module 4 PT.2 Flashcards
(75 cards)
anxiety disorders
characterized by individuals experiencing excessive fear and anxiety that impacts daily functioning and causes behavioural disturbances
fear
- emotional response to real or perceived threat in the present moment
- triggers fight or flight
- e.g. it is how you feel if a tiger ran into the room
anxiety
-anticipation of future threat
- experience symptoms such as muscle tension due to hypervigilance
- vigilance in preparation for future danger
anticipatory/adaptive anxiety
- task oriented thoughts + helpful behaviours
- e.g. focusing on the task at hand, sitting down and studying for an exam; will contribute to dealing with a future challenge
excessive/maladaptive anxiety
- task-interfering thoughts + maladaptive behaviors
- can also result in over preparedness
- e.g. “i’m going to fail this exam,” “i can’t do this,” not helpful thoughts and combined with maladaptive behaviors such as procrastination or avoidance
clinically significant anxiety looks at
- endurance: how long does it last?
- intensity: is intensity of anxiety elevated compared to peers or what would be typical in said scenario?
- interference: impairment of functioning of self or others
anxiety is difficult to study because it can be defined as:
- a subjective sense of unease, which is difficult to study
- a physiological réponse beginning in the brain resulting in elevated HR and tension; meaning there are a variety of bodily responses when anxious
- differences in sets of behaviours (i.e. worrying, fidgeting)
- anxiety can look like any or all of these
fear vs. panic
- fear is an immediate alarm reaction to perceived danger
- panic is an abrupt experience of intense fear of discomfort, paired with severe and abrupt physiological changes
panic attack
- abrupt experience of intense fear or discomfort, accompanied by severe and abrupt changes in physiology
- panic attacks typically last between 5-20 minutes
- often lead to development of panic disorders out of fear of having more panic attacks
- cued and uncued panic attacks
cued panic attack
expected; when you know the situation will bring it about, why it’s happening
uncued panic attack
unexpected; no clue when, why or where it will happen
causes of anxiety
- biological factors
- psychological factors
- social/environmental factors
biological factors contributing to anxiety
- genetic heritability
- neurotransmitters
- behavioural inhibition system (BIS)
- fight or flight system
genetic heritability as a cause of anxiety
your parents having an anxiety disorder just means you are predisposed to anxiety disorders generally not that specific one
neurotransmitters as a cause of anxiety
high norepinephrine (NE) and low GABA, serotonin and dopamine
BIS as a cause of anxiety
- series of circuits that go from the brainstem to the limbic system and then to the frontal cortex
- when activated causes you to freeze and then actually determine if there is a threat
- no threat = calm down, activation of parasympathetic nervous system
- threat = activates fight or flight response
fight or flight system as a cause of anxiety
- amydalga, hypothalamus, and central grey matter of the brain
- once activated your immediate response is alarm and escape, freeze, or fight
psychological factors contributing to anxiety
- classical and operant conditioning
- dysfunctional beliefs and cognitive distortions
- anxiety sensitivity/temperament
anxiety sensitivity as a cause of anxiety
- anxiety sensitivity: a general tendency to respond fearfully to anxiety symptoms
- people with high anxiety sensitivity notice physiological changes faster
- e.g. racing heart = dangerous
temperament style of behavioural inhibition
- easily frightened, don’t like novelty, newness or change
- this temperament has been linked to anxiety disorders and shyness
social environmental factors contributing to anxiety
- attachment styles to parents; typically insecure/anxious attachment
- social modelling and gender roles
- stressful life events
- physical influences
causes of anxiety - integrated model
- recognize how factors together can contribute to a psychological disorder
- triple vulnerability theory which is how researchers have integrated biological, psychological, and specific factors that make you more vulnerable to an anxiety disorders
integrated model - biological vulnerability
- heritable contribution to negative effects
- world views
- neuroticism
- “glass is half empty” type of people
- are they irritable or driven people?
integrated model - generalized psychological vulnerability
- sense that events are uncontrollable/unpredicted
- general trait that can contribute to an anxiety disorder such as a tendency toward lack of self-confidence, low self-esteem or inability to cope