What is the difference between a phobia and panic attacks from a fear of something?

[canuk1969]

My apologies if this is a silly question, but this is all very new to me.

I've recently been having anxiety over (this is very embarassing) a mice problem in my home.

Typically I'm not afraid of a mouse. I can have one as a pet no problem.

However, recently I've become so scared of them, and have panic attacks over the sound / site of them in my house.

How do you differentiate between a phobia of something and a fear induced panic attack from something specific?

Thank you very much

[milly jones]

im sorry hun i dont know.

have u tried the website to your left with topics on phobias?

i would say that im afriad of feathers and have been all my life, whereas my fear of pas is more recent and generally not linked to birds. in fact i cant ever remember having a panic over feathers and birds, although the shivering down my back when confonted by a feather is the same feeling when im getting stressed in eg a queue.

perhaps there is not difference, just labels.

i also guess that my fear of feathers does not interfere with my everyday life, whereas panic totally rules it.

hope ive been some help

mill x

[Alisonj]

I think that most panic attacks result from a phobia. You are scared of dying, scared of driving, being alone etc. The two go so closely hand in hand. If you have been able to keep a mouse as a pet it is not the mice that are scaring you it is the fact that they "are in control" in a way. You cant control where they are or what they do. Which I think to many many people would bring on a degree of panic for sure. Do you think that if the mice were gone you would believe there were no more? Chances are the phobia is so instilled in you that it has resulted in a type of anxiety/panic disorder.
I dont know if I have helped or not but I hope so!!!

[PUGLETMUM]

:) a phobia is when you are frightened of something and you avoid it for that reason.

[neptuno]

a phobia is when you have fear of a specific thing - dogs, heights, spiders.

panic is when you have fear of the fear of symptoms of panic - chest pain, rapid heart beat, dizziness etc

be kind to yourself