Find a synonym for the expression "painful fear"*phobiascompulsionsobsessionsanxiety

The expression "painful fear" can be synonymous with "anxiety."

Explanation

Anxiety refers to a state of excessive worry or fear that can feel quite overwhelming or painful to an individual. This emotional state is characterized by feelings of dread or apprehension about potential future events. Unlike other terms in the list, such as phobias, which are more specific fears of certain objects or situations, or compulsions and obsessions, which are more related to behaviors and thoughts, anxiety captures the broader and often more difficult experience of a pervasive and painful sense of fear. Anxiety can manifest physically and psychologically, making it a deeply distressing experience for those who suffer from it.