Anxiety Flashcards
(25 cards)
What is anxiety?
an unpleasant emotional state characterised by fearfulness and unwanted and distressing physical symptoms and thoughts
What anxiety disorders are classified by the DSM?
Phobias, panic disorder, generalised anxiety, OCD, PTSD
What are the two explanations for biological preparedness?
Evolutionary preparedness and genetic risk
What happens in the fight/flight response system?
Evolutionary mechanism involving primitive brain areas and decision making (limbic/frontal)
What physiological changes are there when we enter the fight/flight stage?
- Adrenaline surge
- Heart races
- Muscles tense
- Pupils dilate
- Noradrenaline released
What is the genetic risk?
Distribution of those who have more or less autonomic lability (readiness to arousal)
What is the behavioural theory?
Conditioning, we can be conditioned to fear anything, reinforced by avoidance
What are the causes of phobias?
Vicarious reinforcement
What is systematic desensitisation?
- Unlearning feared response
- Learn a coping response:
- Breathing relaxation techniques
- Managing intrusive thoughts
- Progression
What is Psychoanalytic assessment?
EXAMPLE
- Fears over burgeoning sexuality (rapidly growing)
- Animal representing latent sexuality, repressed family system (no support)
What is the treatment of the psychoanalytic assessment?
Explore issues of sexuality and discussion
What is GAD?
Often triggered by stressful events, co-morbidity with depression, fears over not being able to cope
What is panic disorder?
Comorbidity with other common anxiety disorders
Why is PTSD different?
No known aetiology (reason)
What are the effects of PTSD?
Person directly affected by event where there was death, serious injury or threat to physical integrity
What can PTSD be caused by?
Individual or continuous trauma
What are the symptoms of coexisting (Bimodal reactions) ?
Fight or flight
- Flashbacks
- Nightmares
- Hyperarousal
- Hypervigilance
Freeze
- Avoidance behaviours
- Numbness
- Amnesia
- Derealisation
What are the prevalence rates for PTSD?
Men = 5%
Women = 10.4%
What are the biological mechanisms for PTSD?
- Biological readiness for ‘fear conditioning response’
- F or F
- Stress hormone elevated within a few hours - State of readiness cycle
- Increased natural opiates
What does the autonomic nervous system release?
Adrenaline (Increases HR, blood pressure and energy)
Cortisol (primary stress hormone, increases glucose in bloodstream, and repair tissue substances)
What type of mechanism is the cognitive-behavioural?
Psychological mechanism
What are the factors contributing to development of PTSD?
Pre-morbid history, female gender, nature of event
What other disorders are co-morbid with PTSD?
- Sleep disturbances
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Substance misuse
What are the main PTSD treatments?
CBT, Debriefing, Eye movement desensitisation, psychosocial rehabilitation, group therapy, medication
