Cognitive characteristics

• Irrational beliefs:

  persistent fear that is unreasonable or excessive compared to the actual threat.
• Recognition of exaggerated anxiety:

  sufferer recognises the fear is disproportionate to the perceived threat or danger.
• Selective attention:

  phobic stimulus is hard to look away from (tunnel vision).
• Cognitive distortions:

  the sufferers perception of the stimuli is distorted.