Phobias

• Cognitive distortions: cognitive characteristics

  - the phobic perception of the phobic stimulus may be distorted
• Irrational beliefs: cognitive characteristics

  - May hold irrational beliefs in relation to the Phobic stimulus

  - increases the pressure of the sufferer
• Selective attention to phobic stimulus:

  - May find it hard to look away from phobic stimulus

  - helps us react quickly to a threat but not helpful if the fear is irrational
• What do cognitive characteristics focus on?

  The way people process information
• What are the cognitive characteristics of phobia:

  - Selective attention to the phobic stimulus

  - irrational beliefs

  - cognitive distortions
• unreasonable emotional response: emotional characteristics

  The emotional response after coming in contact with the phobic stimulus is beyond reasonable
• What is anxiety?

  An unpleasant state of high arousal
• Describe anxiety in terms of phobia:

  - Phobias are anxiety disorders

  - makes it difficult to experience any positive emotions

  - anxiety may be long term.
• What are the emotional characteristics of phobias?

  - Anxiety

  - unreasonable emotional response
• endurance: behavioural characteristics

  • alternative to avoidance
  • remains in the presence of the phobic stimulus but continues to experience high levels of stress
  • may be unavoidable
• avoidance: behavioural characteristics

  Avoiding coming into contact with phobic stimulus which can make it difficult to do everyday tasks.
• panic: behavioural characteristics

  • Response to phobic stimulus
  • involves a range emotions (crying, screaming)
  • children may have a different response(freezing, clinging, tantrum)
• What are the behavioural characteristics of phobias?

  • Panic
  • avoidance
  • endurance
• What are the different characteristics of phobias?

  - Behavioural

  - Emotional

  - cognitive
• What is acrophobia?

  Phobia of being outside
• What is social phobia (social anxiety)?

  Phobia of social situations
• What is specific phobia?

  Phobia of an object, animal or body part
• What are the dsm-5 categories of phobia?

  - Specific phobia

  - social anxiety(social phobia)

  - acrophobia
• What triggers phobias?


  Object, Place or situation
• How are phobias chaterganised?

  By excessive fear and anxiety