Is anyone else terrified of their alarm?

No, Im terrified that my 80 year old mother will sneak up behind me, and scare me so bad that I have a heart attack. I know I sound like I'm being sarcastic, but I'm dead serious, because that old Colombian lady is hella sneaky. When I was in high school my friends were afraid of my mother. Later when I was in college a friend of mine would become intoxicated, and attempt to channel my mother.

About the ringtone thing, I used to have a ringtone of Mr. T.

Yes I have experienced this. I have found a ringtone that is good tho. Because the new one starts very silent and then it slowly gets louder and louder. So its never a shock when it flips on.

I use to be on what they called the call board at my job meaning they would call you randomly and force you to come into work. It could be at 12am or 11pm. The only thing for sure is it couldnt be before 8 hours before you got off work the day before. But I use to have the worst time sleeping anticipating that beeping. I definitely understand the anxiety.

I set my alarm to vibration, wakes me up without fail and it's less startling than loud music or beeps

I changed my alarm to my phones most annoying and obnoxious settinh and my phone charges on the other side if the room. Every morning I feel like I'm getting kicked by a a child having a temper tantrum. But by golly does it get my ass up

I don't know if this would help, but I find alarms with an abrupt starting sound always scare me when I wake up and somewhat go on behalf of sleeping. But if it starts with a soft sound it works much better. My wake up alarm sound is Tumbleweed Town by Brandon Fietchet

I think it's like fight or flight, as your body is booting up you're so confused by the stimulus that it's startling

I liked to prank myself by setting cod zombies noises as my alarm so i would shit brix when i woke up :D

I dont find my alarm terrifying, but I feel a sense of dread if I hear it. Even, old alarm sounds that I no longer use.