Psychopathology: Phobia

Question 1

What are phobias?

Answer 1

All phobias are excessive fear and anxiety triggered by an object, place, or situation.

Question 2

How is extent of fear related to the danger presented by the phobic stimulus?

Answer 2

Extent of fear is OUT OF PROPORTION to any danger presented by phobic stimulus.

Question 3

What is DSM-5?

Answer 3

• Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders
• A way of classifying mental disorders

Question 4

What are the behavioural characteristics of phobias?

Answer 4

• Panic
• Avoidance
• Endurance

Question 5

BEHAVIOURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PHOBIAS
How does a phobic person panic as a response to their phobia?

Answer 5

A phobic person may panic in response to the presence of their phobia by doing behaviours such as crying, screaming, and for children, having tantrums.

Question 6

BEHAVIOURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PHOBIAS
How does a phobic person show avoidance as a response to their phobia?

Answer 6

Make a an effort to avoid coming into contact with the phobic stimulus.

Question 7

BEHAVIOURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PHOBIAS
How does a phobic person show endurance as a response to their phobia?

Answer 7

It is when a sufferer remains in the presence of the phobic stimulus but continues to experience high levels of anxiety.

Question 8

What are the emotional characteristics of phobias?

Answer 8

• Anxiety
• Emotional responses are unreasonable

Question 9

EMOTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PHOBIAS
Why are phobias classed as anxiety disorders? What is anxiety?

Answer 9

• Because they involve emotional responses of fear and anxiety triggered
• Anxiety is unpleasant and can be long term

Question 10

EMOTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PHOBIAS
Why are emotional responses unreasonable?

Answer 10

Because the fear we experience from a phobic stimulus go beyond what is reasonable.
- For example, emotional responses is very strong for people with arachnophobia, when the phobic stimulus such as a tiny spider, is actually harmless.

Question 11

What are the cognitive characteristics of phobias?

Answer 11

• Selective attention to phobic stimulus
• Irrational beliefs
• Cognitive distortions

Question 12

COGNITIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF PHOBIAS
What happens in the characteristic ‘selective attention to phobic stimulus’?

Answer 12

• A sufferer keeps their attention on the phobic stimulus as it gives them a chance to react quickly to a threat

Question 13

COGNITIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF PHOBIAS
How may a phobic person face irrational beliefs? Give an example.

Answer 13

Phobic person may hold irrational beliefs related to their phobic stimulus
- Example is people with social phobias think “I must always sound intelligent”. This makes them pressured and face more fear.

Question 14

COGNITIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF PHOBIAS
How do phobias give cognitive distortions? Give example

Answer 14

• Phobic person’s perception of their phobic stimulus may be distorted.
• Example, people with fear of belly buttons will think that it is ugly and disgusting.