Phobias, DSM-V-TR, & CBT

This set explores phobia classifications, DSM-V-TR criticisms, and therapeutic interventions like CBT and Systematic Desensitization.

DSM-V-TR

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision; a guide used primarily in North America, last revised in $2022$ by the American Psychiatric Association to classify and diagnose over $300$ mental disorders.

ICD-11

The International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision; published in $2022$ by the United Nations World Health Organization, used mostly in Europe to classify all diseases, including mental disorders in Section F.

Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)

A condition in which children or adolescents experience ongoing irritability, anger, and frequent temper outbursts; its inclusion in the DSM-V-TR is criticized for potentially pathologizing normal temper tantrums.

Biological Validity

A criticism of the DSM-V-TR noting that it relies on clusters of observed symptoms rather than assessments of underlying causes, brain scans, or biological markers like blood tests.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

A disorder that can be diagnosed despite opposite symptom profiles (e.g., insomnia vs. hypersomnia) and shares common symptoms like sleep disturbances and fatigue with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).

Specific Phobia

A type of Anxiety Disorder characterized by unreasonable, excessive, and immediate fear of a specific object or situation, lasting at least $6$ months and significantly impacting life.

Hydrophobia

A natural environment phobia characterized by a fear of water.

Astraphobia

A natural environment phobia involving the fear of thunder and lightning.

Ombrophobia

A natural environment phobia involving the fear of rain.

Dendrophobia

A natural environment phobia involving the fear of trees.

Batrachophobia

An animal phobia involving the fear of amphibians.

Equinophobia

An animal phobia involving the fear of horses.

Cynophobia

An animal phobia involving the fear of dogs.

Ranidaphobia

An animal phobia specifically involving the fear of frogs.

Hemophobia

A mutilation or medical treatment phobia involving the fear of blood.

Dentophobia

A mutilation or medical treatment phobia involving the fear of dentists.

Trypanophobia

A mutilation or medical treatment phobia involving the fear of needles or injections.

Latrophobia

A mutilation or medical treatment phobia involving the fear of doctors.

Claustrophobia

A situational phobia involving the fear of enclosed or confined spaces.

Agoraphobia

A situational phobia involving the fear of open or public spaces where escape might be difficult.

Aerophobia

A situational phobia involving the fear of flying.

Glossophobia

A situational phobia involving the fear of public speaking.

Thalassophobia

A phobia characterized by the fear of the ocean or deep, vast bodies of water.

Cibophobia

A phobia characterized by the fear of food.

Phonophobia

A phobia characterized by the fear of loud sounds.

Vasovagal response

A symptom of phobia involving a rapid drop in heart rate and blood pressure that causes fainting.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)

The treatment of choice for specific phobias, combining cognitive restructuring to change negative thought patterns with behavior exposure to confront fears.

Systematic Desensitization

A behavioral exposure technique that reduces fear responses by gradually and systematically exposing an individual to their phobia in a safe environment.

Fear/Anxiety Hierarchy

A list created in systematic desensitization that ranks an individual's fears from least to most intense to allow for gradual confrontation.

Arachnophobia

Also known as Spider Phobia (SP); one of the most widespread forms of specific phobia involving intense fear and avoidance of contexts related to spiders.

Augmented Reality (AR) Therapy

A technology-based treatment that uses mobile devices to overlay digital insects onto the real environment to expose patients to phobic triggers safely.

Benzodiazepines

Antianxiety medications sometimes prescribed in low dosages to be taken during phobic experiences, such as flying, to help the person function.