SPECIFIC PHOBIAS

Comparing Stress, Anxiety and Phobia Type YES or NO in each box for each statement that is applicable for the characteristics described. Statement stress anxiety phobia May involve eustress or distress YES NO NO Can be experienced to a wide range of stimuli YES YES NO A diagnosable mental disorder NO NO YES involves distress only NO YES YES Source is usually known YES NO YES Influenced by biological, psychological and social factors YES YES YES Characterised by avoidance of certain objects or situations. NO NO YES Considered normal for everyone to experience at some stage. YES YES NO Accompanied by physiological changes such as fight response. YES YES YES Mild amounts can be adaptive and helpful YES YES NO Matching biological interventions a drug that targets GABA receptors in the brain benzodiazepine a potential side effect of long term benzodiazepine use addiction an intervention to teach someone to balance the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the brain breathing retraining an intervention that can utilise excess stress hormones exercise a type of drug that stimulates a neurotransmitters activity agonist When Noah was little, he watched a scary documentary about thunderstorms and lightning and was particularly traumatised by what he saw. He now has a phobia of thunderstorms.1. The scary documentary that he watched was likely a perpetuating risk factor specific environmental trigger predisposing risk factor cognitive bias 2. Whenever he hears thunder he thinks he will be struck by lightning and die. This is an example of memory bias physiological stress response catastrophic thinking precipitating factor related to classical conditioning 3. Noah avoids going outside if there are dark clouds and a thunderstorm warning. This shows how social stigma is stopping him getting treatment how his phobia developed through classical conditioning how his memory bias is a perpetuating factor. how his avoidance behaviour reduces his fear through operant conditioning 4. As an adult Noah is too embarassed to get treatment. This shows how his avoidance behaviour is reinforced through operant conditioning how influential stigma can be to people suffering a mental health problem. the perpetuating factor of memory bias the importance of psychoeducation for families 5. Finally getting treatment his therapist took him through a relaxation program and exposed him to sounds and pictures of storms. This is part of a treatment called.. systematic desensitization cognitive behaviour therapy breathing retraining GABA agonists