Characteristics of Phobias

What is a phobia?

An anxiety disorder characterised by an irrational an persistent fear of a specific object, situation or activity.

The fear is disproportionate to the actual threat.

Typically developed in childhood and persists into adulthood.

What are the 3 main types of a phobia?

Specific = Immediate and intense, often leading to avoidance behaviour. Fear of an object

Social phobia = Fear of social situations where the person might be judged

Agoraphobia = Fear of being in places or situations where escape might be difficult

Behavioural characteristics

Avoidance = fleeing from the phobic stimulus

Endurance = Staying in the presence of the phobia

Panic = crying, screaming

Emotional characteristic

Anxiety = unpleasant high arousal

Fear = Immediate and extremely unpleased response

Unreasonable emotional response = Anxiety or fear is much greater than a normal and disproportionate to any threat posed

Cognitive characteristics

Selective attention to phobic object = If they see it, they are fixated on it. (making it hard to concentrate on anything else)

Irrational Beliefs = A person with a phobia may hold negative thoughts in relation to the phobic stimulus.

Cognitive distortions = Biased ways of thinking. Affect how the individual perceives the object or situation.