just making fun of the absurdity here. as a creator I too struggle with the 'do we want to make a thing that surprises players' or 'do we want to avoid accidentally upsetting someone' there's no right or wrong answer. But it is all a bit silly at the end of the day.
If you can't laugh at the absurdity of life, then there's not much point to living XP
You are aware being exposed to a phobia can cause a panic attack, right? As a creator, normally you don't want to force your players to experience a panic attack that ruins the entire experience? It's not "absurd," it's basic decency to avoid causing people unwanted distress, nothing silly about it. Your last sentence is kind of uncalled for too by the way, just saying.