G543 Phobias

Some thinking questions: Why is it called a TV set when there's only one? Why is it called a TV set when there's only one? How can you hear yourself think? How can you hear yourself think? If you had x-ray vision, but closed your eyes, could you still see? If you had x-ray vision, but closed your eyes, could you still see? If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular? If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular? When cheese gets its picture taken, what does it say? When cheese gets its picture taken, what does it say? Why isn’t the number 11 pronounced onety one? Why isn’t the number 11 pronounced onety one? If 4 out of 5 people suffer from diarrhea does that mean the fifth one enjoys it? If 4 out of 5 people suffer from diarrhea does that mean the fifth one enjoys it?

2 minutes, as many studies that are high in: Generalisability Generalisability Reliability Reliability Validity Validity Ecological Validity Ecological Validity

Disorders Anxiety Disorders (Phobia) Anxiety Disorders (Phobia) Affective Disorders (Depression) Affective Disorders (Depression) A Psychotic Disorder (Schizophrenia) A Psychotic Disorder (Schizophrenia)

Anxiety disorder is defined as ‘A disorder characterised by excessive anxiety’ is defined as ‘A disorder characterised by excessive anxiety’ Continuous feeling of fear Continuous feeling of fear Affects daily/everyday life Affects daily/everyday life Triggered by threats that may not really be there (small spiders) Triggered by threats that may not really be there (small spiders)

Anxiety disorders Panic disorder Panic disorder Post-traumatic stress Post-traumatic stress Anxiety disorder Anxiety disorder Phobias Phobias

Phobia is defined as: ‘An anxiety disorder characterised by extreme and irrational fear of simple things or social situations’ ‘An anxiety disorder characterised by extreme and irrational fear of simple things or social situations’

Anxiety disorder characteristics: Phobia Consistent or persistent fear of a particular object or situation. Consistent or persistent fear of a particular object or situation. The stimulus provokes an immediate response The stimulus provokes an immediate response The response makes a person feel stressed, upset, fearful, panic, out of control. The response makes a person feel stressed, upset, fearful, panic, out of control. This leads to physical reactions (increase heart rate/breathing). This leads to physical reactions (increase heart rate/breathing).

Anxiety disorder characteristics: Phobia They understand this behaviour is irrational. They understand this behaviour is irrational. The response outweighs the true consequences. The response outweighs the true consequences. Can you list some examples? Can you list some examples?

Diagnosis of a phobia Phobia = Disturbance in everyday life (fear and phobia are separate things) Phobia = Disturbance in everyday life (fear and phobia are separate things) Can you list examples of phobias and how they may effect everyday life? Can you list examples of phobias and how they may effect everyday life?

Affective Disorders: Describe what has ever made you feel really down or low. Describe what has ever made you feel really down or low. How did this make you feel? How did this make you feel? Imagine those feelings for 6 months or a year. Imagine those feelings for 6 months or a year. Affective disorders are defined as ‘conditions in which feelings of sadness or elation are excessive and not realistic, given the person's life conditions’ Affective disorders are defined as ‘conditions in which feelings of sadness or elation are excessive and not realistic, given the person's life conditions’

Affective Disorders: A persons mood stops them from leading a normal life A persons mood stops them from leading a normal life Depression Depression Bi-Polar Bi-Polar Affective disorders are also known as mood disorders (due to the consistent change in mood). Affective disorders are also known as mood disorders (due to the consistent change in mood).

Affective Disorders Characteristics: Depression List the characteristics of depression List the characteristics of depression Is defined as ‘A mental state characterized by a pessimistic sense of inadequacy and a despondent lack of activity’ Is defined as ‘A mental state characterized by a pessimistic sense of inadequacy and a despondent lack of activity’

Psychotic Disorders What would you class as a psychotic disorder? What would you class as a psychotic disorder? What are the symptoms? What are the symptoms? Where have you seen this type of behaviour before? (films, tv, etc) Where have you seen this type of behaviour before? (films, tv, etc) Defined as ‘Psychosis (from the Greek "psyche", for mind or soul, and-osis", for abnormal condition) literally means abnormal condition’ Defined as ‘Psychosis (from the Greek "psyche", for mind or soul, and-osis", for abnormal condition) literally means abnormal condition’

Psychotic Disorders Psychosis = The general term for disorders involving a loss of contact with reality Psychosis = The general term for disorders involving a loss of contact with reality Confusion with what really is reality Confusion with what really is reality Delusional, disorganised speech, disorganised behaviour Delusional, disorganised speech, disorganised behaviour Links to cannabis and schizophrenia Links to cannabis and schizophrenia

Psychotic Disorders Characteristics: Schizophrenia Classed as positive and negative symptoms Classed as positive and negative symptoms Positive symptoms, delusions, hearing voices, thought disorder Positive symptoms, delusions, hearing voices, thought disorder Negative symptoms (loss/absence), loosing emotional response, motivation, behaviour. Negative symptoms (loss/absence), loosing emotional response, motivation, behaviour.

Anxiety disorder characteristics: Phobia Explain what the explanations are of a phobia Explain what the explanations are of a phobia

Ohman et al Phobias are linked to the Amygadala (limbic system) in the brain Phobias are linked to the Amygadala (limbic system) in the brain Types of phobia and biological predispositions to them Types of phobia and biological predispositions to them List phobias that may be biological and those that may be learned? List phobias that may be biological and those that may be learned?

Ohman et al Laboratory experiment Laboratory experiment Participants saw pictures of snakes (threatening), faces or houses (non- threatening) Participants saw pictures of snakes (threatening), faces or houses (non- threatening) Wanted to test if it was easier to condition a phobia of snakes than faces or houses Wanted to test if it was easier to condition a phobia of snakes than faces or houses

Ohman et al When participants saw a picture they were electrically shocked (small current) When participants saw a picture they were electrically shocked (small current) This induced fear This induced fear This fear was measured by skin conductance This fear was measured by skin conductance All had a similar baseline skin conductance score to the electric shock All had a similar baseline skin conductance score to the electric shock

Ohman et al Findings suggested that the skin conductance scores were higher when participants saw the snakes Findings suggested that the skin conductance scores were higher when participants saw the snakes Biological predisposition of fear? Biological predisposition of fear? After a while this was also tried without an electric shock After a while this was also tried without an electric shock Similar results were seen. Similar results were seen.

Treatment of a phobia How do we treat a phobia? How do we treat a phobia?

Leibowitz The drug phenelzine can reduce the symptoms of social phobia The drug phenelzine can reduce the symptoms of social phobia Used as a last result due to the side effects of the drug Used as a last result due to the side effects of the drug

Leibowitz A controlled experiment A controlled experiment Patients allocated to one of three conditions Patients allocated to one of three conditions Treated for eight weeks Treated for eight weeks 80 patients meeting the DSM criteria for social phobia 80 patients meeting the DSM criteria for social phobia

Leibowitz Randomly allocated to four groups Randomly allocated to four groups Group 1; Phenelzine Group 1; Phenelzine Group 2; Matching placebo Group 2; Matching placebo Group 3; Atenolol (similar to beta blockers) Group 3; Atenolol (similar to beta blockers) Group 4; Matching placebo Group 4; Matching placebo

Leibowitz Pre-test assessments and post test assessments using Anxiety and social phobia scales (Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale Test ) Pre-test assessments and post test assessments using Anxiety and social phobia scales (Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale Test ) Phenezline groups showed improvements against placebo Phenezline groups showed improvements against placebo Overall improvement against atenolol Overall improvement against atenolol Atenolo and placebo, no significant differences Atenolo and placebo, no significant differences

Mind map both studies