Characteristics of phobias, depression and OCD

• What is a phobia?

  An extreme and irrational fear of objects or situations
• What is arachnophobia?

  A fear of spiders
• What is claustrophobia?

  A fear of enclosed spaces
• What are the behavioral characteristics of phobias?

  • Avoidance: Adapting behavior to avoid phobic objects (e.g., crossing the street)
  • Panic: Uncontrollable physical response at the sudden appearance of the phobic object (e.g., screaming, hyperventilating)
  • Failure to function: Difficulty participating in normal life activities (e.g., work, education, social events)
• What does avoidance behavior in phobias entail?

  Physically adapting normal behavior to avoid phobic objects
• What is panic in the context of phobias?

  An uncontrollable physical response to the sudden appearance of the phobic object
• What does failure to function mean in relation to phobias?

  Difficulty taking part in activities required for normal life
• What are the emotional characteristics of phobias?

  • Anxiety: Persistent state of arousal, heightened when encountering the phobia
  • Fear: Intense emotional state linked to the fight or flight response, extreme anxiety when the phobic object is removed
• How does anxiety manifest in individuals with phobias?

  As an uncomfortably high and persistent state of arousal
• What is the relationship between fear and the fight or flight response in phobias?

  Fear is an intense emotional state linked to the fight or flight response
• What are the cognitive characteristics of phobias?

  • Irrational thoughts (fears): Negative mental processes with exaggerated beliefs about harm
  • Reduced cognitive capacity: Difficulty concentrating on daily activities due to excessive focus on phobic objects
• What are irrational thoughts in the context of phobias?

  Negative and irrational mental processes with exaggerated beliefs about harm
• How does reduced cognitive capacity affect individuals with phobias?

  It makes it difficult to concentrate on day-to-day activities
• What is depression defined as?

  A mood disorder characterized by a consistent and long-lasting sense of sadness
• What are the behavioral characteristics of depression?

  • Reduction in activity level
  • Lethargy and lack of energy for everyday tasks
  • Anhedonia: lack of pleasure and interest in hobbies
  • Change in eating behavior: increase or decrease in appetite, leading to weight loss or gain
• What does anhedonia refer to in the context of depression?

  Anhedonia is the lack of pleasure and loss of interest in hobbies and activities
• What emotional characteristic is prominently associated with depression?

  Sadness, which is a very low mood
• How is guilt related to depression?

  Guilt is linked to feelings of helplessness and a sense of having no value
• What are the cognitive characteristics of depression?

  • Poor concentration and difficulty in making decisions
  • Struggles with effective decision-making on important issues
  • Negative automatic thoughts about oneself, the world, and the future
• What cognitive difficulty do people with depression often experience?

  They struggle with concentration and decision-making
• What type of thoughts do individuals with depression commonly have?

  Negative automatic thoughts about themselves, their world, and the future
• What defines OCD according to the AQA specification?

  OCD is defined by obsessions and compulsions that cause high anxiety levels.
• What are obsessions in the context of OCD?

  Obsessions are constant intrusive thoughts that cause high anxiety levels.
• What are compulsions in OCD?

  Compulsions are behavioral responses to deal with continuous invasive thoughts.
• What is the purpose of compulsions in OCD?

  Compulsions are performed to reduce anxiety, although the reduction is only temporary.
• Give an example of a checking behavior in OCD.

  Testing that the lights or gas is off.
• What are ritual cleaning behaviors in OCD?

  Ritual cleaning behaviors include cleaning the kitchen or hands repeatedly.
• What does avoidance mean in the context of OCD?

  Avoidance refers to taking actions to avoid objects or situations that trigger obsessions.
• How does OCD lead to social impairment?

  Social impairment occurs due to difficulty leaving the house without triggering obsessions or time-consuming compulsions.
• What is the emotional characteristic of anxiety in OCD?

  Anxiety is an uncomfortably high and persistent state of arousal that makes it difficult to relax.
• What causes anxiety in individuals with OCD?

  Anxiety results from obsessions and constant worst-case-scenario thinking.
• What is the emotional characteristic of depression in OCD?

  Depression is a consistent and long-lasting sense of sadness.
• How does depression affect individuals with OCD?

  Depression leads to feelings of being unable to control anxiety symptoms, resulting in social withdrawal.
• What are obsessions in OCD?

  Obsessions are irrational and recurrent thoughts that tend to be unpleasant.
• What is hypervigilance in the context of OCD?

  Hypervigilance is a permanent state of alertness where the sufferer looks for the source of their obsessive thoughts.
• How does selective attention manifest in individuals with OCD?

  Selective attention involves immense focus on the object connected with OCD to avoid other thoughts.
• What are the main characteristics of OCD?

  • Obsessions: intrusive thoughts causing anxiety
  • Compulsions: behaviors to reduce anxiety temporarily
  • Avoidance: actions to evade triggers
  • Social impairment: withdrawal from enjoyable activities
  • Emotional symptoms: anxiety and depression
  • Cognitive symptoms: obsessions, hypervigilance, selective attention