characteristics of phobias

what is the uk’s diagnostic system ?

ICD

International statistical classification of diseases and related health problems)

what are phobias?

an anxiety disorder which causes an irrational fear of a particular object or situation

fear is disproportional to the reality

excessive anxiety

what are the five subtypes of phobia? name 3

• natural/environment

• animal

• injury

give examples of specific phobias

arachnophobia - spiders

hydrophobia- water

what three categories are involved in behavioural categories of phobias?

• panic

• avoidance

• endurance

give examples of panic in phobias

• may include crying , screaming or running away

• or may freeze, cling , get angry

Explain avoidance in phobias

• person goes out of their way to prevent contact with phobic stimulus

• difficult to go about life

• e.g. someone with fear of water may not please house when raining , making jobs harder

what is the opposite of avoidance in phobias ? expand on It

• endurance

• person chooses to remain in the presence of the stimulus eg a person with fear of spiders may remain in the room with a spider on the ceiling

What are the three categories of emotional characteristics in phobias ?

• anxiety

• fear

• unreasonable emotional response

what is anxiety in relation to phobias ?

unpleasant state of high arousal

prevents relaxation and inhibits positive emotion

can be long term

explain fear in terms of phobia ?

• fear is immediate and extreme response in repose to phobic stimulus

• more intense but shorter than anxiety

why is the emotional response in phobias unreasonable ?

threat posed is disproportionate to the reaction

eg small spider in room causing strong emotional response compared to someone with no phobia having no/little response

what are the three categories of cognitive characteristics of phobias?

• selective attention to the phobic stimulus

• irrational belief

• cognitive distortion

how is selective attention in phobias?

person can’t be distracted in presence of phobic stimulus

difficulty concentrating

advantageous for actual dangerous threat not for irrational fear

What are irrational belief in terms of phobia?

• person may have unfounded beliefs in relation to stimulus I.e cant be easily explained

• increases pressure on person or conform to irrationality

what are cognitive distortions in relation to phobia?

• perception of persons with phobia is inaccurate and unrealistic