Cognitive characteristics of phobias

• • Selective attention- this means that the patient remains focused on the phobic stimulus, useful as it gives us the best chance of reacting quickly to a threat nut not when the fear is irrational
• • Irrational beliefs- patient may hold unfounded thoughts or beliefs that are not based on reality e.g social phobias can involves beliefs like "I must always sound intelligent"
• • Cognitive distortions- The perceptions with a phobia may be inaccurate and unrealistic e.g mycophobia patients see mushrooms as disgusting