Question

An intense, paralyzing fear of a specific situation, object, person, or thing in the absence of any real danger is ______.

Answer 1

I believe the answer is: compulsions

Due to this irrational fear, people with compulsions would develop uncontrollable tendency to do unconventional things in order to prevent what their fear from happening.
For example, someone who has compulsions about Germs would forced other people to wear latex gloves before shaking their hands.