Phobias and OCD

• Phobia


  Extreme or irrational fear, often persistent, that compels sufferers to avoid object or situation to which their fear is connected

  
• Specific phobia DSM-5 is a diagnosis assigned to individuals who suffer from intense fear or anxiety when exposed to specific objects or situations

  
• Specific phobia is a type of anxiety disorder
• 19.2 million adult Americans are afflicted by specific phobias
• Women are affected more often than men at an approximate rate of 2:1
• Sufferers will often take measures to avoid object or situation in question, although individuals are aware that their fears are usually greater than threat itself
• Specific phobias fall under heterogeneous disorders group, having no single universal cause or pattern of development
• Most specific phobias develop during childhood and adolescence, although disorder may present at any stage, often in connection with a traumatic experience
• Other factors that may be connected to onset of specific phobia include genetic predisposition and familial influence
• Symptoms of specific phobia

  • Characterized by a deep and persistent fear of an object or situation, resulting in symptoms of anxiety
  • Symptoms may also arise from anticipating presence of stimulus

  
• Symptoms of anxiety


  • Increased heart rate (palpitations)
  • Dizziness or unsteadiness
  • Nausea
  • Sweating
  • Shaking or trembling
  • An upset stomach
  • Breathlessness
• Types of simple/specific phobias

  • Environmental phobias (including deep water, heights and germs)
  • Animal phobias (including a fear of dogs, snakes or spiders)
  • Situational phobias (such as flying in an airplane or visiting the dentist)
  • Bodily phobias (including blood or having shots)

  
• Types of complex phobias

  • Agoraphobia (fear of certain places, situations or open spaces)
  • Social phobia (fear of social situations)

  
• In the USA, DSM-5 recognizes animal, situational, natural and blood-injection-injury as specific phobias, with a fifth category known as 'other' which includes fear of vomiting or choking
• Causes of specific phobias

  • Traumatic experiences
  • Learned behavior
  • Genetics
  • Fear response
  • Ongoing stress

  
• Agoraphobia


  Fear of certain places, situations or open spaces
• Social phobia


  Fear of social situations
• Depending on type of phobia an individual suffers from, effects on lifestyle, relationships and work may vary
• Agoraphobia, social phobia and other complex phobias can affect individuals on a daily basis
• People with phobias will usually go out of their way to avoid phobic stimulus
• Treatment for specific phobias

  • Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
  • Medication
  • Hypnotherapy
  • Self-help
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)


  A long-lasting disorder in which a person experiences uncontrollable and recurring thoughts (obsessions), engages in repetitive behaviors (compulsions), or both
• People with OCD have time-consuming symptoms that can cause significant distress or interfere with daily life
• Common obsessions


  • Fear of germs or contamination
  • Fear of forgetting, losing, or misplacing something
  • Fear of losing control over one's behavior
  • Aggressive thoughts toward others or oneself
  • Unwanted, forbidden, or taboo thoughts involving sex, religion, or harm
  • Desire to have things symmetrical or in perfect order
• Common compulsions


  • Excessive cleaning or handwashing
  • Ordering or arranging items in a particular, precise way
  • Repeatedly checking things, such as that the door is locked or the oven is off
  • Compulsive counting
  • Praying or repeating words silently
• Not all repeated thoughts are obsessions, and not all rituals or habits are compulsions
• People with OCD generally can't control their obsessions or compulsions, even when they know they're excessive, spend more than 1 hour a day on their obsessions or compulsions, don't get pleasure from their compulsions but may feel temporary relief from their anxiety, and experience significant problems in daily life due to these thoughts or behaviors