(Yes, I'm deliberately talking about this in a metaphor because I don't want to get distracted by context.)
I don't like cold showers. It's painful to stand under a blast of cold water and it keeps on being painful even after the water stops. It's sufficiently painful that I find it mentally difficult to move enough to wash or rinse. I see no upside to subjecting myself to an ice-cold shower. When that's the only option I will go to great lengths (sponge-bath, say) to avoid it.
Is it at all useful to talk about being "afraid" of cold showers? I'm reluctant to describe it that way even though it's probably accurate. I think that's because we talk of fears in terms of things that one "ought" to face down, as opposed to reasonable responses?
I don't like cold showers. It's painful to stand under a blast of cold water and it keeps on being painful even after the water stops. It's sufficiently painful that I find it mentally difficult to move enough to wash or rinse. I see no upside to subjecting myself to an ice-cold shower. When that's the only option I will go to great lengths (sponge-bath, say) to avoid it.
Is it at all useful to talk about being "afraid" of cold showers? I'm reluctant to describe it that way even though it's probably accurate. I think that's because we talk of fears in terms of things that one "ought" to face down, as opposed to reasonable responses?