I have a phobia for an animal...I'd prefer not to say which one, for privacy online...but unfortunately it's an animal that it's very easy to meet walking in the streets. What scares me more is when, for some reason, I have to stay in a place outside without moving, for example eating in a restaurant outside on sitting on a pank, and these animals come near. This not only ruin moments that I could enjoy, but also make me feel uncomfortable with people, like my relatives, that don't understand why I'm so scared and I keep looking around and sending them away instead of relaxing, and sometimes they tell me to stop I'd prefer not to have to do this, because it's embarrassing for me in front of people, but I can't avoid it. I mean, it doesn't seem me difficult to understand that if I have a phobia it's not my fault. Hope not to seem harsh, but it happened also recently and I really remained badly.
How can I do to make them understand? In those moments I'm to 'busy' with my phobia to start a conversation, and when the moment passes I don't know how to do without it seems that I want to quarrel...and however I always feel that it would be useless to try to explain and I renounce.
Any suggestions? Thank you in advance