Week 9: Anxiety Disorders Flashcards
(12 cards)
What is Anxiety?
A generalized feeling of apprehension, fear or tension that may be associated with a particular object or situation
Anxiety can also be free-floating in that it is not associated with anything specifically
What is considered abnormal anxiety?
If it is out of proportion with the seriousness of the situation, if it does not fade soon after the danger passes and if it interferes with a person’s social + work activities
What are the types of anxiety disorders?
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Panic Disorder
- Phobias (x3)
What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
Diagnosis given to people who experience excessive anxiety and worry that they find difficult to control
- Women are generally more affected than men
- 28% chance from heritability
Symptoms: trembling, sweating, frequent urination, heart palpitations, nausea, dizziness, diarrhea
What is Panic Disorder?
Diagnosis given to people who experience recurrent, unpredictable attacks or overwhelming anxiety, fear and terror
Biological Perspective: suggests that the prefrontal cortex (emotion) is associated with panic disorders
Treatment: responds best to combo of medication and psychotherapy
What are Phobias?
Persistent, irrational fear of an object, situation or activity that a person feels compelled to avoid and poses no actual danger
What are the three most common types of phobias?
- Agoraphobia
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- Specific Phobias
What is Agoraphobia?
An intense fear of being in a situation where immediate escape is not possible or help is not available
- people will rarely leave their home
- Greater risk of heritability
- women are 2x more likely than men
What is Social Anxiety Disorder?
An irrational fear and avoidance of social situations
- Women are more likely to be diagnosed than men
- higher incidence of drug use
What are other common specific phobias?
- situational phobias
- natural environment
- animal
- blood / injections
Are all fear considered phobias?
No. A fear is not considered a phobia unless it interferes or causes a great deal of distress in a person’s life
What are the causes of phobias?
the most specific phobias and social anxiety disorders result from learning (direct conditioning, modelling or transmission of information)
there is a genetic component (combo)
