Fear is a natural survival instinct, varying from mild to intense. Sometimes, our minds interpret harmless situations as dangerous, triggering unnecessary fear responses.
Most of the time, our fears are due to certain associations – Past experiences: A girl may panic the moment it starts raining because she was held up at a place for two days due to heavy rains.
Learning: A child may observe his elder brother getting scared of lizards and reacting in a particular way. The child may pick it up, thinking this must be dangerous and eventually learn to feel scared.
Fear are more rational and arise from encountering something nerve-wracking, like a dog. A phobia, however, goes beyond rationality, causing extreme, irrational fear.
Between a stimulus and our response lies our unique internal world. This realm shapes how we react to situations. Not everyone fears the same things; our perceptions are personal.