✏️Phobias, depression and OCD
There are different types of symptoms for phobias, depression and OCD. For phobias, there are
behavioural, emotional and cognitive symptoms. The behavioural symptoms are panic, avoidance
and endurance. Panic can include a range of behaviours such as crying, screaming, or running away
from the stimulus. Avoidance might include making a conscious effort to avoid the stimulus, which
can sometimes make everyday life hard. Endurance includes ignoring the stimulus or remaining in
the presence of it, and continuing to experience anxiety.
One of the emotional characteristics of phobias is anxiety. This is when people are in an unpleasant
state and they are unable to relax or experience any positive emotions. Fear is another emotional
characteristic and it is the immediate response we experience when we encounter or think about a
stimulus. The last emotional characteristic is an unreasonable response. The reaction to the stimulus
might be disproportionate to the threat, such as a person with arachnophobia having a strong
reaction to a tiny spider.
There are 3 cognitive characteristics of phobias. The first one is selective attention to the stimulus.
The person with the phobia might find it hard to look away. Another characteristic is irrational
beliefs. People might have irrational beliefs relating to phobias. The final cognitive characteristic is
cognitive distortions, which can involve unrealistic thinking, such as thinking all spiders are trying to
attack you.
Depression has behavioural, emotional and cognitive characteristics. One of the behavioural
characteristics is activity levels. People who have depression might have a reduced level of energy
making them lethargic so they don't have the motivation to do things such as get out of bed. People
with depression might also find a disruption in sleep and eating behaviour. Reduced or increased
sleep, as well as appetite and weight increase or decrease, can be a symptom of depression. The
final behavioural characteristic is self-harm and aggression.
There are three emotional behaviours of depression, which are lowered mood, anger and lowered
self-esteem. People with depression might notice changes in their mood and might describe
themselves as worthless or empty. Anger can also occur, which can lead to aggression and self-
harming behaviour. Lowered self-esteem causes people with depression to think badly of
themselves.
There are also three cognitive characteristics of depression. Poor concentration involves a person
unable to stick with a certain task and might find making simple decisions difficult. Attention to
negative aspects of life rather than focusing on the positive aspects, and may only be able to recall
unhappy memories. Absolutist thinking is also a cognitive characteristic of depression. This is when
people see a situation and think it is an absolute disaster when it is just unfortunate.
A behavioural characteristic of OCD is repetitive compulsions. Actions are carried out repeatedly in a
ritual-like way. Another characteristic is compulsions can reduce anxiety. Anxiety is created by
obsessions or just anxiety on its own. The last behavioural characteristic is avoidance. OCD is
managed by people avoiding situations that trigger than such as germs.
Emotional characteristics of OCD are anxiety and distress, depression, and guilt and disgust. Anxiety
and distress can cause unpleasant feelings which can be overwhelming. Depression, as described
earlier, can produce a low mood and lack of enjoyment in life. Guilt and disgust can involve irrational
guilt, such as over a minor issue. It can also involve disgust directed inwards or externally.
Cognitive characteristics of OCD include obsessive thoughts. Most people who have OCD have the
same obsessive thoughts, such as being contaminated by an external substance. Some people who
have OCD use cognitive coping strategies, such as meditation. Awareness that thoughts and
behaviours are irrational can help give an insight into what OCD does to people's thoughts and
emotions.
There are different types of symptoms for phobias, depression and OCD. For phobias, there are
behavioural, emotional and cognitive symptoms. The behavioural symptoms are panic, avoidance
and endurance. Panic can include a range of behaviours such as crying, screaming, or running away
from the stimulus. Avoidance might include making a conscious effort to avoid the stimulus, which
can sometimes make everyday life hard. Endurance includes ignoring the stimulus or remaining in
the presence of it, and continuing to experience anxiety.
One of the emotional characteristics of phobias is anxiety. This is when people are in an unpleasant
state and they are unable to relax or experience any positive emotions. Fear is another emotional
characteristic and it is the immediate response we experience when we encounter or think about a
stimulus. The last emotional characteristic is an unreasonable response. The reaction to the stimulus
might be disproportionate to the threat, such as a person with arachnophobia having a strong
reaction to a tiny spider.
There are 3 cognitive characteristics of phobias. The first one is selective attention to the stimulus.
The person with the phobia might find it hard to look away. Another characteristic is irrational
beliefs. People might have irrational beliefs relating to phobias. The final cognitive characteristic is
cognitive distortions, which can involve unrealistic thinking, such as thinking all spiders are trying to
attack you.
Depression has behavioural, emotional and cognitive characteristics. One of the behavioural
characteristics is activity levels. People who have depression might have a reduced level of energy
making them lethargic so they don't have the motivation to do things such as get out of bed. People
with depression might also find a disruption in sleep and eating behaviour. Reduced or increased
sleep, as well as appetite and weight increase or decrease, can be a symptom of depression. The
final behavioural characteristic is self-harm and aggression.
There are three emotional behaviours of depression, which are lowered mood, anger and lowered
self-esteem. People with depression might notice changes in their mood and might describe
themselves as worthless or empty. Anger can also occur, which can lead to aggression and self-
harming behaviour. Lowered self-esteem causes people with depression to think badly of
themselves.
There are also three cognitive characteristics of depression. Poor concentration involves a person
unable to stick with a certain task and might find making simple decisions difficult. Attention to
negative aspects of life rather than focusing on the positive aspects, and may only be able to recall
unhappy memories. Absolutist thinking is also a cognitive characteristic of depression. This is when
people see a situation and think it is an absolute disaster when it is just unfortunate.
A behavioural characteristic of OCD is repetitive compulsions. Actions are carried out repeatedly in a
ritual-like way. Another characteristic is compulsions can reduce anxiety. Anxiety is created by
obsessions or just anxiety on its own. The last behavioural characteristic is avoidance. OCD is
managed by people avoiding situations that trigger than such as germs.
Emotional characteristics of OCD are anxiety and distress, depression, and guilt and disgust. Anxiety
and distress can cause unpleasant feelings which can be overwhelming. Depression, as described
earlier, can produce a low mood and lack of enjoyment in life. Guilt and disgust can involve irrational
guilt, such as over a minor issue. It can also involve disgust directed inwards or externally.
Cognitive characteristics of OCD include obsessive thoughts. Most people who have OCD have the
same obsessive thoughts, such as being contaminated by an external substance. Some people who
have OCD use cognitive coping strategies, such as meditation. Awareness that thoughts and
behaviours are irrational can help give an insight into what OCD does to people's thoughts and
emotions.
