Abnormal Psychology Project
Phobias -- Liam Sheridan
What is a Phobia?
A phobia is defined by an individuals excessive or inappropriate fear of something specific. Having a phobia is categorized as a anxiety disorder by the DSM-V which means that the individuals main symptoms are fear, worry, or dread.
Signs and Symptoms:
- Being on edge or very restless
- Feeling tired
- Having difficulty with concentration
- Being irritable
- Having muscle tension
- Experiencing disturbed sleep
- Sweating
- Shortness of breath
- increased heart rate
- Dry mouth
- Avoidance behavior
Causes of this Disorder:
Genetics
~ Studies have shown that up to 50% of people with some sort of anxiety disorder also have close relatives with the same disorder
Biochemical
~ An imbalance of neurotransmitters such as gamma-aminobutyric (GABA), serotonin, dopamine, and epinephrine
Environmental
~ Individuals who are biologically vulnerable to stress can be affected by certain environmental stimuli
History
~ If there had been a traumatic event in their past that has ties to something that they might be experiencing
~ Studies have shown that up to 50% of people with some sort of anxiety disorder also have close relatives with the same disorder
Biochemical
~ An imbalance of neurotransmitters such as gamma-aminobutyric (GABA), serotonin, dopamine, and epinephrine
Environmental
~ Individuals who are biologically vulnerable to stress can be affected by certain environmental stimuli
History
~ If there had been a traumatic event in their past that has ties to something that they might be experiencing
Treatment and Therapy:
When starting the process of treating a phobia, it is important to remember that they are considered to be a behavioral problem. The significance of know this is that because phobias are behavioral issues, it means that the individual has the ability of correcting their particular fear. More specifically, I would recommend using the Flooding therapy method for phobias similar to the Cynophobia, fear of dogs, the man has in the video below. The Flooding therapy method is defined by a large exposure to their fear in hopes that it will lessen their future response to that thing.
My Extreme Animal Phobia: Tough guy afraid of a puppy