anxiety disorders Flashcards
what is fear?
a response to real & present danger
what is anxiety?
apprehension about anticipation events
what was anxiety formally classified as part of?
neuroses, emotional problems/disturbances
what is the core symptom of an anxiety disorder?
intense worry that is disproportionate to the actual environmental danger
what are the anxiety catergories
panic disorders, derealisation, depersonalization
what is simple (specific) phobia
- constant, excessive, specific fears associated with a simple object/situation
- must always occur when exposed to the source
what is agoraphobia
extreme fear about situations where escape is difficult (ex. crowded shops, tunnels, theatres)
what is social anxiety disorder
the extreme focus of interacting with and in front of others
what is the controversy with social anxiety disorder?
diagnoses went up in the recent years
what is generalized anxiety disorder
a chronic worry in social/occupational situations
what is the controversy with generalized anxiety disorder
the diagnosis is not reliable, it can vary
what are some explanations for anxiety disorders
- evolutionary
- freud
- behavioural
- life events
- genetics
what is comorbidity
the presence of 2 diseases/illnesses in a patient at the same time
what is comorbidity in terms with anxiety disorder?
- high comorbidity rate of an anxiety disorder and mood disorders
- high rates with substance abuse disorders
- the splitting movement can be the cause of a lot of comorbidity
what was the benzo backlash?
- benzo meds like valium, xanax, ativan become hugely popular but were very addictive and had heavy withdrawal symptoms
