Phobias

Question 1

What is a phobia?

Answer 1

An irrational fear of a particular stimulus or situation which causes high levels of anxiety and interferes with normal living.

Question 2

Why are phobias categorised by irrational fear?

Answer 2

The extent of the fear is out of proportion to any real danger presented by the phobic stimulus.

Question 3

List and outline the three categories of phobia recognised by the DSM-5.

Answer 3

1. Specific phobia – fear of a specific object or situation
2. Social phobia – fear of social situations
3. Agoraphobia – fear of being trapped in a public place where escape is difficult.

Question 4

Outline the 3 types of characteristics we can use to identify the symptoms of a phobia?

Answer 4

Behavioural (how it makes you act)
Emotional (how it makes you feel)
Cognitive (how it makes you think)

Question 5

Outline three behavioural characteristics of phobias.

Answer 5

1. Panic (crying, screaming, running away)
2. Avoidance (conscious effort to prevent coming into contact with phobic stimulus)
3. Endurance (alternative response to avoidance is to remain in the presence of it)

Question 6

Outline three emotional characteristics of phobias.

Answer 6

1. Anxiety (unpleasant state of high arousal)
2. Persistent fear
3. Unreasonable emotional response (fear is disproportionate to any threat posed)

Question 7

Outline three cognitive characteristics of phobias.

Answer 7

1. Irrational beliefs (unfounded thoughts in relation to phobic stimulus that cannot be explained and do not have any basis in reality)
2. Cognitive distortions (perceptions inaccurate and unrealistic)
3. Selective attention to phobic stimuli