Anxiety Disorders Flashcards Preview

Psychopathology/Models of Intervention > Anxiety Disorders > Flashcards

Flashcards in Anxiety Disorders Deck (28)
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1
Q

Define anxiety

A

A diffuse, highly unpleasant, often vague sense of apprehension or foreboding, accompanied by changes in bodily responses and behaviour

2
Q

Define pathological anxiety

A

More frequent, severe or persistent anxiety that the person is accustomed to or can tolerate

3
Q

Define fear

A

An immediate alarm reaction to impending danger or pain

4
Q

What are the problems with avoidance?

A

It may provide short term relief, but can also perpetuate the problem long term

5
Q

How prevalent is GAD in the population?

A

Approx 4% of the population, women more likely

6
Q

How does panic disorder relate to agoraphobia?

A

Individuals experience severe, expected (cued) or unexpected (cued) panic attacks, with or without agoraphobia

7
Q

List the symptoms of panic attack

A
  • shortness of breath
  • heart palpitations
  • heavy perspiration
  • trembling or shaking
  • weakness or dizziness
  • feelings of choking
  • chill or heat sensations
  • numbness or tingling
  • depersonalisation or derealisation
  • fear of losing control, going crazy, or dying
8
Q

Define agoraphobia

A

Involves avoidance of two or more situations that the person believes might induce a panic attack

9
Q

What is a specific phobia?

A

Extreme and irrational fear of a specific object or situation. The fear is recognised as unreasonable

10
Q

What are some causes of specific phobia?

A
  • direct experience with feared stimulus
  • vicarious experience
  • information transmission
  • evolutionary preparedness
11
Q

What are the five types of specific phobia?

A
  • blood injection injury
  • situational
  • natural environment
  • animal
  • other
12
Q

List the causes of anxiety disorders

A
  • biological
  • psychological
  • social
13
Q

What are some examples of biological causes

A
  • inherited polygenic traits
  • inherent tendency to worry
  • behavioural inhibition system
  • fight-flight-freeze system
  • neurotransmission of GABA, serotonin, noradrenaline and CRF
14
Q

What are some examples of psychological causes

A
  • attachment
  • sense of control
  • learning
15
Q

Why is sense of control a cause of anxiety

A

Locus of control. Anxiety and perfectionism = onus to control our environment and excel in it

16
Q

What are some examples of social causes

A
  • stressful life events
  • when life is variable
  • putting pressure on yourself to achieve or excel
17
Q

What is the prevalence of generalised anxiety disorder?

A
  • approx 4% of the population
  • women twice as likely
  • onset in early adulthood
18
Q

What is the prevalence of panic disorder?

A

Approximately 3.5% of the population

19
Q

Average age for panic disorder

A
  • early adult life

- age 25-29

20
Q

What can be prognosis for panic disorder

A
  • number of stressful life events
  • depression
  • associated with dependent personality disorder and avoidant personality disorder
21
Q

Prevalence for specific phobia

A

12.5%

22
Q

What are some characteristics of social anxiety?

A
  • extreme and irrational shyness
  • social performance situations
  • significant impairment
  • avoidance or distressed endurance
  • generalised or specific subtype
23
Q

What is the prevalence of social anxiety disorder?

A
  • 12.% lifetime
  • equal for males and females
  • onset in adolescence
24
Q

Examples of generalised biological vulnerability

A

HPA axis sensitivity, sensitivity to emotions

25
Q

Examples of generalised psychological vulnerability

A

Anxiety as a broad personality trait - e.g. neuroticism, perfectionism

26
Q

Example of specific psychological vulnerability

A

Client’s specific experience and how they have developed into pathways that have grown into anxiety for the client

27
Q

Depersonalisation

A

Out of body experiences; feeling like an external observer to your own body

28
Q

Derealisation

A

Feeling disconnected from the world in a dream like way