Phobia

Phobia

A very strong fear of something, usually an everyday object or situation. A person who has a phobia tries to cope with his anxiety by repeating words or actions over and over. For example, a person who has claustrophobia (fear of small, closed places) feels very anxious when she has to ride in an elevator. Whenever she’s in an elevator, she closes her eyes really tight and hums the same little tune to herself over and over. Closing her eyes and humming doesn’t change her situation at all, but somehow it helps her feel less afraid. Phobias are one kind of anxiety disorder. [LJ] {PD}