Chapter 2 - concepts Flashcards
Cognitive Restructuring
A core component of CBT that involves identifying irrational or maladaptive thoughts and replacing them with more balanced, realistic ones.
Exposure Therapy
A technique in CBT that involves gradually exposing individuals to feared situations or sensations to reduce avoidance and desensitize them to the anxiety-provoking stimulus.
Safety Behaviors
Actions taken to prevent feared outcomes, such as avoiding eye contact in social situations. These behaviors reinforce anxiety over time.
catastrophizing
The role of catastrophizing is that people tend to overestimate the negative outcome of certain daily life events, which leads them to worry about these events happening.
e.g.: For example, someone might think that a minor mistake at work might get them fired.
cognitive avoidance
is that people will use worrying (so thinking about how to deal with future threats) as a way to avoid distressing emotions or potential future threats. This might work for the short term, because it gives people some feeling of control, but in the long term it makes their anxiety worse.
e.g.: A person with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) might constantly worry about their health. Instead of confronting their fears by scheduling a doctor’s appointment or getting a medical check-up, they may mentally avoid the topic by excessively worrying about unrelated things, such as their work or family, or engaging in distraction techniques, like scrolling through social media or watching TV.
PCT: psycho-education
Patients are educated about the nature of panic attacks, learning that their symptoms, such as a racing heart or dizziness, are not dangerous but rather normal bodily reactions to anxiety.
PCT: cognitive restructuring
Patients are taught to challenge and reframe their catastrophic thoughts about panic symptoms (e.g., “I’m having a heart attack”) into more realistic interpretations (e.g., “This is just anxiety and it will pass”).
PCT: Interoceptive Exposure
This involves gradually exposing patients to feared bodily sensations by deliberately inducing them in a controlled setting. For example, a therapist might ask a patient to spin in a chair to mimic dizziness or run in place to elevate their heart rate. This exposure helps patients learn that these sensations are not harmful and can be tolerated.
Yerkes-Dodson law
- low to moderate anxiety
The Yerkes-Dodson Law suggests that there is an optimal level of arousal or anxiety that enhances performance, especially for well-learned or simple tasks. Moderate levels of anxiety can improve focus and motivation, helping individuals to concentrate and perform better.
e.g.: For example, a student with moderate anxiety before an exam may feel more alert and perform at their best because the anxiety pushes them to study harder and stay focused.
Yerkes-Dodson law
- excessive anxiety
- result
- symptoms
However, when anxiety becomes excessive, it overwhelms the individual and leads to diminished performance. High levels of anxiety can cause cognitive overload, where the individual becomes unable to concentrate or think clearly. In the case of the student, excessive anxiety might lead to panic, poor recall of information, or an inability to focus, ultimately impairing their performance during the exam.
general biological vulnerability
This refers to a genetic predisposition or inherited tendency toward anxiety. People with a family history of anxiety disorders may be biologically more sensitive to stress or more likely to develop anxiety-related problems.
general psychological vulnerability
This involves early life experiences and beliefs that make individuals feel the world is a dangerous or unpredictable place. For example, people who grew up in environments where they were not supported or felt unsafe may develop beliefs that make them more susceptible to anxiety later in life.
Specific Psychological Vulnerability
This refers to specific fears or learned experiences that trigger anxiety. These are often based on personal experiences, such as being in a car accident and subsequently developing a fear of driving.
