know sit on my other side.

5) Move too far away from a door in a public place. Too far away is the moment I can no longer see an exit. I need to have a way out at all times.

6) Sleep near the door, whether that’s in my own bedroom or somewhere else. I need to have my partner between me and the door if possible.

7) Go out at night on my own without my dog. Our neighbourhood is quiet and peaceful, nothing happens over here but I feel more at ease when my dog is with me.

8) Make a phone call to a stranger or a company or for official reasons. I have to write out what I want to say and how they might respond and how I will respond to that to succeed if I really have no other choice.

9) Order food. I prefer for someone else to order it for me or will write my order down and give the paper when they ask what I want. (Unless it’s a place I often go to).

10) Take the last one of anything... food/drinks/cigarettes... unless it belongs to me and to me only.

11) Reply to private messages instantly unless I know the person very well. Even if we’ve spoken for weeks there’s a chance I’ll respond when you’ve been offline for a bit and I assume you’re busy or sleeping.

Well... I could honestly go on and the list would be endlessly long, but you get the idea XD
If I turn around a certain amount, and then want to turn to face the direction I was previously, I have to turn that same way to get there.

So if I turn from 12 to 6 clockwise, I have to turn counter-clockwise to get back to 12.
Yeah, it's the same amount of effort to keep going clockwise to get back to point A, but it's not evened out and that gets me all twitchy.



Honestly I'm sure I probably have more weird quirks, but between having seen this forum seconds after it started, and now, this is the only thing my brain has allowed me to come up with lol
I lock every door behind me and check twice to make sure it's locked, but I do it without noticing and accidentally lock my friends out of their own houses a lot. I also hate sitting in the middle of rooms without any walls near me. Not that weird, but.
It is not much that I refuse to do, as much as I tend to react rather aggressively.

I am told that this is creepy so

1) Listen to the sound of people chewing, speaking when their mouths are still wet, the sounds of saliva, the sound of people licking things or anything that has to do with those little sounds the mouth makes and this is not a joke. I nearly broke my phone after hearing it because I was so grossed out and angry at the sound alone, so it is, while uncommon, a not so surprising occurrence to suddenly hear me scream and start cursing people whenever I accidentally scroll onto a TikTok creator that likes mouthing their mic a bit too much for my liking.
Strangely, I can tolerate the sound if it is made by animals. If it is made my humans, even from myself, I get so angry that I want to break something, or start ranting and yelling about it until I got that out of my system. (Or slam my cousin’s laptop shut so quick when he thought that introducing me to ASMR is a good idea- it’s not, and I have only found another thing to hate with a burning passion.)

And to give you a context, one of my teacher had this weird way of pronouncing, and mades some overdramatic, and weird sounds (imagine: imitating the sound a fly makes, when she is thinking about how to answer our questions) and makes this horrible, horrible, absolutely nasty and disgusting sound of her lips smacking-and the saliva- when she speaks. Our classroom is able to fit seven rows of tables with about 40cm of space in between, and each table is roughly 60-80 cm. My teacher is standing at the top right corner, talking to another student, and I am at the front row of the first row from the left, nearest to the door.

I. Can. Hear. The. Sounds. When. She. Closes. And. Opens. Her. Mouth. And. All. Those. Wet. Sounds. That. Are. The. Literal. Opposite. Of. Sexy.

The fans are at full blast, there is an air conditioner in the room, students are chatting and I can still hear it- I don’t know if I am over-focusing on that sound, or if I am just picking up something similar and imagining that it came from her but regardless, my deskmate seriously said that I scared her with how creepy my smile was. (Context: I smile/grin when I am purely frustrated/furious, weird habit, but yes, it does get creepier because it gets wide the angrier I get, I am not joking.)

As you can see from this short five essay narration of how much I hate that type of noise, I do very much hate that type of noise.

2) Things like ‘good morning’ or a ‘good night’ or the occasional ‘how are you’ through text, I don’t like doing it casually, because I don’t like it when others do it to me.
Sorry, I sometimes get those and I don’t know if it is because I am not a big fan of extended families who I barely know how we are related. (Great granduncle’s daughter’s husband, I have literally no idea you existed, nor do I know how to greet you properly, especially when I can’t cover it up by pretending to be friendly and call him ‘uncle’ because we rarely ever speak english in my family) But regardless, I hate those things. If we talk occasionally, and maybe send each other jokes every now and then, I can tolerate, but if I start receiving messages from the same person every single day, regardless if the topic of our conversation is interesting or not, that person won’t even be on the blacklist, no, that person is dead to me as far as I am concerned.
TLDR: I basically ghost anyone I deem as clingy over text, and my definition of clingy is basically more than three words exchanged continuously for a week, and is horrible at giving people that aren’t in my very small ‘precious people group that consist of only two people’ the everyday validation/concern of ‘how are you’ )

3) Letting anyone other than a few select people touch me, even on the arm. I hate shaking hands (it isn’t a common gesture over here, so no problem for me), I hate having people touch me in any way. My piano teacher tried it and it took a lot out of me to not just slap her away, and only move my hand away. Anyone that touches my shoulder has to be prepared for me to attempt to crush their arm, because my automatic reaction is to grab that person’s arm as hard as possible and not release until I see who it is. (In hindsight, maybe I should hone this weird habit of mine and start going to self-defense classes, it would be cooler at least, to reply with, “Sorry, I take (insert martial art), force of habit. ) Trying to touch my hair, or even my arm would reward you with the frostiest glare of your life, indefinite passive-aggressiveness and brutal sarcasm, I’ve made people cry when they think its a good idea to touch me without my explicit permission, and while I feel guilty, the anger is much stronger honestly.
(Public busses...are special cases, and most of the time it can’t be helped when people bump into each other; I am talking about others intentionally trying to pat me on the shoulder or hold hands and things like that when I didn’t want them to)


4) Wear earphones. I hate wearing earphones, and I can only tolerate headphones. Earphones...they never fit properly, and is incredibly uncomfortable but besides that... (related to the first one), I can’t stand the sound it makes when something scratches the wires. I can’t really describe it, but I think it is the vibration passing through from the wire and out- whatever it is, it frustrates me just as much as the sound of people’s lips smacking and such- so, I am not sure if it is just the earphone quality, but I swore off earphones after that pair.

5) I would never allow myself to eat with my mouth open, or chew too loud; honestly, when I say that I hate the sound of people chewing coming from humans, I am not exempt to that rule. So yes, I would get frustrated when I have to eat in a quiet place, without distraction, and left alone to my own thoughts because yes, my own chewing bothers me as well. (It varies from eh, to ‘I’d rather not eat just to not hear that sound ever again’ )

So yeah, these are the few things that pop up immediately, mostly because whenever that happens, it does tend to be rather frustrating, so I guess they leave a stronger impression.

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