Phobias

• Phobias

  are an anxiety disorder which involves an immense amount of fear about the phobic stimuli which is usually harmless or irrational.
• Emotional characteristic 


  -Anxiety and fear: when in the presence of phobic stimuli and being unpleasant state.
• Behavioural characteristics

  -Panic: may involve crying, screaming or running away.

  -Avoidance: makes it difficult to go about daily life.
• Cognitive characteristics 


  -Irrational beliefs in terms of the phobic stimuli: increases pressure to perform well in society.

  -Cognitive distortions: perception of stimulus may be distorted.

  -Selective attention to phobic stimulus: difficult for sufferer to pay attention to any thing else other than the phobic stimuli.