Characteristics of phobias, depression and OCD

• What are the behavioural characteristics of phobias?


  Avoidance - making it normal to avoid phobic object.

  Panic - an uncontrollable physical response (scream)

  Failure to function - difficulty taking part in normal day-to-day activities
• What are the emotional characteristics of phobias?

  Anxiety - uncomfortably high and persistent state of arousal

  Fear - intense, emotional sensation of extreme and unpleasant alertness. Only leaves when phobic object is removed.
• What are the cognitive characteristics of phobias?

  Irrational thoughts: negative/irrational mental processes that include an exaggerated belief in harm the phobic object could cause.

  Reduced cognitive capacity: due to attentional focus on phobic object
• What are the behavioural characteristics of depression?

  Reduction in activity level: lacking energy to perform usual tasks

  A change in eating behaviour: weight gain/loss

  Aggression: to other/self-harm
• What are emotional characteristics of depression?

  Sadness

  Guilt: feeling they have no value in comparison to other people
• What are the cognitive characteristics of depression?

  Poor concentration

  Negative schemas: automatic negative thoughts about themselves, the world + future.
• What are the behavioural characteristics of OCD?

  Compulsions: behaviours performed repeatedly to reduce anxiety (cleaning)

  Avoidance: avoid objects that trigger obsessions
• What are the emotional characteristics of OCD?

  Anxiety: uncomfortably high and persistent state of arousal, making it difficult to relax

  Depression: consistent and long-lasting sense of sadness
• What are the cognitive characteristics of OCD?

  Obsessions: intrusive, irrational, recurrent thoughts that are unpleasant, catastrophic.

  Hyper vigilance: a permanent state of alertness, looking for source of obsessive thoughts