Anxiety, OCD, PTSD

Question 1

Contrast fear and anxiety

Answer 1

Fear = response to real, specific danger, reduces when threat is removed, adaptive response to threat
Anxiety - more diffuse emotional reaction, response to a more vague threat, disproportional

Question 2

Describe the psychodynamic view of anxiety

Answer 2

Anxiety is a sign that an urge is about to be acted upon

- when impulse is too strong , anxiety floods system

Question 3

Explain how serotonin and GABA are involved with stress responses and anxiety

Answer 3

dampen stress response, increased lvls leads to reduced anxiety

Question 4

Describe Social Anxiety disorder

Answer 4

• fear of negative evaluation
• anxiety of situations that could lead to possible scrutiny
• 6 months +
• life interference

Question 5

Describe Panic Disorder

Answer 5

• recurrent unexpected panic attacks

- followed by 1 month + of avoidance or worry about attacks

Question 6

Describe Agoraphobia

Answer 6

Marked fear or anxiety of 2 or more:
- public transport
- open spaces
- closed spaces
- standing in line, being in crowd
- being outside the home
Fear and Avoidance

Question 7

Describe General Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Answer 7

Excessive anxiety and worry about a number of events more days than not for 6 months + 
Difficulty in controlling worry
3 or more:
- restlessness
- easily fatigued
- difficulty concentration
- irritability
- muscle tension
- sleep disturbance
Significant life interference

Question 8

Describe obsessions

Answer 8

• recurrent thoughts, impulses or images interpreted by the person as intrusive and causing distress
• person tries to ignore or suppress

Question 9

Describe compulsions

Answer 9

• repetitive mental acts or behaviours related to obsessions designed to alleviate associated anxiety

Question 10

LIst the diagnostic criteria for PTSD

Answer 10

Exposure to actual or threatened death or injury either 1) experiencing, 2) witnessing 3) Learning about it happening to close family or friend 4) first responders
Presence of 1 or more:
- recurrent memories
- distressing dreams
- dissociative reactions (flashbacks)
Avoidance
Neg alterations in cognitions or mood
2 or more physical alterations
- irritability 
- hyper-vigilance
- startle response
- difficulty concentrating
- sleep

Question 11

List diagnostic criteria of Acute Stress disorder

Answer 11

3 days to 1 month following exposure
9 or more for 5 cats
- intrusive symtoms
- neg mood
- dissociative symtoms
- avoidance
- arousal 
distress or impairment

Question 12

LIst diagnostic criteria of adjustment disorder

Answer 12

Development of clinically significant emotional or behavioural symptoms in response to an identified stressor, within 3 months of exposure to stressor

• Out of proportion distress
• Not normal bereavement
• Once stressor remove, symtoms desist after 6 months

Question 13

Anxiety is associated with a depletion of _____ in the neural synapses

Answer 13

Serotonin (Thus, SSRI’s as treatment, current treatment of choice)

Question 14

Name some risks of using benzodiazepines (GABA transmission) for anxiety

Answer 14

• impairment in cognitive skills (memory and attention), psychomotor skills, sedation, risk of addiction