Anxiety and OCD

Question 1

Explain the difference between anxiety and fear

Answer 1

Anxiety is worry in anticipation of fearful future situations.

Fear is a direct response to fearful stimuli/immediate danger.

Both associated with high arousal, activating the sympathetic NS.

Question 2

Describe the DSM-5 criteria for anxiety disorders

Answer 2

• Several criteria must be met
• Symptoms must interfere with important areas of functioning or cause marked distress.
• Must not be cause by a drug or medical condition
• Symptoms for 6 months
• Fears and anxieties are distinct from symptoms of other anxiety disorders.

Question 3

Describe what specific phobias are

Answer 3

• A disproportionate fear caused by a specific object or situation.
• E.g. animals, snakes, insects, blood, injury, flying

Question 4

Describe what social anxiety disorder is

Answer 4

• Intense fear of social situations. Fear being judged by others, social evaluation, dislike carrying out tasks in front of others.
• Avoid situations, impair work and relationships
• Often begins in adolescence

Question 5

Describe the DSM criteria of social anxiety disorder

Answer 5

• Fear triggered by exposure to potential social scrutiny
• Exposure to trigger leads to intense anxiety about being evaluated negatively
• Trigger situations avoided
• Symptoms must last for 6m+

Question 6

Describe what panic disorder is and the DSM criteria for it

Answer 6

• Frequent panic attacks that are unrelated to specific situations followed by worries of having more panic attacks.
• Physical symptoms
• Depersonalisation often experienced which is the feeling of being outside ones body
• Derealization - Feeling of the world not being real

DSM

• Must have recurrent uncued attacks
• Must worry about future attacks
• Cycle must happen for at least 1m.

Question 7

Describe what agoraphobia is

Answer 7

• Fear of situations which would be embarrassing or difficult to escape e.g. public transport, crowds
• 50% also experience panic attacks

Question 8

Describe what generalised anxiety disorder is

Answer 8

• Excessive, uncontrollable and long-lasting rumination and worry about everyday life events.

Question 9

Describe the DSM-5 criteria for generalized anxiety disorder

Answer 9

• Excessive anxiety and worry for at least 50% of the days
• Hard to control worry
• Associated with 3 of these, restlessness, easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating, irritability, sleep disturbance

Question 10

Explain what obsessive-compulsive and related disorders are

Answer 10

• Repetitive thoughts and behaviours so extreme they interfere with everyday life.

Include
Obsessions - Intrusive and persistently recurring thoughts, images that are uncontrollable and seem irrational to person

Compulsions - Repetitive, excessive behaviours or mental acts that a person feels driven to perform to reduce anxiety. E.g. showering for hours a day as have a fear of contamination.

Question 11

Describe the DSM-5 criteria for OCD

Answer 11

Obsessions are defined by

• Recurrent, intrusive, unwanted thoughts, urges or images
• The attempt to ignore, suppress or neutralize such urges or images

Compulsions are defined by

• Repetitive behaviours or mental actions that a person feels compelled to perform to prevent distress
• Drive to perform repetitive behaviours or thoughts in response to obsessions or according to rigid rules
• Acts that are excessive or unlikely to prevent the dreaded situation.
• Must be time-consuming, at least 1 hour a day.