A specific phobia is an overwhelming and debilitating fear of an object, place, situation, feeling, or animal. A phobia is not necessarily just something you are afraid of - the response tends to be more pronounced and can have an effect on how you live your daily life. The response to the phobic stimuli is usually considered to be irrational or exaggerated by observers, but for the individual involved the sense of danger and experience of anxiety can be very distressing and overwhelming. Most people find a simple and isolated phobia is easier to cope with if it is something that can be avoided. However, if a phobia becomes severe it can start to restrict daily functioning or impact on a person’s wellbeing, particularly if avoiding the stimuli is causing them to miss out. For example, an individual may feel compelled to turn down a desired job as they are fearful of travelling by train to work.