EXPLAINER
In the context of mental health, a phobia is far more serious than a mild aversion. Many of us dislike flying, or giving a talk in front of our colleagues, and we might not be too happy if a large, slobbery dog, no matter how gentle, came bounding toward us. But as long as we can tolerate these kinds of situations without too much distress, and our lives aren’t adversely affected, then we haven’t got a phobia for any of these situations as such.
In contrast, people diagnosed with a relevant phobia would experience an intense, extremely unpleasant fear reaction that could be overwhelming. So much so, that it might interfere with their day-to-day lives. Flying phobias, social phobias, and a fear of dogs (even cute ones) are common examples -
