Rational vs. Irrational Fear

“Fear is very common, and anyone who says they aren’t afraid of anything are probably lying to you or to themselves. I’m afraid of frogs. Seeing pictures of them make me shudder and seeing one near me can make me panic. I’m also afraid of failing. I’ve built a reputation for being successful in school until my career, and the thought of people seeing me fail either pushes me to do better or crash into a bundle of nerves.”

Rational Fears

• Fear of getting stuck in an elevator while riding a very old unit
• Losing your home because you haven’t been paying your bills and rent for a while
• Your neighbour’s loud and aggressive dog startles you when it barks
• Getting attacked by a bear while hunting in a bear-filled forest
• Failing the only college you applied to

VS

Irrational Fears

• Fear of clowns in a children’s party
• Losing your home because an earthquake will swallow your home whole
• Your neighbor’s loud cat can rip you to shreds (cat scratches can hurt, but thinking a regular-sized domestic cat can kill you is exaggerating the fear that is unlikely to happen)
• Thinking your whole life is over because you failed a test

Hopefully, this helps you understand the difference between the two, I know it’s definitely helped me!