Brazier, Y. (2020, November 26). Phobias: Symptoms, types, causes, and treatment. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/249347. 

Phobias Article

Derived from the Greek for 'fear of the marketplace,' agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder defined by intense fear and avoidance of situations where escape might be difficult or help unavailable if panic symptoms arise. Such situations often include using public transportation, being in open areas like parking lots, enclosed spaces like stores, crowded places, or being outside the home alone.

Agoraphobia

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) affects about 4% of the worldwide population and is slightly more common in women. Also known as social phobia, it is defined as a persistent,and potentially debilitating fear of meeting new people, being watched, or criticized by others. Some with social anxiety may attempt to avoid anxiety-triggering situations by self-isolating or cancelling plans. It is a profound fear of the judgement of peers, particularly public humiliation. It is NOT shyness or introversion but can sprout from childhood shyness. In a social sense, social anxiety is not just feeling nervous or shy in certain social situations like starting a new job or the first day of school. Social anxiety disorder is a disorder that interferes with everyday life and relationships due to fearing situations where you can be embarrassed or viewed negatively and intense fear of situations where a person with SAD expects the worst. 

Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)

Coelho, C. M., & Purkis, H. (2009). The Origins of Specific Phobias: Influential Theories and Current Perspectives. Review of General Psychology, 13(4), 335–348. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017759

The Origins of Specific Phobias: Influential Theories and Current Perspectives, 2009

A specific phobia, formerly known as a simple phobia, is an anxiety disorder characterized by excessive, distressing, and persistent fear or anxiety centered on a specific object or situation. Individuals with a specific phobia often recognize that their level of fear is irrational, yet they may go to great lengths to avoid the phobic stimulus. The anxiety and avoidance behaviors associated with the phobia are typically disruptive to the person's daily life and functioning.

Specific Phobia

Based on the provided scenario, explain why Maria's condition is best described as a phobic disorder rather than a simple fear. In your answer, identify specific examples from the text that align with the defining characteristics of a phobic disorder.

Differentiating Fear from Phobia

The term 'phobia' originates from the Greek word for fear. A phobic disorder is defined by an intense, persistent, and irrational fear of a particular object, activity, or situation. This overwhelming fear compels the individual to actively avoid the source of their phobia. Exposure to the phobic stimulus results in significant distress and dysfunction, even when the person intellectually understands that their fear is excessive. Phobic disorders are generally categorized into three types: specific phobias, agoraphobia, and social phobia.

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List of Other Recognized Anxiety Disorders

Breedlove, S. & Watson, N. (2017). Behavioral neuroscience, eighth edition. Oxford University Press.

Behavioral Neuroscience 8th Edition

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is characterized by a persistent and relatively continuous state of excessive, uncontrollable, and often pointless worry and apprehension. Individuals with this disorder typically worry about routine, everyday matters, such as health, finances, or the safety of family members, without any justified reason. For a diagnosis, this diffuse worrying must occur more days than not for a period of at least six months, not be attributable to another disorder, and be accompanied by at least three of the following symptoms: restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, and sleep difficulties.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

This disorder is hallmarked by the experience of multiple, unexpected panic attacks. These attacks are often associated with intense fear that occurs quickly. Generally, this diagnosis is applied if you have had four or more panic attacks, and fear their reocurrence. Having one panic attack, is not a panic disorder. Worry over panic attacks and avoidance of situations, places, etc. that are associated with panic attacks can lead to further problems. 

Recurrent panic attacks may show temporal lobe abnormalities. Those who suffer from panic disorder typically have lower temporal lobe volumes. These attacks can occur unexpectedly or by a trigger. 



Panic Disorder

Phobic Disorder

Hoarding disorder is characterized by a persistent difficulty in discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value. This behavior frequently results in the accumulation of items that clutter and congest the individual's living area.

Hoarding Disorder

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a condition where an individual experiences a collection of persistent symptoms following a traumatic or profoundly stressful event, such as combat, sexual assault, or a natural disaster. For a diagnosis, these symptoms must last for at least one month. The traumatic event can be witnessed firsthand or secondhand. Historically, PTSD was referred to by terms like 'shell shock' and 'combat neurosis' due to its frequent association with war, but it is now recognized as affecting a wider population.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

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Hypochondriasis: Illness Anxiety Disorder and Somatic Symptom Disorder

Hypochondriasis, commonly known as hypochondria was considered a disorder where an individual believes that they have illnesses or symptoms of diseases, even when they did not. It caused anxiety and distress for patients, and potentially impeded their day-to-day functioning. However, in the DSM-V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), hypochondria itself was declassified as a separate disorder and instead was considered a symptom or manifestation that occurred in two different disorders. Certain characteristic features of hypochondriasis were classified under Illness Anxiety Disorder and more severe manifestations under Somatic Symptom Disorder. These disorders are both largely characterized by the preoccupation over certain undiagnosed or unexplained symptoms that persist in the individual. 

Hypochondriasis 

References  for Associations between Hoarding Disorder and  Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by the presence of obsessions and/or compulsions. Obsessions are defined as intrusive and unwanted thoughts, mental images, fears, sensations, or urges. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that an individual feels driven to perform, often in response to an obsession. These cycles of obsessions and compulsions are typically distressing, time-consuming, and can significantly disrupt a person's daily activities.

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