6. Paula’s Story: Phobias

Specific phobias are when you are terrified (or phobic) of one particular thing. You can have no other forms of anxiety and yet suffer quite significantly from a phobia. Phobias are intense. They are more than just fear. You can feel palpitations, racing heart, palms can get sweaty and you can experience nausea. It’s only dangerous if it limits your life. Along with terrible feelings, come terrible thoughts and it can often be reduced to “if I do this, I will die”.