Anxiety Disorders Flashcards
List psychological symptoms of anxiety disorders
Worry/panic Fear of going mad/dying Concentration problems Racing thoughts Hypervigilance Inability to relax Derealization and depersonalisation
Anxiety is a normal state. True/False?
True
Causes issues when daily living is affected, however
List physical symptoms of anxiety disorders
Palpitations Sweating, dry mouth Tremor Dizziness Muscle tension Numbness/tingling Lump in throat (globus hystericus), dysphagia Chest pain/tightness Nausea, vomiting, butterflies Difficulty breathing
How does the amygdala aid in our aversive/defensive psychosystem?
Acts as an emotional filter of brain for assessing whether sensory material via thalamus requires a stressor fear response
Describe generalised anxiety disorder
Excessive persistent worrying that is not restricted to particular circumstances
Lasting most days for at least 6 months
Describe panic disorder
Recurrent “panic attacks” not restricted to particular situations (episodes of severe, unpredictable anxiety)
How long does a panic attack last to be classified as a panic attack?
Peaks within 10 minutes
Lasts up to 45 mins
Describe social phobia
Social anxiety disorder
Persistent unreasonable fear of being observed or judged negatively by other people
Fear of personal humiliation/ embarrassment
Describe agoraphobia
Fear of leaving home, shops, crowds, public places, travelling alone
Open places
Describe specific phobia
Fear cued by presence or anticipation of specific object or situation e.g. flying, heights, animals, injection, blood
If someone predominately suffers from a traumatic past with flashbacks, what is the condition to look for?
PTSD
If someone predominately suffers from compulsions and persistent ideas, what is the condition to look for?
Obsessive compulsive disorder
If someone predominately suffers from uncontrollable worry about several things at once, what is the condition to look for?
Generalised anxiety disorder
If someone predominately suffers from fear of social scrutiny, what is the condition to look for?
Social phobia
What is the main aim of psychological/behavioural therapy when tackling anxiety disorders?
To understand conditioning and attempt to undo previous learning
What is the difference between graded exposure/sensitisation and flooding approach in psychological therapy for anxiety?
Graded: slow counter-conditioning involving build-up of coping mechanisms against feared stimuli
Flooding: full exposure to feared stimulus + staying with it until fear reduces