Comments on: A Fear of Kites

By: Tom

Tom — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 04:18:46 +0000

Wow…kite-fighting? Really?? Just reading about that makes me think that kite-fighting would help me OVERCOME my fear of kites! Which also gives me insight into the reasons for the fear. I’ve been afraid of kites since I was five years old. Thinking about them in the sky can make me slightly queasy (rollercoaster queasy, but I do not have a fear of heights). This makes me think it’s the fear of being attached to something that I have little control over (as someone else mentioned) but that others PERCEIVE me having control over. See, if I’m flying a kite that is doing battle with someone else’s kite, and my kite is damaged or the string breaks or whatever, others are much less likely to perceive me as inadequate. Ya win some, ya lose some, right? I think this stems from being an overweight child, realizing how other kids perceived me (negatively–and as thought it was my fault), and a lack of complete acceptance/support/tools for change (eg. good nutrition) at home.

By: Tim

Tim — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 22:17:58 +0000

Me too. I had in fact forgotten about this particular phobia for many years until today. I was sitting near to someone flying a big kite and I felt very nervous all of a sudden. I had a strong urge to leave and go home, or somewhere where the kite wasn’t. I’m scared of heights and I have the ‘being pulled into the sky’ fear aswell. Plus I just don’t like them being up there, it’s very high isn’t it? I imagine if I was up there looking down at the ground, I would be terrified. Also, looking way up there into the sky makes me feel dizzy. And because I’m looking up in the sky it makes me feel like I’m flying in the sky too. Isn’t it strange?

I remember flying one when I was very little, my Dad managed to get it up in the air for me and he handed the string over to me, and I had the very same panicky feeling that I did today. My sister let go of it that day and it flew off over some buildings, I remember chasing it trying to catch the string but it flew up too high for me to reach. Maybe that has something to with it.

What a great blog. Such a relief to hear similar stories. Thank you!

By: Callie

Callie — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:04:21 +0000

WOW! I am so glad to know I am not the only one! My husband and family and friends tease me about this constantly and I seriously thought I was the only person in the world with this fear! I am terrified the kite string will wrap around my arm and take me up into the sky (completely irrational, I know!) I can’t even watch someone fly a kite. It makes me a nervous wreck! I did try to fly them when I was younger because I didn’t want to get made fun of for being afraid of them, but I could only stomach it for a few minutes then I would either have to look down at the ground or give up all together. I know this sounds dumb, but you guys have made me feel better about my fear!

By: Curtis

Curtis — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 07:46:46 +0000

Some people jump out of airplanes when they turn forty years old. I’m doing something even more crazy this year. I’m going to fly my kite and try to hold on for dear life.

Although I absolutely loved the ‘idea’ of flying kites as a kid, I ‘secretly’ had a fear of letting the kite get too high. If the kite went too high, I would get dizzy, feel sick to my stomach, and an overwhelming sense of fear would just paralyze me. I wouldn’t be able to hold onto the string and would simply let go.

Needless to say I went through a lot of kites. However, nobody really believed that I could be scared of holding onto a kite string, so I just shut up about it and would fly my kites low… ‘under the radar’, so to speak.

I’m surprised I haven’t googled this phobia until now, and so I’m very happy to know I’m in good, albeit weirdo company. Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories.

So I have bought a new kite and plan to fly it high. You only turn forty once, might as well do something crazy.

By: Bruce

Bruce — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 12:43:05 +0000

I can’t believe others have the same fear. Like others who commented, I’m afraid that I will be pulled into the sky and as the kite gets higher. Panic sets in. I’d like to go to a park on some Spring day and fly a kite to try and get over this fear, but I just can’t make myself do it. I’m sure it’s a “control thing” when you analyze it. While the fear seems so unlogical, phobias are not based on logic; it’s an emotion and makes little sense but it’s real to me. Friends think it’s crazy and I can undersand but it’s real to me. The thoughts of holding the string with my hands and the strong connected to something up in the air makes me feel like I’m up in the air, too, and completely out of control.

By: Leanne

Leanne — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 23:58:04 +0000

WOW! My husband told me I was crazy when I was explaining to him how terrified I am of flying kites. I have the same symptoms as everyone here and after reading this blog feel just as panicky as I do when I am near a kite. I am so glad to know that there are more kite phobics out there!

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:57:03 +0000

At last;
I honestly thought I was the only one on the planet with this fear. I remember that as a kid I used to go onto the hills around Worcestershire and fly them like “normal people”.
Ever since teenage years though I get the same feelings described above (giddiness etc). I have absolutely no fear of heights i.e looking down from the Eiffel Tower, tall buildings etc so I think like some of the examples above it’s related to being attached to something that I have limited control over. I also find the same weird feeling when trying to hoist a flag up a flag pole.

By: JoSh

JoSh — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:12:15 +0000

I hate flying kites or being near someone flying a kite. i also get a pit in my stomach when i try to stand under something really high and trying to throw stuff at it. I play baseball and dont get any of those feelings while playing. And i dont fear standing next to something tall unless im throwing something at it. Anyway all my friends make fun of me for it and i think it should be some kinda phobia… especially since they have a phobia for everything else. But i am so glad i found this site and im not the only one!

By: Jamie

Jamie — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:22:13 +0000

Me to… I know why I do though… it’s cause I was once hit by one of those professional ones with the really sharp tops at the beach and it split open my skull… now I won’t go near them! Really wish I could find the name for it!

By: carly

carly — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 16:10:44 +0000

i have a fear of flying a kite too, i was only about four but i got an overwhelming feeling of insecurity and remember having to curl up on the ground still holding on to the kite with my eyes closed so i wouldnt have to look at it in the air and i still panicked. i think it was a fear of letting the kite go mixed with the fear of me leaving the ground both totally irrational but i havent held a kite since and wouldnt want to!