TREATMENT FOR ANXIETY DISORDERS/ PHOBIAS Flashcards
(13 cards)
What interventions can be used to treat anxiety?
Biological treatments- SSRI’s, benzodiazepines, beta-blockers
Psychological treatments- CBT, systematic desensitisation.
What interventions can be used to treat phobias?
Biological- benzodiazepines (short-term relief-can be paired with exposure therapies), applied muscle tension
Psychological- CBT, Exposure therapy, sytematic desensitisation,
How can CBT be used to treat anxiety and phobias?
- Identifying maladaptive thought patterns ‘if i give my speech everyone will laugh’
- Cognitive restructuring-It focuses on identifying, challenging and changing negative and distorted thought patterns by replacing them with more rational ones.
- Behavioral experiments/ exposure- gradul exposure in a safe structured way
- Developing coping strategies- breathing exericises, progressive muscle relaxation
What is systematic desentisation?
A behavioural therapy based on the principles of classical conditioning. It aims to replace learned fear responses with a relaxation response through gradual exposure in a controlled way, utilising relaxation techniques.
What ideas is systematic densitisation based on?
Counterconditioning- replacing conditioned fear response with a new response via conditoning.
Reciprocal inhibition- the impossibility of feeling two strong and opposition emotions at the same time- like relxation and fear (Wolpe 1958)
How does systematic desentisation work?
- Relaxation training- therapist teaches patients relaxation techniques (progressive muscle relaxation- linked to reciprocal inhibition)
- Fear hierarchy- therapist and patient work together to ctreate a list of fear-inducing situations- ranked from least to most distressing.
- Gradual exposure- The patient is gradually exposured to each item on the heirachy via invitro (visualisation) or in vivo (actual exposure) methods. They will only move on when patient reports NO anxiety to the current stage.
Systematic desentisation: 1) Relaxation training 2) Fear Heirarchy 3) Gradual Exposure.
Which researcher demonstarted the effectiveness of using systematic desentisation to treat phobias, such as agrophobia?
Agras 1967
Name 1 strength and weaknesses of CBT
Strength (long-term benefits)- provides patients with long-lasting skills, that can be used in different types of situations, and effectively changes thought patterns- life-long changes.
Weaknesses (requires active participation and cognitive ability)- it is an active therpay which demands motivation, concentration, insigh- incompatible with severe anxiety or co-occuring conditions such as depression or learn difficulties.
Name 1 strength and 1 weakness of systematic desenitisation?
Strength (ethical and patient-friendly)- gradual and controlled process. Unlike flooding, it avoids overwhelming the patient, making it more acceptable and less traumatic.
Weaknesses- (limited efficacy) SD doesn’t work well for phobias that are not linked to a single object or situation, such as social anxiety or agoraphobia, because these are often tied to deeper cognitive issues.
SSRI’S
(e.g. sertraline, fluoxetine) work by blocking the reuptake of serotonin into the presynaptic neuron, increasing its availability in the synaptic cleft. This can help alleviate anxiety symptoms such as nervousness, persistent worry, and restlessness, which are often linked to low serotonin levels.
Benzodiazepines:
Benzodiazepines (e.g. Xanax) work by enhancing the effect of GABA, the brain’s main inhibitory neurotransmitter, at GABA-A receptor sites. This produces a calming effect, reducing symptoms of anxiety such as persistent worry, cognitive overactivity, and restlessness.
Beta blockers
Beta blockers (e.g. propranolol) work by blocking the effects of adrenaline and noradrenaline on beta receptors in the sympathetic nervous system. This leads to a reduction in physical symptoms of anxiety, such as increased heart rate, trembling, and sweating. They are often used in situational anxiety (e.g. performance
What is applied muscle tension?
A behavoural technqiue to prevent fainting in people with blood phobia. It involves tensing and relaxing large muscle groups to increase blood pressure and prevent fainiting.
