Characteristics of phobias, depression and OCD

• Behavioural characteristic of phobias

  Panic- may involves crying, screaming or running away.
• Behavioural characteristic of phobias

  Avoidance- tend to avoid coming into contact with the phobic stimulus
• Behavioural characteristic of phobias

  Endurance- sufferer remains in the presence of the phobic stimulus but experiences high levels of anxiety
• Emotional characteristic of phobias

  Anxiety- an unpleasant state of high arousal.
• Emotional characteristic of phobias

  Emotional responses are unreasonable
• Cognitive characteristic of phobias

  Selective attention to the phobic stimulus- hard to look away from the phobic stimulus
• Cognitive characteristic of phobias

  Irrational beliefs- illogical thoughts
• Cognitive characteristic of phobias

  Cognitive distortions- the phobics perceptions of the phobic stimulus may be distorted
• Behavioural characteristic of depression

  Activity levels- reduced energy or psychomotor agitation
• Behavioural characteristic of depression

  Disruption to sleep and eating behaviour- insomnia or hypersomnia, increased appetite or decreased appetite.
• Behavioural characteristic of depression

  Aggression and self harm- verbally or physically aggressive to themselves (self harm) or others.
• Emotional characteristic of depression

  Lowered mood- feeling sad
• Emotional characteristic of depression

  Anger- directed at themselves or others
• Emotional characteristic of depression

  Lowered self esteem- like themselves less than usual
• Cognitive characteristic of depression

  Poor concentration- unable to stick to tasks as they normally would
• Cognitive characteristic of depression

  Attending to and dwelling on the negative- focus on negatives and ignore positives
• Cognitive characteristic of depression

  Absolutist thinking- black and white thinking, all good or all bad.
• Behavioural characteristic of OCD

  Compulsions are repetitive- sufferer feels compelled to repeat the behaviour
• Behavioural characteristic of OCD

  Compulsions reduce anxiety- reduce anxiety caused by obsessive thoughts
• Behavioural characteristic of OCD

  Avoidance, keeping away from situations that may trigger it
• Emotional characteristic of OCD

  Anxiety & distress- obsessions and compulsions can create this due to it being an unpleasant experience
• Emotional characteristic of OCD

  Accompanying depression- sufferers often experience this also with a low mood etc
• Emotional characteristic of OCD

  Guilt & disgust- directed against themselves or something external like dirt.
• Cognitive characteristic of OCD

  Obsessive (irrational) thoughts- unpleasant thoughts
• Cognitive characteristic of OCD

  Cognitive strategies to deal with obsessions- these help to manage the anxiety
• Cognitive characteristic of OCD

  Insight into excessive anxiety- sufferers are aware their thoughts and behaviours are irrational