AFFILIATION NUMBER: 830640 SUBJECT CODE: 037

*ANXIETY DISORDER*

Project prepared by:

Name: Nayana Sri Talluri

Grade: XII B

Roll Number:
Certificate
This is to certify that Nayana Sri Talluri of grade XII B, from Chrysalis High, Yelahanka New
Town, has successfully completed the investigatory project, entitled:

DISORDER NAME - ANXIETY DISORDER

She has submitted the above mentioned project, under the guidance of Neha
Krishnakumar during year 2024-25 in partial fulfillment of Internal/External Examination
conducted under AISSCE(All India Senior School Certificate Examination) by CBSE.

Date:

Signature of the Signature of the Signature of the

Principal Subject Teacher Examiner
Acknowledgement

I would like to sincerely thank our Psychology teacher Neha Krishnakumar for her guidance and
support in completing my case profile.

I would also like to extend my gratitude to our Principal for providing me all the facilities that were
required. Last but not least, I would like to extend my gratitude towards all teaching and non-
teaching staff at Chrysalis High, Yelahanka New Town and towards my friends and family who has
supported me to complete this project.
Contents

01 AIM
02 INTRODUCTION TO CASE
STUDY
AND
PSYCHOLOGICAL
DISORDERS
03 ABOUT THE DISORDER
04 SYMPTOMS
05 THERAPEUTIC
APPROACHES
06 CASE PROFILE
07 CONCLUSION
08 BIBLIOGRAPHY
AIM
To study ‘Turophobia’ (fear of cheese) in a 20 year-old female.
INTRODUCTION TO CASE STUDY AND
PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS

What is a Case study?

A case study represents a profoundly intricate investigation, meticulously dissecting the life, history, and
dynamics of a solitary individual, group, or event. It is a relentless quest to unearth concealed patterns and
elusive casual links underpinning human behavior. The versatility of case studies transcends disciplinary
boundaries, leaving its indelible mark on realms as diverse as psychology, medicine, education, anthropology,
political science and social work.

The core purpose of a case study is to compile and exhaustive repository of knowledge, with the ambitious
goal of facilitating broad generalization. Yet, subjectivity looms large, complicating the researcher’s pursuit
of impartiality and the ability to extrapolate findings to a more overall populace. This intricate investigative
form mirrors the structured format of psychology writing, intertwining meticulous detail with a multi-layered
narrative, thereby necessitating a delicate balance between objectivity and subjectivity to distil universal
truths from the intricate mosaic of human experience.

About Psychological disorders;

Psychological disorders, also known as mental health disorders or psychiatric conditions, refer to a wide
range of behavioral, emotional, or cognitive patterns that cause significant distress or impairment in an
individual’s daily life. These disorders can affect how individuals think, feel, behave, and interact with others,
and they often lead to difficulties in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

Psychological disorders are complex in nature and can result from various factors, including biological,
genetic, environmental, and psychological influences. Some common types of psychological disorders
include anxiety disorders, mood disorders (like depression and bipolar disorder), psychotic disorders (such as
schizophrenia), and personality disorders, among others.
ABOUT THE DISORDER
Anxiety disorders are a group of mental disorders characterized by significant and uncontrollable
feelings of anxiety and fear such that a person's social, occupational, and personal functions are
significantly impaired. Anxiety may cause physical and cognitive symptoms, such as restlessness,
irritability, easy fatigue, difficulty concentrating, increased heart rate, chest pain, abdominal pain, and a
variety of other symptoms that may vary based on the individual. Anxiety disorders are a family of
disorders one of which is Specific Phobias.

Specific phobias are an extreme fear of objects or situations that pose little or no danger but make you highly
anxious. So you try to stay away from these things. Unlike the brief anxiety you may feel when giving a
speech or taking a test, specific phobias are long-lasting. Without treatment, specific phobias tend to last a
lifetime.

Phobias can cause strong physical, mental and emotional responses. They also can affect how you act at work
or school, or in social situations.

Specific phobias are common anxiety disorders. Overall, they happen more often in females. Not all phobias
need to be treated. But if a specific phobia affects your daily life, several types of therapies are available to
help you work through and conquer your fears — often forever.
Symptoms:
A specific phobia involves a strong, lasting fear of a certain object or situation that's much greater than the
actual risk. There are many types of phobias. It's common to have a specific phobia about more than one
object or situation. Specific phobias also can happen along with other types of anxiety disorders.

Common types of specific phobias are fears of:

 Situations, such as airplanes, driving, enclosed spaces or going to school.

 Nature, such as thunderstorms, heights or the dark.
 Animals or insects, such as dogs, snakes or spiders.
 Blood, shots or injuries, such as needles, accidents or medical procedures.
 Others, such as choking, throwing up, loud noises or clowns.
No matter what specific phobia you have, you may:

 Feel intense fear, anxiety and panic right away when exposed to or even thinking about what causes your
fear.
 Know that your fears are not reasonable or not as big as you think they are, but you cannot control them.
 Have anxiety that gets worse as the situation or object gets closer to you physically or in time.
 Do everything possible to stay away from an object or situation or face it with extreme anxiety or fear.
 Have trouble with daily activities because of your fear.
 Have physical reactions and feelings, including sweating, rapid heartbeat, tight chest or trouble
breathing.
 Feel like throwing up, or you get dizzy or faint, especially around blood or injuries.
Children may have tantrums, or they may cling, cry or refuse to leave a parent's side or approach their fear.
THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES
There are a variety of treatment options available for specific phobias, most of which focus on psychosocial
interventions. Different psychological treatments have varying levels of effects depending on the specific
phobia being addressed.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): Cognitive behavioral therapy is a short term, skills-focused therapy that
aims to help people diffuse unhelpful emotional responses by helping people consider them differently or
change their behavior. CBT represents the gold standard and first line of therapy in specific phobias. CBT is
effective in treating specific phobias primarily through exposure and cognitive strategies to overcome a
person's anxiety. Computer-assisted treatment programs, self-help manuals, and delivery by a trained
practitioner are all methods of accessing CBT. A single session of CBT in one of these modalities can be
effective for individuals who have a specific phobia.

