2. Phobias Flashcards
What is a phobia?
An extreme irrational fear of a particular object or situation
What is the DSM system?
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health is a system which can he used as a tool for diagnosis. The current version is known as the DSM -5.
What are phobias classified in the DSM as?
An anxiety disorder
What are phobias characterised by?
Uncontrollable, extreme, irrational and enduring fear and involve anxiety levels that are out of proportion to any actual risk. This anxiety interferes with everyday living.
The DSM categorises phobias into three types, what are they?
- specific
- social anxiety
- agoraphobia
What is a specific phobia?
A phobia of specific objects (such as an animal or body part) or situation (such as flying or having an injection)
What is social anxiety?
A phobia of a social situation such as public speaking or eating in front of a group of people
What is agoraphobia?
A phobia of being outside or in a social place
Name the two behavioural characteristics of phobias and explain them
Panic - this may involve a range of behaviours such as crying, screaming or running away from the phobic stimulus
Avoidance - considerable effort to avoid coming into contact with the phonic stimulus. This can make it hard to go about everyday life, especially if the phobia stimulus is often seen e.g. Public places
What are the three emotional characteristics of phobias?
Fear - fear is the immediate experience when a phobic encounters or thinks about the phobic stimulus. Fear leads to anxiety.
Anxiety - an unpleasant state of high arousal which prevents the sufferer from relaxing or experiencing and positive emotion.
Responses are unreasonable - response is widely disproportionate to the threat posed, e.g. An arachnophobe (fear of spiders) will have a strong emotional response to a tiny spider.
What are the two cognitive characteristics of a phobia?
Selective attention to the phobic stimulus - hard to look away from phobic stimulus.
Irrational beliefs - for example, social phobias may involve beliefs like ‘if I blush people will think I’m weak’.
Eloise has a phobia of buttons. She refuses to wear any clothes with buttons and even refuses to go into clothes shops that sell clothes with buttons. When questioned, Eloise says this is because of the extreme anxiety buttons cause her. She also believes that buttons will pinch her skin and that this will leave a bruise.
Identify the behavioural, emotional and cognitive aspects of Eloise’s fear.
Behavioural: avoidance - doesn’t go into shops
Emotional: anxiety and fear
Cognitive: irrational beliefs - buttons are going to punch her and bruise her arm
