No matter how old you get, some of those silly fears you've had since you were a little kid stick with you, and you just can't shake them. Here are some of the things that secretly freak you out for no reason.

1. The Boogie Man. When you were a kid, the Boogie Man was totally real and the only thing that could possibly protect you was having all your limbs tucked safely under your covers (because they were magic, obviously). And even though you know that the boogie man isn't real now, you still can't shake the feeling that if one of your arms or legs are dangling off your bed, unprotected by your cover shield, some monster is bound to jump out and eat it.

2. Shots. You freak out every time you have to get a shot, because, well, having a long, pointy needle stabbed into your skin just isn't your idea of fun. And no matter how many times the nurse tells you tensing up will only make things worse, you just can't stop yourself from tensing up like a little baby and, well, making the whole thing ten times worse.

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3. Clowns. Clowns are supposed to be funny and entertaining, but apparently nobody got the message, because let's be real: does anyone really like clowns? The pasty white face, the eerily wide smile, and the crazy red hair—in what world do those characteristics not equal creepiest thing ever?

4. Expiration dates. Sure, those Oreos look and smell harmless, but according to the expiration date, they expired 2 minutes ago and expiration dates are not to be taken lightly. If you eat one, you will undoubtedly come down with a life threatening case of food poisoning instantly. Better throw the whole pack right in the trash.

5. Cracking your knuckles. Every kid has, at one point or another, tried cracking their knuckles, and immediately been scolded by any parent within hearing distance, because "cracking your knuckles will make them fat and lead to a lifetime of painful arthritis. Which is why we all grow up scared of our joints cracking, or hiding our secret knuckle-crackign habits. Thing is, cracking your knuckles doesn't lead to arthritis, or fat knuckles. *GASP* Yup. Numerous scientific studies have concluded that cracking your knuckles has no affect on your hands... so crack on!

6. Being alone in your house at night. Nothing, and we mean nothing, is scarier than the noises your house makes when you're home alone at night, and you're instantly convinced that the rumbling your pipes do, literally, all the time, is actually Freddy Krueger breaking into your house with a cleaver. One floor squeak is enough to send you running up the stares to your bedroom in a hot second so you can hide safely under your ~magical~ covers.

7. Swallowing gum. We've all been through it—that scary moment when your teacher has spotted you chewing gum and you have a split second to either fess up or go rogue and swallow the wad right there and then, narrowly avoiding detention. But just as you're about to swallow (because obvs you'll do anything to avoid detention), the nagging voice of your mother/father/grandma/any adult rings through you brain: "Don't swallow gum. It'll get stuck in your system forever." And even though you learned in seventh grade biology that gum getting stuck in your digestive system was a myth made up to terrify little children, that image of a piece of gum collecting dust in your large intestine for the next seven years is enough to make you rethink your life decisions and take that detention proudly.

8. Sharks. If you're up on your horror movie classics, you know from Jaws that you are pretty much in constant danger of being gobbled up by a shark in essentially any body of water, whether it's an ocean, a lake, or your bathtub, which is why everyone you know knows someone who knows someone who's been attacked by a shark. According to urban legend, you're in particular danger of a shark attack if you have your period or recently peed in the ocean (admit it... you've done it) -- only you're not. Contrary to popular belief, sharks are not people-eaters. In fact, shark attacks are so rare, you're more likely to get struck by lightning than to get attacked by one.

9. Driving over bridges. No matter how many huge tow trucks, double decker buses, and trailer homes you've seen cross a bridge safely in front of you, you just can't shake the irrational feeling that you and your little, two-door coop is going to be the final straw that sends the massive bridge you're about to cross crumbling down in an explosion of dust...

10. Bacteria. You can't see it, you can't smell it, you don't even really know what it is. But you know it's there, and that it can infect you with a serious disease in 0.5 seconds and the only form of defense there is in the whole entire universe is the mini bottle of sweet apple scented hand sanitizer you carry at all times.

11. The basement. No matter how many times you go down to the basement to do your laundry and live to tell the tale, you can never shake the feeling that there's a monster/ghost/murderer hiding in the shadows. You'll never admit it, but you always have your cell phone in hand when you go down there (as if you could call someone in the millisecond it would take for the serial killer in the corner to finally attack you). And walking up the stairs calmly is not an option. You rush up them like a maniac as soon as you can because basement monsters/killers/ghosts are immediately vanquished when they reach the first floor, obviously.

What are some of your silliest fears? Do you have any that didn't make our list? Share in the comments below!

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