Anxiety Flashcards
1
Q
INTRO
A
- Divided into: ANXIETY DISORDERS, PHOBIAS
- PHOBIAS divided into: BIO FACTORS, BEH/SOC LEARNING, TREATMENT, SIMPLE/COMPLEX PHOBIA
2
Q
AD: Anxiety
A
- “… an unpleasant emotional state characterised by fearfulness and unwanted/distressing physical symptoms and thoughts.”
3
Q
AD: Anxiety Disorders
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- PHOBIAS
- PANIC DISORDER
- GENERLAISED ANXIETY
- OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER (OCD)
- POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD)
4
Q
P: Phobias
A
- phobia diagnosed when fear is out of proportion to actual object/situation; victim recognises it as largely groundless/disrupting to their life
- 6/100 have phobic responses; women x2 than men; 2/100 have clinical phobias
5
Q
P: Unconscious Reaction Explained
A
- JOSEPH LEDOUX et al; brain wired to associate fear w/image/sound/smell/sensation unconsciously/w/o cerebral cortex; fear reaction can be felt w/o awareness of stimuli
1. Thalamus gets stimuli; shunts to amygdala/visual cortex
2. Amygdala registers danger
3. Amygdala triggers rapid physical reaction
4. Clear image of danger sent to conscious mind for contemplation AFTER reaction
6
Q
P: Fight VS Flight VS Freeze
A
- evolutionary preparedness for things to be quickly avoided
- FIGHT VS FLIGHT VS FREEZE response; evolutionary mechanism w/primitive brain/decision areas (right limbic/frontal lobes)
- to cope w/fighting/fleeing; short-term; noradrenaline released afterwards caused exhaustion; sometimes misfires (non-physical reaction needed)
1. Transmitted adrenaline surge.
2. Heart races; blood away from stomach.
3. Muscles tense; pupils dilate.
7
Q
P: Genetic Risk
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- possible distribution of “autonomically liable” (readily aroused) gene; 1st degree relative agoraphobia can risk transfer, but must interact w/role modelling of fear/environmental factor.
8
Q
P: Behavioural Theory of Causation
A
- AVOIDANCE/CONDITIONING; some things are frightening w/o exposure, but conditioning can make us scared of anything (ie. neutral stimuli paired w/intrinsically fearful stimuli); can be one off (ie. 5 year old screamed at (fear stimuli) for leaving class to use public toilet (neutral stimuli) leading to a conditioned fear response being paired with the idea of using a public toilet)
- avoidance reinforces irrational fear via drop-off arousal; stops possibility of unlearning “faulty conditioning”
9
Q
P: Behavioural Conditioning
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- PAVLOV; classical conditioning (pairing stimulus w/response for new beh); eg. WATSON; Little Albert
- BF SKINNER; operant conditioning; reinforcement influences beh positively/negatively.
- BANDURA; vicarious conditioning; trans-generational/peer-generated fear; anxiety via role-model/parent and reinforced by close ones/media influence
- evolutionary explanation of learning about new “dangers”
10
Q
P: Simple Phobia Treatment
A
- SYSTEMATIC DESENSITISATION; unlearning fear response/avoidance in turn for coping mechanism (ie. breathing/managing negative intrusive thoughts (NITS) w/coping thoughts; progressive stages of worry); reinforces coping responses w/others
11
Q
P: Simple Phobia Treatment (EG)
A
- eg. LM has crane fly phobia; asses:
- no relationship problems; sister/mother had insect phobias; interferes w/med school work (ie. panicking in crane fly season); graded hierarchy w/relaxation work w/insect photos; expected outcome of catching and releasing crane fly w/minimal anxiety; family sought self-help too
12
Q
P: Complex Phobia Treatment (EG)
A
- eg. YD; 12y; dogphobia; treated typically w/hierarchy but not working; previously successfully treated for catphobia; no aggression history; referred to Child & Fam
- PSYCHOANALYTIC FORMULA: defence mechanism for repressed childhood trauma; content symbolises “id” impulse; not scared of dogs/cat but what they represent (ie. sexuality/repressed family system); wants to stay as a little girl
- COGNITIVE BEH: beh “saved” family from her independence; lack of support for challenges
- TREATMENT: explore feelings of sexuality in family therapy; no phobia after 8 weeks
13
Q
OCD (EG)
A
- CB suffered brain injury (RTA); coma 4 weeks; unaffected IQ (cognitive function fine) but memory/personality affected (ie. childhood/likes/dislikes); poor anterograde memory; stopped socialising and obsessively checks locks; daily routine; mistrusts own memory; poor sleep/appetite; pessimistic/suicidal
- highest OCD assessment; loss of control since accident manifests as compulsive manipulating environment; poor self-image after accident; routine spares him from interacting
14
Q
OCD (EG) Treatments
A
- individual/group therapy (neuro/CBT)
- organise for long-term events/memory; voice organiser for working memory/short-term; breathing exercises for anxiety; CBT for worries; hierarchal exposure to social or physical activities/communal mobility.
- hierarchy as follows:
1. CALL FRIEND; fights friends “putting up” w/him impulse; rationalise w/pad notes
2. MEET FRIEND IN PUB; leaves house; practices keeping track of belongings; listen to door click; visualise safe belongings
3. GO TO CLUB W/FRIENDS; far of losing friends/too many people; make leaving arrangements to fit in schedule
15
Q
OCD (EG) Feedback
A
- anxiety ratings around city/town down after discharge and stable in follow up; same for socialising, w/ going to the pub being lower after follow up than discharge; OCD still high after discharge but depression down significantly; says he’s “got his life back”
