PHOBIA

INTRODUCTION

Phobia is a type of anxiety disorder it is a strong

irrational fear of something that causes little or actual

no danger.
 DEFINITION

Phobia is defined as an irrational fear of specific object

activity and situation. That often leads to persistent

avoidance of the object activity or situation.

 INCIDENCE

 More common in woman

 Onset is late second decade and early third decade

 The course is usually chronic with gradual increasing

restriction of daily activities.

 TYPES OF PHOBIA

1. SIMPLE OR SPECIFIC PHOBIA

2. SOCIAL PHOBIA

3. AGORAPHOBIA
 SIPMLE PHOBIA

It is characterized by irrational fear of specific object.

Acrophobia (fear of high places)
Zoophobia: fear of animals
Xenthophobia: fear of stranger
Ergophobia: fear of pain
Claustrophobia: fear of closed places
Aqua phobia: fear of water
Nyctophobia: fear of darkness
Pyriphobia: fear of fire
 Social phobia
This is an irrational fear of the activities of social

interaction.
 It is characterized by fear of performing activities in the

presence of other people or interacting with others.

Ex :- public speaking, public performance on the stage,

participating in groups, writing in public, speaking to
strangers.
 AGORA PHOBIA

This is an example of irrational fear of a situation. It is

commonest type of phobia seen in the clinical practices.

It is characterized by irrational fear of being in place

away from familiar setting of home
It includes fear of open places, public places crowd places, an

any other places where is no is escape to a safe place.

It will occur full blown panic attack ( agoraphobic with panic

disorder) or only with symptoms like dizziness and

tachycardia ( without panic attack)

 ETIOLOGY

PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORY

In the phobia secondary defense mechanism “ displacement” is

activated and by this anxiety is transferred from really dangerous

or frightening object to neutral object.

PSYCHOBIOLOGICAL THEORY

A traumatic experience of childhood may affect

the child’s developing brain. In such manner that child
becomes susceptible to fear in childhood.
 LEARNING THEORY

Classical conditioning says “ a stressful stimulus

produces an unconditional response- fear . When the

stressful stimuli is repeatedly paired with harmless
object , eventually harmless object alone can produce
the fear. If person avoid harmless object to avoid fear,
the fear becomes phobia.
 COGNITIVE THEORY

Anxiety is a product of faulty cognition. This theory

says that some individual engage in negative and

irrational thinking that produce anxiety. The individual
being seek avoidance behavior to prevent anxiety , that
eventually leads phobia
 SYMPTOMS OF PHOBIA

1. physical symptoms
a) Motor symptoms

Tremors
Restlessness
muscle twitches
Fearful facial expression
B) AUTONOMIC AND VISCERAL SYMPTOMS

Palpitation
Tachycardia
Sweating
Dysponea
Hyperventilation
Dry mouth
Diarrhea
 Psychic symptoms
Poor concentration
 Distractibility
 depersonalization
 derealization
Unpleasant
 fearful
 inability to relax
 irritability , insomnia
 DIAGNOSTIC EVALUATION

Careful observation of the symptoms.

 The fear in unreasonable and excessive.

 TREATMENT

Treatment approach is multimodal.

PHARMACOTHERAPY
Benzodiazepines
Ex :- Alprazolam
Lorazapam
 ANTI DIPRESSANTS

EX:- SSRI’s :- paraxitine, fluoxitine sertraline

TCA’s ;- Imipramine,

MOA’s :-phinilzine
PSYCHOTHERAPY

 Supportive psychotherapy

 cognitive behavior therapy

 BEHAVIOUR THERAPY

the techniques are

 Flooding
 Systemic desensitization
 Exposure and response prevention
 Relaxation techniques
SYSTEMIC DESENSITIZATION
 NURSING MANANGEMENT
ASSESSMENT

The assessment is to focuses on physical, precipitating

factor, avoidance behavior, normal coping ability, and

supporting social system

NURSING DIAGNOSIS

1. Fear related to specific stimulus evidenced by

behavior directed towards avoidance of the object.

INTERVENTION
2. Reassure the client that he/ she is safe.
3. Explore client perception of the threat to physical
integrity.
3. Discuss reality of the situation.

4. Encourage the client to explore underlying feelings

that may contribute to irrational fear
2) Social isolation related to fears of being in a place in
which ne is unable escape from the situation.

a) convey an accepting attitude.

b) attending group activities with client
c) give recognition and positive reinforcement
d) administer anti anxiety drugs.
e)discuss with patient about symptoms of increasing
anxiety