phobias, depression, OCD - general knowledge

What is a phobia?

An irrational fear of an object or situation

What is depression?

A mental disorder characterised low mood and low energy levels

What is meant by emotional, behavioural and cognitive characteristics?

• Behavioural- ways in which people act

• Emotional- ways in which people feel

• Cognitive- refers to the process of thinking

• What are the behavioural characteristics of phobias?

1. Panic

2. Avoidance

3. Endurance

what is meant by panic in relation to behavioural characteristics of phobias?

• A person may panic in presence of phobic stimulus

• Panic involves a variety of behaviours eg. Crying, screaming, running away

what is meant by avoidance in relation to behavioural characteristics of phobias?

• The phonic person makes a conscious effort to avoid contact with the phobic stimulus

• This may interfere with day to day life

what is meant by endurance in relation to behavioural characteristics of phobias?

• Alternative to avoidance

• Phobic person remains in the presence of phobic stimuli but continues to experience high levels of anxiety

• May occur in unavoidable situations

What are the emotional characteristics of phobias?

• Anxiety

• Unreasonable emotions

What is meant by anxiety in relation to emotional characteristics of phobias?

• Phobias are classed as anxiety disorders

• They involve an emotional response of anxiety and immediate fear when faced with phobic stimulus

What is anxiety?

• Anxiety is an unpleasant state if high arousal

• Makes it very hard to relax or experience positive emotion

1. What are the cognitive characteristics of phobias?

1. Selective attention to phobic stimulus

2. Irrational beliefs

3. Cognitive distortions

• What is meant by selective attention in relation to the cognitive characteristics of phobias?

• When the phobic person can see the phobic stimulus and finds it difficult to look away from it

• Will struggle to focus on anything else when phobic stimulus is present

• Focus on it gives them best chance to react to threat

• What is meant by irrational beliefs in relation to the cognitive characteristics of phobias?

• A phobic individual may hold irrational beliefs in relation to phobic stimuli

What is meant by cognitive distortions in relation to the cognitive characteristics of phobias?

An individuals perceptions of the phobic stimulus may be altered

• Eg someone with arachnophobia may view spiders as monster looking

What approach is used to explain phobias?

The behavioural approach

What does the behavioural approach emphasise?

The role of learning in acquiring behaviour

How are phobias acquired according to the behavioural approach?

Phobias are acquired through classical conditioning

Who proposed the two process model?

Hobart mowrer

What does the two process model state?

• Phobias are acquired through classical conditioning

• And are maintained through operant conditioning

What is classical conditioning ?

• Classical conditioning involves learning to associate a neutral stimulus with an unconditional response (fear)

What happens during classical conditioning

NS + UCS —> UCR

bee + sting —> fear

NS becomes a conditioned stimulus CS creating a conditioned response of fear of the bee

What is operant conditioning?

when behaviour is reinforced through rewards or punishment

Reinforcement increases the frequency of a behaviour

Explain negative reinforcement

• an individual avoids a situation that is unpleasant

• This behaviour causes a desirable consequence

• Meaning behaviour is repeated

explain negative reinforcement in relation to phobias

• When phobic stimulus is avoided

• Also avoid the fear and anxiety that is present with the stimulus

• This reduced fear reinforces avoidance behaviour so phobia is maintained

1. What are the behavioural characteristics of depression?

1. Reduced activity level

2. Disruption to sleep and eating behaviour

3. Aggression and self harm

What is meant by activity levels in relation to behavioural characteristics of depression?

• Individuals with depression have reduced levels of energy - making them lethargic

• As a result individuals may withdraw from aspects of social life ( work, school etc)

• Sometimes opposite effect happens - psychomotor agitation (struggle to relax)

• What is meant by disruption to sleep and eating behaviour in relation to behavioural characteristics of depression

• depression is associated with changes to sleeping behaviour

• Individuals may experience insomnia or hypersomnia

• Appetite may increase or decrease

What is meant by aggression&self harm in relation to behavioural characteristics of depression?

• individuals are often irritable- can become physically or verbally aggressive

• Depression can lead to physical aggression directed at self such as self harm or suicide attempts

What are the emotional characteristics of depression?

1. Lowered mood

2. Anger

3. Low self esteem

What is meant by a lowered mood in relation to the emotional characteristics of depression?

• Patients feel sad worthless and empty on a regular basis

• What is meant by anger in relation to the emotional characteristics of depression?

• individuals tend to suffer more negative emotions during depressive episodes

• Often experience anger- can be directed at themselves or others

• Leads to aggressive behaviour

1. What are the cognitive characteristics of depression?

• Poor concentration

• Dwelling on the negative

• Absolutist thinking

• What is meant by poor concentration in relation to cognitive characteristics of depression?

• Depression is associated with poor levels of concentration

• Individuals may find it hard to focus on tasks or make decisions

• May interfere with day to day life

• What is meant by “dwelling on the negative” in relation to cognitive characteristics of depression?

• People are more likely to pay attention to negative aspects of a situation and ignore the positives

• Also have a bias towards recalling unhappy events instead of happy ones

What is meant by ”absolutist thinking” in relation to cognitive characteristics of depression?

• Black and white thinking

• See situations as all good or all bad

• What is OCD?

• obsessive compulsive disorder

• A conditioned characterised by obsessions and/or compulsions

What are the behavioural characteristics of OCD?

• Compulsions

• Avoidance

what are the two elements of compulsive behaviours?

Compulsions are repetitive

• individuals feel compelled to repeat a behaviour

Compulsions reduce anxiety

• Compulsive behaviour is performed to manage the anxiety produced by obsessions

what is meant by avoidance in relation to behavioural characteristics of OCD?

• individuals attempt to reduce anxiety by keeping away from situations that trigger it

1. What are the emotional characteristics of OCD?

1. Anxiety and distress

2. Accompanying depression

3. Guilt and disgust

What is meant by anxiety and distress in relation to the emotional characteristics of OCD?

• The urge to relearn a behaviour (a compulsion) creates anxiety

• Anxiety accompanies both obsessions and compulsions

What is meant by accompanying depression in relation to the emotional characteristics of OCD?

• OCD is often accompanied by depression

• Anxiety can be accompanied by low mood and lack of enjoyment in activities

• Compulsive behaviours bring relief from anxiety -but is temporary

• What is meant by guilt and disgust in relation to the emotional characteristics of OCD?

• OCD sometimes involved other negative emotions

• Irrational guilt / disgust directed at self or something external e.g germs/dirt

What are the cognitive characteristics of OCD?

• obsessive thoughts

• Cognitive strategies to deal with obsessions

• Insight into excessive anxiety

What is meant by obsessive thoughts in relation to cognitive characteristics of OCD?

• The major cognitive feature of OCD is obsessive thoughts

• Thoughts that recur over and over again

• Vary from person to person but are always unpleasant

What is meant by cognitive strategies in relation to cognitive characteristics of OCD?

• People respond to OCD by adopting cognitive strategies

• e.g a religious person tormented by obsessive guilt may respond with prayer or meditation

• Help manage anxiety

• What is meant by insight into excessive anxiety in relation to cognitive characteristics of OCD?

• people who suffer from OCD are aware their obsessions and compulsions are irrational

• This is a necessary part in diagnosing OCD