Exposure therapy:
a. Systematic desensitization-A therapy that exposes the person to increasing levels of vivid stimuli
gradually and frequently, while instructed to relax
b. Flooding-A therapy that exposes the person with a specific phobia to the most fearful stimulus first (i.e.
the most intense part of the phobia). Patients are at great risk for dropping out of treatment as this method
repeatedly exposes the patient to the fear.
c. Modeling-This method includes the clinician approaching the feared stimuli while the patient observes
and tries to repeat the approach themselves.
CASE PROFILE

Subject:
Name: AR

Age: 20

Gender: Female

Case History-
The patient's fear of cheese leads to significant social isolation and avoidance of food-related situations. The
avoidance extends to cheese-like products or any mention of cheese, making it challenging for her to engage
in ordinary social or family meals. The anticipatory anxiety of potential exposure to cheese further worsens
her distress, preventing her from enjoying routine activities.

Signs and Symptoms

 Not being able to eat cheese.
 Not being able to touch cheese.
 Not being able to smell or even look at the cheese.

When she saw cheese, she had complaints such as:

 Nausea
 Palpitations
 Shortness of breath
 Dizziness
 Hot flashes (extreme sweat)
 Vomit
 Drinking water
 Brushing her teeth

The patient also has major depressive disorder and OCD diagnoses. Along with OCD, she had complaints
such as cleaning obsessions, disgust, and thinking that she would get dirty when she touched the cheese.

The presence of anticipatory anxiety and avoidance behavior, which negatively affected the quality of life of
our patient, is consistent with these findings
Stressors-
Any contact with cheese or cheese-like white products or similar words

Exposure-
 It was found that the patient's mother had a history of psychiatric treatment and was diagnosed with
trichotillomania.
 It was learned that his father also had snake phobia and onychophagia, but did not receive psychiatric
treatment.
 The family of the patient had economic problems, and this situation was transforming into differences of
opinion and frequent discussion between the mother and father.
 The patient had been dealing with forced animal husbandry from an early age. She was forced into the
barn by her family. Although she was afraid of sick cows, she had to do things. The stressful life of the
patient may have caused the development and onset of existing psychiatric complaints.

Duration of Symptoms-
From this case we come to know that, the patient has been suffering from Turophobia since childhood .
Treatment Methods Used-
Cognitive and behavioral therapy (CBT) was applied to the patient simultaneously with pharmacological
treatment.
CBT was applied to the case in the study simultaneously with psychopharmacological treatment.
In this case, SSGI use in the treatment of specific phobia shows that it can be effective.

The first therapy session-

 It was determined as giving information about the structure of the therapy and setting the agenda,
 Briefly reviewing the problems,
 Determining the treatment goals,
 Learning expectations,
 Educating the patient about the illness and cognitive model (psychoeducation), summarizing and
feedback,
 A detailed story was taken about the fear of cheese. The timing of the fear of cheese (its course, the
frequency and duration of the attacks, the time of the day, etc.),
 The severity of the avoidance behavior,
 The conditions that increase the fear of cheese,
 The factors affecting it,
 The thoughts and emotions that emerged after the fear were emphasized.

In the following interviews, it was learned that her avoidance behavior decreased and she could look and
touch the cheese even if she could not eat it.
A significant improvement was observed in the patient's complaints.
After 20 days of treatment, the patient was discharged at her own request. Follow-up of the patient continued
from the polyclinic for a certain period of time.
Conclusion for the Case-
The case profile of the 20-year-old turophobic patient suggests significant progress following cognitive-
behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy. By addressing maladaptive thoughts and gradually
confronting cheese-related stimuli, the patient demonstrated a marked reduction in anxiety levels and an
increased ability to engage with previously avoided situations. Ultimately, the treatment has fostered a
healthier relationship with food and improved overall quality of life, indicating a successful outcome in
CONCLUSION

In conclusion, this project on specific phobias, with a focus on turophobia (the fear of cheese), has provided
valuable insights into the nature, diagnosis, and treatment of anxiety disorders, particularly those
characterized by irrational fears. Throughout the project, we explored how phobias, like turophobia, manifest
in individuals, often leading to distress, avoidance behaviors, and a significant impact on daily life. By
examining the psychological mechanisms behind phobias, we gained a deeper understanding of how specific
stimuli can trigger intense anxiety and the various cognitive and emotional responses associated with these
fears.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
 Eastern Journal of Medicine. “A Rare Known Specific Phobia "Turophobia": A Case Report”.
Journal Agent, 2022, [Link]
[Link]
 Mayo Clinic. “Specific Phobias”. Mayo Clinic, June 09, 2023,
[Link]
 Wikipedia. “Specific Phobia”. Wikipedia, August 12, 2024,
[Link]
 Psychology textbook for class XII, NCERT, 2024-25.