Anxiety Flashcards
What is anxiety? What is the difference between innate and learned adaptive responses?
can be defined as a feeling of unease (e.g. worry or fear), which can range from mild to severe
innate, adaptive response
- fear is an adaptive response to a threatening stimuli
= many fears are innate and species specific
learned, adaptive response
- fears can also be learned through life experiences
= fear response can occur in an anticipatory manner, sometimes independently of stimuli
What are symptoms of anxiety?
psychological symptoms
- stress, worry, concern, fear, foreboding
physical symptoms
- tachycardia, shortness of breath, excessive sweating, trembling or shaking, headache and dizziness, pins and needles, Gl disturbances, nausea, fatigue, insomnia
What can cause symptoms of anxiety?
past experiences
- difficult experiences in childhood, adolescence (and adulthood) are a common trigger for anxiety
everyday life and habits
- current issues or problems in every day life can lead to anxiety
diet
- some types of food and drink can trigger symptoms of anxiety (e.g. sugar, caffeine)
genetics
- genetic studies is that anxiety disorders are not based on a single gene but likely have a complex genetic basis, which can be affected by environmental factors
drugs
- recreational drugs of abuse (e.g. psychostimulants) can also trigger anxiety symptoms
alcohol
- is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant
= increases GABAergic neurotransmission and can block glutamatergic neurotransmission
- low levels of GABA and high levels of glutamate can trigger anxiety symptoms
When does anxiety become a mental health disorder?
anxiety can become a mental health problem if it impacts on activities of daily living
What are the types of anxiety disorders?
anxiety disorders
- social phobia, specific phobia, panic disorders, generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)
obsessive compulsive disorder
- body dysmorphic disorder, hoarding disorder, trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder)
trauma and stress related disorders
- post traumatic stress disorder
What is generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)?
- definition
- classification/symptoms
is characterised by an ongoing state of excessive anxiety lacking clear reason or focus
symptoms (at least 3 for more than 6 months) - restlessness - fatigue - excessive anxiety and worry = is difficult to control and impairs activities of daily living - increased muscle aches or soreness - impaired concentration - irritability - difficulty sleeping
not attributable to a substance or medical condition or better explained by another type of anxiety disorder
What are specific phobias?
- definition
- classification/symptoms
are extreme fears or anxieties provoked by exposure to a particular situation or object – often leads to avoidance behaviours
- ornithophobia = fear of birds, acrophobia - heights
phobic object or situation almost always provokes immediate fear or anxiety
- out of proportion to the actual danger posed by the object or situation
persists for at least six months, impairing activities of daily living
not attributable to a substance or medical condition or better explained by another type of anxiety disorder
What are social phobias?
- definition
- classification/symptoms
are characterised by significant anxiety provoked by exposure to certain types of social or performance situations
may relate to one or more social situations in which the individual is exposed to possible scrutiny by others
- includes social interactions, being observed and performing in front of others
almost always provokes immediate fear or anxiety
- out of proportion to the actual danger posed by the object or situation
persists for at least six months, impairing activities of daily living
not attributable to a substance or medical condition or better explained by another type of anxiety disorder
What are panic disorders?
- definition
- classification/symptoms
characterised by recurring panic attacks, without a seemingly clear cause or trigger
- panic attack is an abrupt surge of intense fear or discomfort, reaching a peak within minutes
associated with four or more of thirteen symptoms in accordance with DSM-5:
- include increased heart rate, sweating, trembling, shaking, shortness of breath and fear of dying
individual worries about further panic attacks – can lead to a panic cycle
- anxiety, panic attack, fear of another panic attack, more anxiety, further panic attacks
What are obsessive compulsive disorders? What is the difference between an obsession and a compulsion?
- definition
- classification/symptoms
is characterised by compulsive, ritualistic behaviour driven by irrational anxiety
obsession
- recurrent, intrusive thoughts, images, ideas or impulses
compulsion
- repetitive behaviours or mental acts that are performed to reduce anxiety associated with the obsessions
obsessions and compulsions are time consuming and impair activities of daily living
not attributable to a substance or medical condition or better explained by another type of anxiety disorder
What is post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?
- definition
- classification/symptoms
is characterised by distress triggered by the recall of past traumatic experiences
triggered by exposure to certain situations
- actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violence
associated with one or more intrusion symptoms:
- include recurrent intrusive memories, nightmares, dissociative reactions (e.g. flashbacks) and psychological and physiological distress at exposure to cues resembling the traumatic event
persist for at least one-month, impairing activities of daily living
not attributable to a substance or medical condition
What is the underlying cause of anxiety disorders? What is the hallmark feature?
hallmark of anxiety disorders is an inappropriate stress response either when a stressor is not present or not immediately threatening
sthe tress response is regulated by the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis
the HPA axis regulates the release of cortisol (a glucocorticoid), which contributes to the body’s physiological response to stress
How is an inappropriate stress response proven to be the hallmark for anxiety disorders?
overexpressing CRH (corticotrophin releasing hormone) in rodent models lead to increased anxiety-like behaviours
knocking out CRH receptors in rodent models leads to less anxiety-like behaviours
How can the stress response be controlled?
amygdala
- stimulates HPA axis to promote cortisol release
- amygdala hyperactivity linked to anxiety disorders
hippocampus
- suppresses HPA axis to prevent excessive cortisol release
- hippocampus underactivity linked to anxiety disorders
