Phobias,OCD And Depression Flashcards
What is a phobia
-A phobia is an anxiety disorder, which provokes an instance of irrational fear that produces a conscious avoidance of the feared object or situation
How are phobias categorised by the DSM
-specific phobias
-social anxiety
-agraphobia
Behavioural characteristics of phobias
-Avoidance- E.G a person with social anxiety will avoid social situations
-Endurance- E.G a person with aracnaphobia may hose to stay in the presence of a spider to monitor it
-Panic- E.G crying, hyperventilation, shaking, throwing up
Emotional characteristics of phobias
-Anxiety- ‘a negative state of high arousal’ (cannot relax)
-Fear-
Cognitive characteristics of phobias
-Selective attention- Keep focus on stimulus in case it poses a threat
-Irrational belief- ‘illogical, no evidence for it’
-Cognitive distortions- unrealistic thinking (blow it out of proportion) E.G ‘The spider was the size of my fist’
What is depression
-A mood disorder that affects the emotional state of someone suffering from it
How does the DSM categorise depression
-Major depressive disorder
-Persistent depressive disorder
-Disruptive mood dysregualtion disorder
-Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
Behavioural characteristics of depression
-Activity levels- People with depression have reduced levels of energy making them lethargic e.g. cannot et out of bed
-Disruption to sleep and eating behaviour- reduced sleep (insomnia) or increased (hyper somnia). Appetite and weight may increase or decrease
-Self harm- Depression is associated with irritability and this may extend to aggression and self harm
Emotional characteristics of depression
-Lowered mood- people with depression describe themselves as ‘worthless’ or ‘empty’
-Anger- such emotions lead to aggression or self harming behaviour
-Lowered self esteem- The person likes themselves less and may self loath.
Cognitive characteristics of depression
-Poor concentration- The person may find themselves unable to stick with a task or might find simple decision making difficult
-Attention to the negative- Depressed people may have bias towards focusing on negative aspects of life and recalling unhappy memories (instead of happy)
-Absolutist thinking- ‘Black and white thinking’ when a situation is unfortunate it is seen as an absolute disaster
What is OCD
-An anxiety disorder where anxiety arises from both the obsessions (persistent thoughts) and compulsions (behaviours that are repeated over and over again), interfering with everyday life
How is OCD characterised by the DSM
-Obsession- internal component
-Compulsion- external component
What is an obsession
-A persistent thought/ worry that causes anxiety
What is a compulsion
-A repetitive and rigid behaviour that person feels driven to perform to reduce anxiety
Behavioural characteristics of OCD
-Compulsions are repetitive- Actions carried out repeatedly in a ritualistic way e.g. hand washing
-Compulsions reduce anxiety- Anxiety may be created by obsessions or just anxiety alone
-Avoidance- OCD is managed by avoiding situations that trigger anxiety E.G avoid rubbish bins because they have germs
Emotional characteristics of depressions
-Anxiety and distress- Obsessive thoughts are unpleasant and frightening and the anxiety that goes with these can be overwhelming
-Depression- Low mood and lack of enjoyment
-Guilt and distrust- irrational guilt,e.g over a minor moral issue or distrust which is directed towards oneself or something external like dirt
Cognitive characteristics of OCD
-Obsessive thoughts- about 90% of people who have OCD have recurring intrusive thoughts E.G about being contaminated by dirt and germs
-Cognitive coping strategies- Some people with OCD use strategies to cope e.g meditation
-Insight into excessive anxiety- awareness that thoughts and behaviours are irrational. May have catastrophic thoughts and be hypervigilant
