Anxiety Disorders Flashcards
4 anxiety disorders
- Panic disorder
- Phobias
- OCD
- GAD
Anxiety vs fear
Anxiety: primarily cognitive, anticipating an expected challenge
Fear: normal response to present threatening stimuli
Normal vs maladaptive anxiety
Normal: expected response to stimuli
Maladaptive: response is unrealistic or inappropriate, does not align with stimuli
Subjective vs objective manifestations of anxiety
Subjective: feelings and emotions
Objective: physical responses
3 types of anxiety drugs and their subtypes
- GABA agonists
- benzodiazapenes and barbiturates - NE antagonists
- propranolol and clonidine - 5-HT agonists
- SSRI’s and some SNRI’s
Which drugs aren’t prescribed anymore bc they are very addictive and have a low TI?
Barbiturates
Which drugs aren’t prescribed anymore bc they affect blood pressure?
NE antagonists
When are barbiturates primarily used today?
For anesthesia and for animals with epilepsy
What is one bad use of benzodiazapenes?
Roofies AKA the date rape drug
What disorder is genetically related to major depression and can be triggered by childhood trauma?
GAD
What is GAD according to the cognitive perspective?
Excessive worry and dysfunctional thoughts
What is the thought behind rational emotive behavioral therapy? (REBT)
Patients will improve their situation when they start thinking differently about their problems
What are the ABCs of REBT?
Activating event –> Belief –> Consequence. If we can Disrupt the Belief, we will get Disruption –> Effect –> New Feeling
How can CBT help treat anxiety?
It examines someone’s thoughts and the way they react in situations that trigger anxiety.
What differs a phobia from normal fear?
- phobias are strong, IRRATIONAL fears of specific objects or situations
- extreme avoidance
- the distress interferes with function
What is systematic desensitization and how is modeling involved?
Use a fear hierarchy to help the patient make baby steps to overcoming their fear. The therapist who goes through the steps with the patient can perform the steps first to help the patient learn that there is nothing to fear.
What is flooding?
Flood the patient with the fear stimulus until they are not afraid anymore. Horrible on the patient but it’s the fastest method.
5 types of phobias
Animal, natural events, blood/injection injury, situational, and other
What drug treatment is available for phobias?
SSRI’s, Anxiolytics but people can become VERY dependent.
What are some symptoms of panic disorder?
Dizziness, limb vibration, shallow breathing
What phobia is panic disorder associated with?
Agoraphobia
How many signs/symptoms need to be present to diagnose a panic attack according to the DSM-V?
4+
What part of the nervous system is overactivated during a panic attack?
Sympathetic NS
What 2 words can be used to best describe a panic attack?
Unexpected and brief
Possible causes of panic disorder
- Heritable
- Chromosome 15
- GABA antagonists
- Fluctuating 5-HT and NE levels
- Locus coeruleus and amygdala issues
Panic disorder treatments
- Anxiolytics
- Tricyclics
- SSRI’s and SNRI’s
- Cognitive therapy
What is the biggest contributing factor to debilitating panic disorders?
Misinterpretation of physiology: some people with panic disorder think that anytime their HR increases they are having a panic attack, which makes them start panicking even more. Therapists can help them learn that that is not the case
What is OCD categorized by?
Obsessions and compulsions - not everyone with OCD has both!!!
What are obsessions?
Intrusive thoughts that are not realistic. Ex: believing you have to spin around 6 times before you can walk through a door
What are compulsions?
Repetitive acts performed often to decrease the anxiety brought on by obsessions
OCD treatments
- behavioral therapies (exposure response prevention)
- cognitive therapies (CBT)
- SSRI’s and SNRI’s
- antipsychotics
Potential causes of OCD from the psychodynamic approach
Overuse of the id (thoughts) and ego (compulsions)
Potential causes of OCD from the behavioral approach
Compulsions are negatively reinforced: removing something negative (obsessions) by increasing behavior (compulsions)
Potential causes of OCD related to the brain
Brain disturbances (frontal cortex and amygdala), brain damage
Trichotillomania has a high comorbidity with what?
Anxiety
What is agoraphobia?
The fear of any situation where escape may be difficult if anxiety or panic were to occur
