Anxiety Disorder Flashcards

1
Q

Maladaptive Anxiety

A
  • unrealistic
  • out of proportion
  • persistent and anticipatory
  • impairs functioning significantly and ongoingly
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2
Q

Fear

A

an adaptive survival mechanism whereby perceived threat or danger leads to activation of fight/flight/freeze response

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3
Q

Panic disorder is…

A

a distortion of the adaptive fear response

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4
Q

Diagnostic criteria for panic disorder

A

recurrent, sudden panic attacks + anticipatory anxiety or avoidance behaviour for at least one month

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5
Q

Etiology of Panic Disorder: Biological theories

A
  • abnormal functioning of brain chemicals (norpinephrine) in locus coeruleus
  • suffocation alarm (sensitive to co2 changes)
  • genetic basis: family/twin studies
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6
Q

Etiology of Panic Disorder: Cognitive theories

A
  • people with panic disorder have ‘anxiety sensitivity’
  • pay very close attention to bodily sensations
  • misinterpret these sensations in a negative direction
  • engage in snowballing, catastrophic thinking
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7
Q

Etiology of Panic Disorder: Psychodynamic theories

A
  • unconscious conflicts create anxiety
  • Panic disorder is an expression of our unconscious mind and the conflict.
  • Struggle to separate from people you are dependent on.
  • Aggression- feel towards people you love and are dependent on = conflict
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8
Q

Treatment for panic disorder

A

CBT is highly effective (gives corrective info, teaches relaxation techniques, expose client to stimulus and apply techniques, apply in real life using a graded hierarchy)

  • psychodynamic therapy to explore and resolve unconscious conflicts
  • medication to reduce symptoms
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9
Q

DSM diagnostic criteria for phobias

A
  • marked and persistent fear that is excessive or unreasonable cued by a specific object or situation
  • exposure to stimulus provokes an immediate anxiety response
  • phobic situation is avoided or else is endured with intense anxiety
  • duration of at least 6 months
  • causes significant distress or impairment in functioning (NB)
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10
Q

Etiology of phobias: Biological theories

A
  • prepared conditioning (kinds of threats that would have been nb for early ancestors)
  • genetic predisposition (3-4 times more likely to get if family has a phobia)
  • over-activation of amygdala in response to cues of threat/danger
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11
Q

Etiology of phobias: cognitive theories

A
  • over-prediction of danger
  • self-defeating thoughts and irrational beliefs
  • negatives: doesn’t tell us why people think this way.
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12
Q

Etiology of phobias: Psychodynamic theories

A

it’s not the thing out there that you are afraid of- it is what is inside of you that you are scared of. but we cant think of those things so we use a defence mechanism of projection to an outside thing. it feels more acceptable than a conscious connection of what is inside of you.

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13
Q

Etiology of phobias: Learning theory

A
  • phobias involve classical and operant conditioning
  • Classical conditioning: in a previous adverse experience, a neutral object becomes associated with fear/pain
  • Phobia then maintained by operant conditioning: avoidance of feared stimulus brings relief from anxiety – this reinforces the avoidance behaviour and prevents opportunities to learn that object/situation is not dangerous
  • Observational learning may also play a role
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14
Q

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - four symptoms

A
  1. intrusive/re-experiencing symptoms (flashbacks)
  2. avoidance of traumatic reminders
  3. changes in mood or cognitions
  4. hyperarousal
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15
Q

Time frame for PTSD

A

lasts more than 1 month

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16
Q

Factors relating to the event itself that make some trauma survivors more vulnerable to developing PTSD

A
  • events involving interpersonal violence increase risk
  • experiences of dissociation during traumatic event increase risk for PTSD
  • direct exposure creates more risk for PTSD than just witnessing an event
17
Q

Factors that pre-date the event that make some trauma survivors more vulnerable to developing PTSD

A
  • being female =twice as likely to develop PTSD
  • lower socio-economic status
  • history of sexual abuse
  • rigid beliefs about what is positive and negative
  • avoidant coping strategies
18
Q

Factors after the event that make some trauma survivors more vulnerable to developing PTSD

A
  • loss of material resources as a result of a traumatic event
  • absence of social support
19
Q

PTSD Treatment

A
  • assess client’s current physical safety
  • psycho-education about PTSD
  • help client identify and access available support structures
  • anxiety management techniques to address hyperarousal symptoms
  • exposure therapy (retellings of trauma in safe enviro)
  • address avoidance symptoms (gradual exposure in safe situation
20
Q

Social Anxiety Disorder DSM criteria

A
  • persistent fear of social or performance situations in the presence of unfamiliar people or possible scrutiny of others
  • fear of negative evaluation
  • exposure to social or performance situations evokes intense anxiety
  • these situations are therefore avoided or endured with extreme distress
  • 6 months
21
Q

Social Anxiety Disorder- 2 types

A
  1. generalised subtype (occurs across all social situations)

2. non-generalised subtypes (only occurs in one or two types of social or performance situations)

22
Q

Social Anxiety Disorder- associated features

A
  • hypersensitivity to criticism
  • low self-esteem
  • difficulty being assertive
23
Q

Social Anxiety Disorder- frequent social triggers

A
  • Initiating conversation
  • Taking part in small groups
  • Dating
  • Interacting with authority figures
  • Attending parties
  • Writing or performing in front of others
  • Eating or drinking in public
24
Q

Social Anxiety Disorder- genetic theory

A
  • relatives of social phobics have higher rates of social phobia
  • concordance rate is 24% in identical and 15% in fraternal twins
25
Q

Social Anxiety Disorder- dysfunctional cognitive style theory

A
  • overestimate likelihood of social rejection and negative consequences of rejection
  • low expectancies about social competence
  • low expectancies about being able to cope with feared events
26
Q

Social Anxiety Disorder- behavioural inhibition to the unfamiliar theory

A
  • tendency in early childhood to show avoidance and anxiety when exposed to unfamiliar people/situations
  • could be inherited or learned
  • early precursor to social phobia
27
Q

Social Anxiety Disorder- conditioning theory

A

-a specific adverse social event leads the person to fear and avoid subsequent social situations

28
Q

Social Anxiety Disorder- treatment

A
  • CBT most effective
  • relaxation training
  • identifying unrealistic beliefs and developing more realistic ones
  • social skills training
  • systematic desensitisation (graded hierarchy)
29
Q

medication for Social Anxiety Disorder

A

serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs