Phobias

Question 1

What is meant by a phobia?

Answer 1

A persistent anxiety disorder where someone has an irrational fear of an object or situation - this interferes with daily living. A person must have symptoms for 6 months before they can be diagnosed.

Question 2

What is meant by agoraphobia?

Answer 2

A fear of open spaces.

Question 3

What is meant by social phobias?

Answer 3

A phobia of a social situation such as public speaking or using a public toilet.

Question 4

What is meant by a specific phobia?

Answer 4

A phobia of an object for example, an animal or body part or, a phobia of a situation for instance, getting an injection.

Question 5

What are 3 behavioural characteristics of phobias?

Answer 5

-panic.
-avoidance.
-endurance (a person chooses to remain in the presence of the phobic stimulus).

Question 6

What are 3 emotional characteristics of phobias?

Answer 6

-anxiety.
-fear.
-unreasonable emotional response.

Question 7

What are 3 cognitive characteristics of phobias

Answer 7

-selective attention to phobic stimulus.
-irrational beliefs.
-cognitive distortions (patient does not perceive phobic stimulus accurately and so it appears distorted).