Are Panic Symptoms and Phobias the Same?
They are only similar to a certain degree. Both are irrational reactions to fear and can make you nervous and perhaps paralyze you with fear to the extent you cannot function as you normally would. However your condition changes from panic to a phobia when you start to avoid the situation that causes you the fear. This is how almost all people with a debilitating phobia of public speaking started their phobia. One or several perceived embarrassments in front of one or more people caused them to start avoiding the situation. Notice the word perceived. Even if the audience didn’t notice, the subconscious picks up what you tell it. The same goes for any other phobia. The fear causes the person to start avoidance. Whether it is bridges, people, traffic or the workplace just to name a few. Some people may face the same situation as the anxiety prone individual faces and only feel slight discomfort if any, and just shake it off, so to speak. However the anxiety prone individual starts to pon
