For example, let’s say, arachnophobia.
I’m pretty sure a lot of people are more or less a bit afraid of arachnids. Then at what point does this phenomenon count as “arachnophobia”? How does the effect of seeing images and videos differ from seeing them IRL? Do arachnophobic people react uncontrollably in some way in these situations?
Same logic applies to other types of phobias such as megalophobia or trypophobia etc.
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Phobia, by definition, is an **irrational** fear of something, with a strong emphasis on the irrationality.
Everyone is afraid of something, but truly phobic people are distressed to the point that it affects their mental health and daily living.
Lots of people are creeped out by spiders. If they see one (or if one lands on them), they freak out, scream, and then move on with their lives. For people who have phobias, it can lead to a panic attack, intrusive thoughts, inability to think critically or make decisions (“paralysis”) and so on.
I think that in pop culture there’s a tendency to use heuristics that imply a serious condition, when in fact people just misuse the term. For example, lots of people say they’re depressed or have OCD, when they are nowhere near a clinical diagnosis (thankfully). Similarly, people might say they’re “phobic” because they’re scared, but it’s not a phobia in a clinical sense where someone’s anxiety intensifies to the point that it interferes with their daily life.
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