Week 3: Discussion Question 2

How do phobias differ from fears? A fear is a natural response or thought in many situations in our lives. However, phobias are the result of a fear staying with us after the natural fearful stimulus is removed or when the fear arises in response to non-fearful objects or situations. By definition, phobias are those unreasonable fears that persist for more than six months. These fears are accompanied by severe anxiety and impairment of function or judgment. What types of phobias affect a persons ability to function normally in society? How is his or her ability to function in society affected? All types of phobias affect a persons ability to function normally to some degree. Those that pertain to things which we must interact with on...