a phobia is blown out of proportion in the person's mind to the extent that it can

become paralyzing
Fear is normal, and in fact it is one of our defense mechanisms. There are some
things we should fear, so we can flee or avoid the situation. For example, it is
normal to feel fear with a real threat. If someone is pointing a gun at you, it is
logical to feel fear
A phobia is a fear response to some stimulus that is illogical in its intensity and not
based on a real threat so there is no basis in fact for such a strong reaction

A fear reaction happens whenever we sense danger or when we are confronted with
something new or unknown that seems potentially dangerous. Most people tend to
avoid the things they feel afraid of. There are, of course, exceptions such as people
who seek out the thrill of extreme sports because the rush of fear can be exciting.
We all experience fear slightly differently and with more or less intensity.

Fears become a reason for concern when they are persistent and interfere with your
daily functioning. When a fear reaches this level of intensity, it is often identified as
a phobia. For a fear to be considered a phobia it has to be so extreme and cause so
much distress that it gets in the way of a person's normal activities.

the phobias are generally one of the most common mental illness among women in
all age groups and the second most common illness among men older than 25.