Three people, three fears
- "When I have to speak in front of people, I'm terrified they'll judge me." → Social anxiety (fear of being evaluated).
- "I'm terrified of spiders." → Specific phobia (fear of one thing).
- "I avoid crowded buses in case I panic and can't escape." → Agoraphobia (fear of being trapped or helpless).
The one question that sorts them
- Afraid of people's judgement → social anxiety
- Afraid of a specific object/situation → specific phobia
- Afraid of not being able to escape or get help → agoraphobia
(Note: agoraphobia isn't really "fear of open spaces" — it's fear of situations where escape or help would be hard.)
| Condition | Main fear |
|---|---|
| Social anxiety | being judged / evaluated |
| Specific phobia | a specific object or situation |
| Agoraphobia | being trapped / unable to escape |
The shared engine
All three run on the same loop: fear → avoidance → short‑term relief → avoidance grows stronger. That's also why facing the fear, gently and gradually, is the way out.
Quick check ✅
- Which fear is about being judged?
- What is agoraphobia really a fear of?
Remember this 🌟
Where we're going next → Where the mind and body meet — physical symptoms and worry (Concept 26).