Characterisation Of Depression, OCD And Phobias

Question 1

Behavioural characteristics of Depression

Answer 1

-A reduction in activity level: less energy for every day tasks, less sociable, less pleasure doing things one used to enjoy.
-Change in eating behaviour: often results in significant weight gain or loss.

Question 2

Depression

Answer 2

A disorder/mood disorder defined by consistent and long lasting sense of sadness.

Question 3

Emotional characteristics of depression

Answer 3

-Sadness: a persistent very low mood.
-Guilt: helplessness, a feeling you have no value compared to others.

Question 4

Cognitive characteristics of depression

Answer 4

-Poor concentration: those who are depressed can’t give their full attention and are indecisive.
-Negative schemas: automatic negative biases when thinking about themselves, the world and the future.

Question 5

OCD

Answer 5

A condition defined by obsessions which are constant intrusive thoughts which cause high anxiety and compulsions are the behavioural response to this obsessive which can be anything depending on the obsession.

Question 6

Behavioural characteristics of OCD

Answer 6

-Compulsion: A behaviour performed repeatedly to reduce anxiety, any anxiety reduction is only temporary. (I.e. ritual cleaning behaviours)
-Avoidance: Resisting situations which may put you at risk of triggering ones obsessions.

Question 7

Emotional characteristics of OCD:

Answer 7

-Anxiety: An uncomfortably high and persistent state of arousal which makes it difficult to relax. It is caused by the obsession element of OCD
-Depression: A disorder/mood disorder defined by consistent and long lasting sense of sadness. This comes as a result of a lack of control of the anxiety created by OCD which then consumes them and leads them to become depressed.

Question 8

Cognitive characteristics of OCD

Answer 8

-Obsessions: intrusive/irrational recurring thoughts, that tend to be unpleasant, about potential dangers.
-Hypervigilance: A permanent state of alertness where the sufferer is looking out for the source of their obsessions (I.e. One with a germ obsession will be very careful about what they touch etc)

Question 9

Phobia

Answer 9

An extreme and irrational fear of objects, or in the case of social phobias, certain situations.

Question 10

Emotional characteristics of Phobias

Answer 10

-Anxiety: An uncomfortably high and persistent state which makes it difficult to relax. Caused by the presence or anticipation of a phobic stimulus.
-Fear: An intense emotional state which is linked to the fight or flight response. Comes as a result of the presence of phobic stimulus and won’t pass until the stimulus is removed.

Question 11

Behavioural characteristics of phobias

Answer 11

-Avoidance: A change in the way one acts to resist running into a phobic stimulus.
-Panic: An uncontrollable physical response, most likely to occur at the sudden appearance of a phobic stimulus.

Question 12

Cognitive characteristics of a phobia

Answer 12

-Irrational thoughts: negative and irrational thought process that involves the belief of how harmful the phobic stimulus could be.
-Reduced cognitive capacity: People with a phobia cannot focus on day to day tasks. This is to do with all their attention being stolen by their alertness to the phobic stimulus.