Characteristics of Phobias, Depression and OCD

• What is a phobia?

  an extreme and irrational fear of objects (specific phobias), or when it comes to social phobias, to some situations. Two of the more commonly known phobias arachnophobia (fear of spiders) and claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces)
• What are the behavioural characteristics of phobias?

  - avoidance -> physically adapting normal behaviour to avoid phobic objects (e.g. crossing the street)

  - panic -> an uncontrollable physical response which is most likely to happen at the sudden appearance of the phobic object (e.g. screaming, hyperventilating and running)

  - failure to function -> difficulty taking part in activities required to perform a normal life (e.g. going to work, education and social events)
• What are the emotional characteristics of phobias?

  - anxiety -> an uncomfortably high and persistent state of arousal, making it difficult to relax. Anxiety is heightened when the individual is likely to encounter the phobia

  - fear -> an intense emotional state linked to the fight-or-flight response. A sensation of extreme and unpleasant alertness in the presence of the phobia that only subsided when the phobic object is removed
• What are the cognitive characteristics of phobias?

  - irrational thoughts (fears) - negative and irrational mental processes that include an exaggerated belief in the harm the phobic object could cause to them. Adults know their fear is excessive (children may not)

  - reduced cognitive capacity - people with a phobia cannot concentrate on day-to-day activities such as work, due to the excessive attentional focus on the phobic objects and constant concerns about potential danger they feel they are in
• What is depression?

  a mood disorder, defined by a consistent and long-lasting sense of sadness
• What are the behavioural characteristics of depression?

  - reduction in energy level -> includes lethargy, lacking the energy needed to perform everyday activities e.g. personal hygiene/washing. Anhedonia is the lack of pleasure usually felt doing enjoyable activities, leading to a reduction in social behaviour

  - increased/ reduced sleep and appetite
• What are the emotional characteristics of depression?

  - sadness -> a persistent, very low mood

  - guilt -> linked to helplessness and a feeling that they have no value in comparison to other people
• What are the cognitive characteristics of depression?

  - poor concentration -> people with depression cannot give their full attention to tasks, and when they need to make a decision they can be indecisive, unable to choose between competing options

  - negative schemas -> automatic negative biases when thinking about themselves, the world and the future
• What is OCD?

  defined by obsessions, which are constant intrusive thoughts that cause high anxiety levels. Compulsions that are the behavioural response, are an attempt to deal with the continuous invasive thought processes
• What are the behavioural characteristics of OCD?

  - compulsions -> behaviours performed repeatedly to reduce anxiety, however any anxiety reduction is only temporary e.g. checking behaviours (testing the lights/gas is off, the door is locked) and ritual cleaning behaviours (cleaning kitchen or hands)

  - avoidance -> take or resist actions to avoid being in the presence of objects/situations that trigger obsessions

  - social impairment -> not participating in enjoyable social activities. This social withdrawal is often due to difficulty leaving the house without triggering obsessions or the need to carry out compulsions becomes time-consuming
• What are the emotional characteristics of OCD?

  - anxiety -> an uncomfortably high and persistent state of arousal, making it difficult to relax. Anxiety results from the obsession, the constant worst-case scenario thinking that defines OCD

  - depression -> a constant and long-lasting sense of sadness. The result of being unable to control the anxiety-causing thoughts and the OCD symptoms taking over the sufferer's life, leading to issues like social withdrawal
• What are the cognitive characteristics of OCD?

  - obsessions -> intrusive, irrational and recurrent thoughts that tend to be unpleasant catastrophic thoughts about potential dangers

  - hypervigilance -> a permanent state of alertness where the sufferer is looking for the source of their obsessive thoughts e.g. someone with a contamination obsessions looks at each surface they need to touch, thinking about the potential threat of exposure to germs

  - selective attention (attentional bias) -> this means the individual with OCD is so focussed on the objects connected to the obsession they cannot focus on other things in their environment or concentrate on conversations