Anxiety Disorders Flashcards
a class of disorders marked by feelings of excessive apprehension and anxiety.
Anxiety disorders
marked by a chronic, high level of anxiety that is not tied to any specific threat.
generalized anxiety disorder
involves a persistent and irrational fear of an object or situation that presents no realistic danger.
specific phobia
characterized by recurrent
attacks of overwhelming anxiety that usually
occur suddenly and unexpectedly.
panic disorder
a fear of going out to public places
agoraphobia
marked by persistent, uncontrollable intrusions
of unwanted thoughts and urges to engage in senseless rituals
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Genetic vulnerability, Anxiety sensitivity, Neurochemical bases
Etiology: Biological factors
Twin studies and other
evidence suggests a mild genetic predisposition to anxiety disorders.
Genetic vulnerability
Oversensitivity to physical symptoms of anxiety may lead to overreactions to feelings of anxiety, so anxiety breeds more anxiety.
Anxiety sensitivity
Disturbances in neural circuits releasing GABA may contribute to some disorders; abnormalities at serotonin synapses have been implicated in panic and obsessive-compulsive disorders.
Neurochemical bases
Learning, stress, and cognition
Etiology: Psychological factors
Many anxiety responses may be acquired through classical conditioning or
observational learning; phobic responses may
be maintained by operant reinforcement.
Learning
High stress may help to precipitate the onset of anxiety disorders.
Stress
People who misinterpret harmless situations as threatening and who focus excessive attention on perceived threats are more vulnerable to anxiety disorders.
Cognition
indicates the percentage of
twin pairs or other pairs of relatives who exhibit the
same disorder.
A concordance rate
