phobia
[fō′bē·ə]
Etymology: Gk, phobos, fear
an obsessive, irrational, and intense fear of a specific object, such as an animal or dirt; of an activity, such as meeting strangers or leaving the familiar setting of the home; or of a physical situation, such as heights and open or closed spaces. Typical manifestations of phobia include faintness, fatigue, palpitations, perspiration, nausea, tremor, and panic.
When I see a squirrel at my complex my heart nearly leaps out of my chest and races me up the stairs to my door. I scream and squeal like a girl who is just trying to get attention. It's terribly embarrassing. This has resulted in my being self-conscious of that fact which will probably lead to a social phobia where I am constantly afraid that a squirrel will enter the room or my line of vision or the car or whatnot. I will then revert to my original irrational fear and go berserk over the squirrel, whether one has actually entered into close enough proximity, close enough for me to see its bushy tail and beady eyes and curled hands acting like they're holding a nut or acorn even when there's nothing there!
I have a phobia of my phobia. Maybe I'll move.
