Phobias

• What type of disorder are phobias classified as?

  Anxiety disorder
• What is the primary symptom shared by anxiety disorders?

  Extreme anxiety
• How is a phobia defined?

  Irrational, persistent fear of an object
• How does the extent of fear in phobias compare to real danger?

  It is out of proportion to real danger
• How many types of phobia does the DSM-5 recognize?

  Three types
• What is one type of phobia recognized by the DSM-5?

  Specific phobia
• What is another type of phobia recognized by the DSM-5?

  Social phobia
• What is the third type of phobia recognized by the DSM-5?

  Agoraphobia
• What do sufferers of specific phobia fear?

  A specific object or situation
• What are the types of specific phobias?

  Animal, natural environment, blood-injection, situational, other
• What is an example of an animal type phobia?

  Arachnophobia (fear of spiders)
• What is an example of a natural environment type phobia?

  Acrophobia (fear of heights)
• What is an example of a situational type phobia?

  Aerophobia (fear of flying)
• What is an example of another type of phobia?

  Coulrophobia (fear of clowns)
• What happens when sufferers think about their specific phobia?

  It causes them anxiety
• What is the impact of avoidance behavior on quality of life for phobia sufferers?

  It can have a detrimental effect
• What is the most common category of phobia?

  Specific phobia
• What do sufferers of social phobia fear?

  Social situations
• What is the effect of thinking about social situations for sufferers?

  It causes them anxiety
• When does social phobia usually begin?

  In adolescence
• What is the fear associated with agoraphobia?

  Fear of difficult or embarrassing situations
• What places do sufferers of agoraphobia fear?

  Public places like shopping centers
• What is the impact of thinking about public places for agoraphobia sufferers?

  It causes them anxiety
• What is the effect of avoidance behavior for agoraphobia sufferers?

  It can have a serious detrimental effect
• What is the least common category of phobia?

  Agoraphobia
• What are the characteristics of phobias?

  • Cognitive characteristics
  • Emotional characteristics
  • Behavioural characteristics
• What are the cognitive characteristics of phobias?

  1. Irrational thinking
  2. Recognition of irrational thinking
  3. Selective attention
• What is irrational thinking in phobias?

  Holding irrational beliefs about the feared stimulus
• How do sufferers respond to rational arguments regarding their phobia?

  They are resistant to rational arguments
• What does recognition of irrational fear entail?

  Recognizing fear is overstated
• What are the emotional characteristics of phobias?

  1. Anxiety
  2. Fear
• How is anxiety characterized in phobias?

  By a persistent state of anxiety
• When is anxiety particularly high for phobia sufferers?

  In places associated with the feared stimulus
• How is fear characterized in phobias?

  As irrational and overwhelming
• What are the behavioral characteristics of phobias?

  1. Avoidance
  2. Endurance
• What is avoidance behavior in phobias?

  Avoiding the feared stimulus
• What is the impact of avoidance behavior on quality of life?

  It can have a serious detrimental effect
• How does avoidance behavior affect daily activities?

  It interferes with normal routine and relationships
• What is endurance behavior in phobias?

  Choosing to remain with the feared stimulus
• What might a person with arachnophobia do in a room with a spider?

  Remain in the room to keep an eye on it - called selective attention