Phobias

Question 1

What are the DSM-5 categories of phobia?

Answer 1

Specific phobia- phobia of an object such as animal or body part or situation
Social anxiety (social phobia)- phobia of a social situation such as public speaking
Agoraphobia- phobia of being outside or in a public place

Question 2

What is a phobia?

Answer 2

An irrational fear of an object or a situation

Question 3

What are the behavioural characteristics of a phobia?

Answer 3

Panic- panic in presence of phobic stimulus, may run or freeze
Avoidance- Tend to prevent coming into contact with the phobic stimulus making it hard to go about daily life
Endurance- alternate behavioural response to avoidance, occurs when remains in presence of phobic stimulus

Question 4

What are the emotional characteristics of phobias?

Answer 4

Anxiety- Phobias are anxiety disorders they are an unpleasant state if high arousal and anxiety can be long term
Fear- the immediate and unpleasant response when encountering of thinking about phobic stimulus, more intense and shorter period than anxiety

Emotional response is unreasonable- has a much greater response of panic then someone without the phobia

Question 5

What are the cognitive characteristics of a phobia?

Answer 5

Selective attention to the phobic stimulus- If someone can see the stimulus it can be hard to look away from it, not useful when fear is irrational
Irrational beliefs- May have unfounded thoughts in relation to phobic stimulus, increased pressure
Cognitive distortions- perceptions are inaccurate and unrealistic