An Overview of Fear and Phobia

What is the difference between Fear & Phobias?

A common question and quite often misunderstood so here I will help you understand the differences between both.

Fear is a primal emotional response triggered by a perceived threat, serving as a vital survival mechanism in the face of danger or harm. It is a specific reaction to a stimulus like pain or imminent risk. Not to be confused with anxiety, fear arises in direct response to an identifiable external danger. Fear is a common feeling experienced by everyone which can be felt by anyone when faced with an unknown or dangerous situation.

This cannot be overcome with medical treatment

On the other hand, a phobia represents an extreme and irrational response towards a particular object, situation, or scenario. Those afflicted by phobias experience overwhelming and uncontrollable emotions that significantly impact their behaviour. Individuals with phobias take active measures to avoid any circumstances that may provoke their intense, irrational reactions. A phobia is a form of anxiety, which causes irrational fear and will consume your time and energy, this can cause shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea and panic attacks. Phobias require medical help and can be treated by EMDR & hypnotherapy

To understand fear and phobia differences, know fear as a survival instinct and phobia as an overwhelming, harmful reaction.

Specific Phobias can be categorised, in example