Why am I obsessed with Dragons?

[LyingScotsman]

I have been obsessed with dragons ever since I was a kid, and whenever I see them getting killed in a movie/game/show I experience anger and anxiety. I have experienced this ever since I was a kid, and I have always felt weird or strange because I feel this about dragons even though they are fictional. Am I insane or is it normal to feel this away about something like this?

[Fishmanpa]

Interesting in that anxiety got the nickname the "Dragon" by many members and those who come to control their anxiety and heal are deemed "Dragon Slayers".

Positive thoughts

[LyingScotsman]

Things like that make me feel angry for some reason. I dunno why I feel like that when I see them portrayed in a bad light.

[Catherine S]

One of my favourite movies is Dragon heart where Sean Connery does the voice over for the dragon...I still get choked up when he dies. I think Ive watched every dragon movie ever mde...including the recent animated sequel to How to train your Dragon! My son who is an artist, has a lot of dragons featured in the artwork he sells...in fact just this week he has had three of his dragons accepted for a 2015 calender. Dragon stories are part of our history and most of Europe has them in their fables...the caves of the dragons on Majorca for example. Your anxiety about them is only because you relate to how tormented they seemed to be...and who says they didn't exist anyway :)

ISB

[LyingScotsman]

Good to see they're dragons fan on this board. I have always thought that it was probably because I had a Dragon teddy throughout my childhood, and I have become attached to the animals in a way . I have what's thought they have been seen in a bad light too much, and I am glad that they are being seen good in movies nowadays. I really hope it continues lol.

[Catherine S]

Dragons are ace. I'm English and hate that St. George is famous for slaying one lol!

[LyingScotsman]

That one gets on my nerves too lol. Another one is 'Sleeping Beauty', I always wished the dragon just pushed him off the cliff.

[Catherine S]

Lol!

[PanchoGoz]

As for why you have this particular obsession...I would reckon it's something in your childhood you can't remember. Like you had a toy dragon that an abusive family member broke, or you saw a dragon on telly your developing mind latched onto. I'm getting psychoanalytical!

[Rennie1989]

I agree with PanchoGoz. There was obviously something that you experienced as a child that has affected your relationship with dragons. For that reason I highly doubt (if anything, I am quite sure) that nobody can answer that question fully.

And no, you're not insane ;) everyone has their own, unique obsessions.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Dragons are cool with me too.

I know there are members on here that have termed their anxiety "the dragon", and no disrespect to them at all implied, but dragons to me are a symbol of timeless wisdom.

They tend to be either portrayed this way, as in ISB's great film Dragonheart or as mindless monsters bent on carnage of which there are many films. I guess it's because its seen as a monster but in many cultures they are seen as divine. Many ancient cultures worshipped "dragons" or crocodiles or large lizards. The fact that many species pass down their survival habits is likely to be one possible reason since dragons in some texts were said to pass their complete memories to their offspring.

I think there would be people who could say the same if they see a dog or cat die in a film. I see that affecting people because they are pets and can be seen as children as they are innocent.

Dragons is your version of this. It is probably something you latched onto as a child but haven't progressed beyond and it's become strengthened. Some people love certain animals, mythical or real.

The thing to consider is whether it affects you in a way it shouldn't. It's fine to react to your favourite animal being harmed, it's part of your compassionate side. However, if it is causing you a strong emotion such as anxiety or triggering an existing anxiety, it's needs to be dealt with, even if it's to detach yourself slightly so that it is no longer such a trigger.

[anthrokid]

Whenever I see any animal (real or fictional) hurt or killed in a movie or on TV, even in books, I experience some distress/upset. Maybe it's because I view animals as innocent and unable to defend themselves against humans. Maybe it's because I just love animals. Maybe it's because animals only kill when they feel threatened or need food, whilst humans just kill, sometimes for no apparent reason. Whatever the case, I feel pretty awful when any animal dies on TV. "Oh my goodness, don't kill the wolf. Pleaaaase, anything but the wolf! Whyyyyyyyy? Noooooooooooo!" Prettymuch my internal dialogue in every movie ever involving an animal, haha!

[MyNameIsTerry]

Whenever I see any animal (real or fictional) hurt or killed in a movie or on TV, even in books, I experience some distress/upset. Maybe it's because I view animals as innocent and unable to defend themselves against humans. Maybe it's because I just love animals. Maybe it's because animals only kill when they feel threatened or need food, whilst humans just kill, sometimes for no apparent reason. Whatever the case, I feel pretty awful when any animal dies on TV. "Oh my goodness, don't kill the wolf. Pleaaaase, anything but the wolf! Whyyyyyyyy? Noooooooooooo!" Prettymuch my internal dialogue in every movie ever involving an animal, haha!

In that case then anthrokid, the wolf eats Liam Neeson at the end of The Grey :D

[James244]

I have a similar sort of thing with cats. I can't watch films or T.V if anything bad happens to them. I get like it with all animals really, I also hate it in fantasy films when monsters get killed because I can't help but think of them as just being wild animals that didn't deserve this.

I do often find myself worrying obsessionally about the welfare of cats in particular beyond other animals though and I think the reason for that is because my entire life my family have always had cats, so I guess i feel like the animals are as an important part of life as my own family.

Just an idea that maybe you feel the same way because you felt a family like bond with your toy dragon as a child.

---------- Post added at 23:49 ---------- Previous post was at 23:47 ----------

Oh and one more thought, not all dragons are portrayed as villains. I don't know if you've ever played the video game series Spyro. That's where you play as a dragon and dragons in that game are portrayed as heroes.

I guess you probably shouldn't watch the final Hobbit film when it comes out.

[HalfJack]

When I was a kid I used to imagine that a big dragon like creature protected me. Truth be told when I feel safe I still feel like he's there, or the feeling of being safe reminds me of him.

It could be that you associate dragons with something or someone you find important?