7.2 Phobias

Question 1

Phobia

Answer 1

• Persistent, intensely felt, irrational fear of a specific object, activity or situation that results in compelling desire to avoid feared stimulus.
• Feeling of powerlessness against their fear

Question 2

3 Types of Phobias

Answer 2

1. Specific Phobia
   - Fear of objects or situations
   - Animals, natural environment, blood/needles, flying on a plane
2. Agoraphobia
   - Fear of public places (feels like it might be hard to escape quickly to a safe place). They tend to not leave the home often.
3. Social Phobia
   - Fear of social situations and interactions. Fear of being embarrassed or judged by others.
   - May feel anxiety for weeks before an event.

Treatment
- Needs to be individualized for the patient
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
(Teaches patients to be mindful of their fear being irrational and chances of their fears being true is very low)
- Systematic Desensitization
(Gradually exposed to the feared object to identify with the anxiety, identify coping techniques, and using said coping techniques)

Question 3

Agoraphobia

Answer 3

• Fear of being vulnerable in less secure environments such as open shopping malls or markets
• Fear of places where escape may be difficult or where help might not be available in the event of panic.
• Extreme cases include patients who cannot leave their homes without being accompanied by a friend or relative.
• They think there is no help or no escape
• Panic attacks are common
• More common in women then men
• Onset is usually 20-30s
• FEAR OF BEING SEPARATED FROM A SOURCE OF SECURITY

Question 4

Social Phobia

Answer 4

• Social anxiety where patients may fear doing something embarrassing or be evaluated negatively by others.
• Extreme fear of being exposed to possible scrutiny by others
• Onset usually late childhood to adolescents (can be chronic)
• More common in women

Manifestations
- Fear of speaking or eating in public
- Fear of using public restroom
- Saying things that may provoke laughter in others.

Question 5

Specific Phobia

Answer 5

• Fear of specific object/situation that can cause harm but is excessive, unreasonable, and inappropriate.

Examples
- Claustrophobia - Fear of confined spaces
- Achluophobia - Fear of darkness
- Pathophobia - Fear of disease
- Ophidiophobia - Fear of snakes
- Astraphobia - Fear of thunder/lightning
- Arachnophobia - Fear of spiders

Question 6

Manifestations of Phobias

Answer 6

• May be no more anxious than a normal person until exposed to the object/situation
• Exposure causes overwhelming panic, palpitations, sweating, dizziness, and difficulty breathing.
• People often do not seek treatment unless interfering with daily life.

Question 7

Specific Phobia

Answer 7

• Fear of object or situation that could cause controversial harm.
• Reactions are often excessive, irrational and inappropriate
• Onset is any age
• Patients feel powerless to change

Categories
- Animal
- Natural Environment (storms, height, water)
- Blood-Injection-Injury
- Situational (public transportation, flying, elevators, enclosed spaces)

Question 8

Biological Theory of Phobias

Answer 8

• Innate fears that you are born with may evolve into phobias
• Life experiences may also cause specific phobias