Technically, It Could Be Termed A Functional Impairment

He knew the fear was irrational, which made it confusing for those around him. 

He would demonstrably react as if he was facing the most threatening of terrors, all the while explaining to anyone who may be witnessing the event that he was well aware that what he was doing was illogical.

But he couldn't shake it. No matter how often he talked it through with various therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists and bartenders, inevitably when caught in the same circumstances that provoked the response, all reason left him.

 So he figured he might as well accept it as a part of him, harmless to others and mostly just embarrassing to him.

The thought occurred to him that he could have cards printed up that he could hand out whenever he had a public episode, but then he nixed the idea because it seemed, well, absurdist, and would probably provoke more laughter than understanding.

Hell, the thought of being given a card like that even made him laugh. 

"Pardon me, I have a fear of tomatoes".

Heh. The very idea.