Phobias and trauma are psychological conditions that are sometimes difficult to distinguish, so people often equate these conditions.
Difference Between Phobia and Trauma
Phobias can be seen as a symptom or as a long-term consequence of PTSD. Even if PTSD goes away, the phobia can persist as a reaction to a stimulus that reflects danger.
Many types of irrational phobias are caused by the memory of what caused the fear at first not being fully preserved. That's why a phobia is defined as irrational because it seems to arise out of nowhere. However, this always comes from some previous negative experience, either traumatic or very scary.
When a person has a phobia, they often plan to avoid things they perceive as dangerous. This can hinder the ability to perform daily tasks and sometimes trigger panic attacks. For example, if a person has a phobia of spiders, even the thought of spiders can make them tremble and sweat.
Trauma is an intact injury that is not as selective as a phobia. Trauma is maladaptive because it affects so many systems function. Like phobias, trauma also has a negative attachment to bad memories in the right amygdala. However, unlike phobias, trauma affects other parts of the brain.
Phobias can actually also be a symptom of trauma. In addition, phobias can also be part of other consequences of PTSD or can present itself without PTSD.
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