Anxiety Disorders

Question 1

List psychological symptoms of anxiety disorders

Answer 1

Worry/panic
Fear of going mad/dying
Concentration problems
Racing thoughts
Hypervigilance
Inability to relax

Question 2

Anxiety is a normal state. True/False?

Answer 2

True

Causes issues when daily living is affected, however

Question 3

List physical symptoms of anxiety disorders

Answer 3

Palpitations
Sweating
Tremor
Dizziness
Muscle tension
Numbness/tingling
Lump in throat, dysphagia
Chest pain/tightness
Nausea, vomiting, butterflies

Question 4

What is globus hystericus?

Answer 4

Experience of not being able to swallow or eat, typically associated with anxiety

Question 5

How does the amygdala aid in our aversive/defensive psychosystem?

Answer 5

Processes information about potential threat before we have even seen it

Question 6

Describe Pavlovian conditioning

Answer 6

Associating innocuous stimulus with a particular response by presenting it in turn with another stimulus that provokes that particular response

Question 7

Describe generalised anxiety disorder

Answer 7

Excessive persistent worrying that is not restricted to particular circumstances
(lasting a few months)

Question 8

Describe panic disorder

Answer 8

Recurrent “panic attacks” (episodes of severe, unpredictable anxiety)

Question 9

How long does a panic attack last to be classified as a panic attack?

Answer 9

Peaks within 10 minutes

Lasts up to 45 mins

Question 10

Describe social anxiety disorder

Answer 10

Persistent unreasonable fear of being observed or evaluated negatively by other people

Question 11

What is acrophobia?

Answer 11

Fear of heights

Question 12

What is claustrophobia?

Answer 12

Fear of small spaces

Question 13

What is belenophobia?

Answer 13

Fear of injections

Question 14

What is post-traumatic stress disorder?

Answer 14

Anxiety developed on the back of exposure to traumatic situations

Question 15

If someone predominately suffers from a traumatic past with flashbacks, what is the condition to look for?

Answer 15

PTSD

Question 16

If someone predominately suffers from compulsions and persistent ideas, what is the condition to look for?

Answer 16

Obsessive compulsive disorder

Question 17

If someone predominately suffers from uncontrollable worry about several things at once, what is the condition to look for?

Answer 17

Generalised anxiety disorder

Question 18

If someone predominately suffers from fear of social scrutiny, what is the condition to look for?

Answer 18

Social phobia

Question 19

What is the main aim of psychological/behavioural therapy when tackling anxiety disorders?

Answer 19

To understand conditioning and attempt to undo previous learning

Question 20

What is the difference between graded exposure/sensitisation and flooding approach in psychological therapy for anxiety?

Answer 20

Graded: slow counter-conditioning involving build-up of coping mechanisms against feared stimuli
Flooding: full exposure to feared stimulus + staying with it until fear reduces

Question 21

Describe the cognitive triangle

Answer 21

Thoughts create emotions
Emotions influence behaviour
Behaviour reinforces thoughts

Question 22

List the medication used for PTSD

Answer 22

SSRI
Venlafaxine
Benzodiazepines
Anticonvulsants

Question 23

List psychological therapy used for PTSD

Answer 23

CBT

EMDR

Question 24

List the medication used for OCD

Answer 24

Serotonergic antidepressants
Antipsychotics
Anticonvulsants

Question 25

List psychological therapy used for OCD

Answer 25

Exposure and response prevention | CBT

Question 26

What is the first line treatment for OCD?

Answer 26

Exposure and response prevention

Question 27

The obsessions in OCD are usually desired and associated with relief. True/False?

Answer 27

False Usually unwanted, recurrent and intrusive Distressing and associated with anxiety

Question 28

The compulsions in OCD usually lead to reduced anxiety. True/False?

Answer 28

True | Resistance to compulsion leads to heightened anxiety

Question 29

OCD is familial. True/False?

Answer 29

True

Question 30

What is the mean age of onset of OCD?

Answer 30

20 years old

Question 31

List some clinical features of OCD

Answer 31

Preoccupied with rules, lists, schedules Perfectionism Inflexibility of thought Controlling

Question 32

List 3 main proposed aetiology for OCD

Answer 32

Genetics (twins) B-haemolytic Strep infection + autoantibodies to basal ganglia Increased blood flow in orbitofrontal cortex, caudate nucleus and cingulate cortex

Question 33

Which psychiatric medication is usually used in OCD?

Answer 33

SSRI

Question 34

List the 3 main domains of dysfunctional belief that occur in OCD

Answer 34

Overestimated/inflated sense of responsibility Placing importance on controlling intrusive thoughts Perfectionism + intolerance of uncertainty

Question 35

What does exposure and response prevention in OCD involve?

Answer 35

Exposure to obsessive stimulus whilst employing strict prevention of compulsion, aiming to lessen distress associated with the stimulus

Question 36

List 5 screening questions you may ask to probe about OCD

Answer 36

Do you wash/clean a lot? Do you check things a lot? Is there any thought that persistently bothers you? Does it take you a long time to finish things? Are you concerned with orderliness/symmetry?