clinical characteristics of mental health issues

Question 1

what are phobias?

Answer 1

an irrational, persistent and extreme fear of something, they are classed as anxiety disorders

Question 2

dsm-5 categorisation of phobias

Answer 2

specific phobias = fear of a specific object in the environment, e.g. spiders. split into animal, injury, situational and natural phobias

social phobias = anxiety in social situations, e.g. when giving a speech. split into performance, interaction and generalised phobias

agoraphobia = fear of open or public spaces, can be caused by simple and/or social phobias, e.g. the fear of contamination (mysophobia) could cause a fear of public spaces

Question 3

phobias - emotional symptoms

Answer 3

• panic or anxiety when in the presence of the feared stimulus
• immediate fear response or panic attack due to a specific situation or object

Question 4

phobias - cognitive symptoms

Answer 4

• irrational thoughts, e.g. believing you are in danger
• resistance to logic
• self awareness, knowing you have a phobia and are being irrational
• cognitive distortion

Question 5

phobias - behavioural symptoms

Answer 5

• avoidance/running away
• freezing
• fainting
• fight or flight response

Question 6

what is depression?

Answer 6

a long term mood or affective disorder that disrupts daily functioning, its a category of mood disorders that’s split into unipolar and bipolar disorder

Question 7

depression - emotional symptoms

Answer 7

• depressed mood/sadness
• feelings of worthlessness
• lack of interest or pleasure in activities
• anger

Question 8

depression - cognitive symptoms

Answer 8

• diminished ability to concentrate
• focus on the negative aspects of a situation

Question 9

depression - behavioural symptoms

Answer 9

• energy reduction, constantly feeling tired
• sleep disturbances (sleeping much more or much less)
• changes in appetite (eat much more or much less)

Question 10

what is OCD?

Answer 10

• anxiety disorder characterised by obsessive thoughts and repetitive compulsive behaviours
• obsessions are reoccurring and persistent thoughts, compulsions are repetitive behaviours
• 70% of sufferers experience both, 20% just obsessions and 10% just compulsions

Question 11

OCD - emotional symptoms

Answer 11

• anxiety caused by the obsessions
• some experience depression as tasks are constantly interrupted by thoughts and compulsions

Question 12

OCD - cognitive symptoms

Answer 12

• obsessive thoughts, e.g. fear of contamination, fear of safety, religious fears of retribution, perfectionism
• some people adopt cognitive strategies to cope, e.g. prayer
• selective attention towards the feared stimuli

Question 13

OCD - behavioural symptoms

Answer 13

• the compulsion
• the compulsions are repetitive, will feel compelled to repeat a behaviour
• they are used to manage or reduce anxiety