Phobias Flashcards
What is the meaning of phobia?
Intense and persistent fear of a specific object situation or activity
What does a phobia need to be so that it’s actually classified as a phobia?
It needs to be clinically diagnosed by a medical practitioner or psychological
What are the 3 types of phobia in the DSM - 5?
Specific phobia
Social phobia
Agoraphobia
What is a specific phobia?
Phobia of an object such as an animal or a situation such as having an injection
what is a social phobia?
Phobia of a social situation such as public speaking
What is agoraphobia?
Phobia of being outside or in a public place
What is the behavioural characteristics of a phobia?
Panic : Start crying and screaming or running away . Children may freeze or throw a tantrum
Avoidance : they tend to prevent coming into contact with the phobia stimulus
Endurance : Choose to remain in the presence of the phobic stimulus
What are the emotional characteristics of phobia?
Anxiety : a unpleasant state of arousal and is difficult to relax or feel positive ( long term )
Fear : is an immediate and extremely unpleasant response
More intense response than anxiety
Is more short term than anxiety
Unreasonable: react very extremely and greater than the normal reaction
What is the cognitive characteristics of phobia?
Selective attention: struggle to concentrate on anything other than the phobic stimulus
Irrational beliefs : person holds thoughts that are not easily
Explainable and increases the pressure to do well in social situations
Cognitive distortion : perception might be inaccurate and unrealistic ( see snakes as aliens and as aggressive )