Anxiety Flashcards
part of the brain that processes fear
the amygdala
what is anxiety
note anxiety is not the same as fear
It is an unpleasant emotional state, often with inner turmoil accompanied by nervous behaviours, psychosomatic symptoms and rumination
Anxiety is not a response to a real or perceived immediate threat but rather is the expectation of future threat.
it is considered normal behaviour but when easily triggered may give rise to anxiety disorder
what does stress do to cortisol levels. and which part of the adrenal gland is cortisol produced from
raises cortisol levels
produced from the adrenal cortex
stress is a trigger to both depression and anxiety
some examples of anxiety and fear disorders
Generalised anxiety disorder (often with depression)
Social anxiety disorder (social phobia)
Specific phobic disorders (e.g. arachnophobia)
Panic attacks
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
women are more affected in all of these than men(according to slides not me )
what do you know about generalised anxiety disorders
a chronic condition that causes excessive and uncontrollable worrying about everyday things
it is longterm
it entails anxiety about a wide range of situations
causes include childhood trauma or trauma in general , family history, stress…etc
some examples of phobias and their descriptions
Arachnophobia(fear of spiders)
Agoraphobia(fear of public places/ open spaces)
Acrophobia (fear of heights)
Claustrophobia (fear of confined places)
Social phobia (fear of social interactions)
panic disorder and what you know about it
Recurrent,sudden attacks of intense fear
Often associated with somatic symptoms, e.g.
- Tachycardia
- Sweating
- Shaking
- Shortness of breath
somatic symptoms are physical symptoms that are caused by emotional distress.
during stress which is released first, adrenaline or cortisol
adrenaline
cortisol is released after adrenaline, when the immediate stress has passed. it Increases blood sugar levels
Helps your body use fats, proteins, and carbohydrates for energy
the HPA axis and what happens in it
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis
When the body senses a stressor, the hypothalamus releases** corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)** and arginine vasopressin (AVP)
These hormones travel to the pituitary gland, where they trigger the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
ACTH activates the adrenal glands to produce glucocorticoids, like cortisol in humans
Glucocorticoids affect metabolism, immunity, and behavior
the HPA axis can lead to hypervigilance
is norepinepherine released during fight anf flight(stress)
yes it is, to aid adrenaline action
it is an excitatory neurotransmitter
the brain is mainly made up of which molecule
fat , makes up 60% of the brain
what is OCD
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition that causes people to have unwanted, recurring thoughts and repetitive behaviors
example, people might be OBSESSED with the fear of contamination, thereby leading to COMPULSIONS like the repetitive washing of their hands
the amygdala is the activated part of the brain when there is fear
during anxiety what happens to levels of neuronal activity in the amygdala
there is increased neuronal activity
the lymbic system
The limbic system is a group of interconnected brain structures that help regulate your emotions and behavior.
