Is there a difference between a fear and a phobia?

Question

I always thought that a phobia was worse. But can someone clarify it for me. Thanks

Answer 1

Fear is a more general term.

Phobia is an irrational fear of something.

Fearing things that aren't inherently dangerous at all, or the fear is out of proportion to the thing.

So, fear of being in enclosed spaces -- claustrophobia. There's no danger, but you feel anxious or even panic when in a small space.

Arachnophobia -- fear of spiders. Not all spiders are dangerous, and then only if they bite you, but you feel terror and panic at the very sight of one.

If you're driving and a car suddenly stops in front of you, you feel fear. But that's good because you need to react fast in order to avoid a crash.

Hence, that was a rational fear, as it's a dangerous situation.

Answer 2

YES. A phobia is a persistent fear that is excessive and unreasonable. Phobias are initiated when a person approaches a particular situation or object, or even anticipates the approach of it. One may feel "fear" in certain logical situations, which is normal and healthy...it is a phobia when the fear causes one to become physically or psychologically impaired by it and it interferes with daily life.

Answer 3

Fear vs. Phobia
"Phobias involve the experience of persistent fear that is excessive and unreasonable," says Wilson, who is author of the book Don't Panic. "Phobias are cued when a person approaches a particular situation or object, or even anticipates the approach of it, and they understand the fear they will experience as a result of that situation will be unreasonable and excessive."

The key to distinguishing a fear from a phobia is that that while most people get the jitters if a spider crawls on their arm, people suffering from arachnophobia -- the fear of spiders -- are physically and/or psychologically impaired by it.

"To be defined as a phobia, the fear must cause some level of impairment," says Wilson. "I had a woman come in who was afraid of spiders, and it got to the point where she wouldn't go out at night because she couldn't see where they were."

How does someone get to the point where she is so afraid of spiders she can't go outside?

"There are nature and nurture components to phobias," says Kathy Hoganbruen, PhD, National Mental Health Association spokesperson. "While we don't know exactly why or where phobias originate, they are a type of mental illness, with genetics playing a role, as well as environment, meaning maybe someone had a negative or traumatic experience related to the core of their phobia."

Answer 4

I think I phobia is worse to, because a fear can be something you may easily be able to get over it sounds like phobias can take years but I don't know I could be wrong!

Answer 5

Fear is a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid. A phobia is an unreasonable sort of fear that can cause avoidance and panic. Phobias are a relatively common type of anxiety disorder.

Answer 6

A phobia is a fear of a particular subject, For example spiders. Fear is anxiety about a siutuation. In a way a fear is singular a spider but not all spiders. A phobia is plural all spiders.

Answer 7

I don't know if you can say one is worse than the other. To me, as a layman, the difference is that a phobia is irrational fear. For instance you have a phobia if you cannot bear the sight of any spider. If you see a venomous spider crawling up your leg you your fear is rational.

Answer 8

A phobia is in fact worse. A phobia is when you have an adverse reaction on an extreme level. For instance, I have a fear of walking on bridges, but I have arachnophobia. I cannot function if there is a spider in the room. I shake, I cry. It is completely irrational.

I can walk across a bridge, but I'm not keen on it.

Answer 9

Phobias are generally self-induced fears, often irrational and misunderstood by non-sufferers. We all have the same instinctive fears, but a phobia is created by the sufferer themselves. Personally I'd rather be instinctively afraid of something than have a phobic terror of it. I don't like spiders but I'm not phobic about them, I can't imagine how life must be for someone who's so scared of them they have to have someone check a room before they enter it. That's irrational.

Answer 10

a phobia is typically worse than a fear. it's like a fear x5. while a normal fear typically won't prevent someone from going about their daily life, a phobia might (depending on what the phobia is)