3. phobias

what is a phobia

an irrational fear of an object or situation

types of characteristics

1. behavioural - ways people act

2. emotional - related to feelings or moods

3. cognitive - process of ‘knowing’ including thinking, reasoning, remembering and believing

behavioural

1. panic

2. avoidance

3. endurance

panic

• may panic in result to phobic stimulus and might involve a range of behaviours including crying, screaming and running away

• children may react differently including freezing, clinging or having a tantrum

avoidance

• going to a lot of effort to prevent coming into contact with the phobic stimulus, which can make it hard to go about everyday life

endurance

• alternative to avoidance

• when you choose to remain in the presence of the phobic stimulus

emotional

1. anxiety

2. fear

3. unreasonable

anxiety

• phobias are classed as anxiety disorders (involve an emotional response of anxiety, an unpleasant state of high arousal)

• prevents a person relaxing which makes it challenging to experience positive emotions

• can be long term

fear

• the immediate and extremely unpleasant response experienced when we encounter or think about the phobic stimulus

• usually more intense but experienced for short periods of time

unreasonable

• anxiety and fear is disproportional to the threat posed

cognitive

1. selective attention

2. irrational beliefs

3. cognitive distortions

selective attention

• keep your attention on the phobic stimulus

• person with a phobia may hold unfounded thoughts in relation to the phobic stimuli

• ie that cannot be easily explained and dont have any basis in reality

cognitive distortions

• perceptions of a person with a phobia may be innaccurate and unrealistic