characteristics of phobias, depression + OCD

• behavioural characteristics - to do with ways in which people act
• cognitive characteristics - to do with process of thinking, perceiving, and believing
• emotional characteristics includes the ways in which people feel
• phobias are an irrational fear of an object/situation
• phobias are characterised by excessive fear + anxiety which is disproportionate to any real danger presented by stimulus - triggered phobia
• behavioural characteristics - phobias

  • panic
  • avoidance (go into alot of effort to avoid stimulus)
  • endurance (remains in presence of phobic stimulus but continues to experience high levels of anxiety)
• emotional characteristics of phobias

  • anxiety - unpleasant state of high arousal which prevents sufferer from relaxing)
  • unreasonable emotional response - response goes beyond what is reasonable
• cognitive characteristics - phobias

  • cognitive distortion - perception of phobic stimulus may be distorted
  • irrational beliefs - hold irrational beliefs relating to phobic stimulus - certain beliefs increase pressure on sufferers
  • selective attention to phobic stimulus - hard to look away if phobic stimulus is seen - keeping attention on danger is good as it gives best chance of reacting quickly
• forms of depression are characterised by changes to mood
• behavioural characteristics of depression

  • activity levels - reduced levels of energy (lethargic) - withdraw from work - opposite - psychomotor agitation (struggle to relax)
  • disruption to sleep + eating behaviour - insomnia + hypersomnia - weight gain or loss
  • aggressive + self harm - verbally and physically aggresive - self harm and suicide
• emotional characteristics of depression

  • lowered mood - feel sad and worthless
  • anger - anger often felt which is directed towards self or others
  • lowered self esteem (self esteem is emotional experience of how much we like outselves
• cognitive characteristics of depression

  • poor concentration - depression is associated with poor levels of concentration - unable to stick to task of make decisions which are usually straightforward
  • attending to and dwelling on the negatives - tend to pay attention to more negative aspects of situation and ignore positives
  • absolutist thinking - when in depressive mood - think in terms of situation being all good or all bad
• OCD stands for obsessive compulsive disorder - person has obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours
• behavioural characteristics for OCD

  • compulsions - compulsive behaviours which are repetitive (feel compelled to repeat behaviours) - compulsions can reduce anxiety
  • avoidance - attempt to manage OCD by avoiding situations which trigger anxiety
• emotional characteristics of OCD

  • anxiety and distress - unpleasant emotional experiences due to powerful anxiety accompanying OCD - urge to repeat behaviour creates anxiety
  • accompanying depression - OCD often accompanied by depression (low mood _ lack of enjoyment)
  • guilt and disgust - negative emotions experienced which can be directed towards something external (dirt/self)
• cognitive characteristics of OCD

  • obsessive thoughts - unpleasant
  • cognitive strategies to deal with obsessions - respond by developing coping strategies to cope with obsession - distract individuals from daily life
  • gain insight into excessive anxiety - experience catastrophic thoughts about worst case scenarios if anxieties were to be justified - hypervigilant