Lecture 5 Textbook Flashcards
What are the five main anxiety disorders in DSM-5?
Specific phobia, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder.
How does generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) differ from panic disorder?
GAD involves chronic worry about multiple areas, while panic disorder involves sudden, recurrent panic attacks.
What neurotransmitters are linked to anxiety disorders?
GABA, norepinephrine, serotonin.
What parenting style increases a child’s risk of developing anxiety?
Overprotective parenting.
How can phobias develop through classical conditioning?
A neutral stimulus is paired with a traumatic event, creating a fear response.
What is vicarious conditioning?
Learning fear by watching others react fearfully to a stimulus.
Why are some phobias (e.g., snakes, heights) more common than others (e.g., guns, motorcycles)?
Evolutionary preparedness—our ancestors survived better by avoiding natural threats like snakes and enclosed spaces.
How does temperament affect phobia risk?
Inhibited toddlers (shy, easily distressed) are more likely to develop multiple phobias.
What are the two DSM-5 subtypes of social anxiety?
Performance-related (e.g., public speaking).
Generalized social anxiety (e.g., eating in public)
How does social anxiety relate to dominance hierarchies?
Social anxiety may be an evolutionary byproduct of dominance hierarchies, where submissive behavior prevents conflict.
What are the five subtypes of specific phobias?
Animal, Natural Environment, Blood-Injection-Injury, Situational, Other.
What is a panic attack?
A sudden surge of intense fear, reaching peak intensity within minutes, with symptoms like palpitations, sweating, and fear of dying.
GABA
An inhibitory neurotransmitter that regulates anxiety; low levels are associated with panic disorder.
Catastrophic Thinking
The tendency to interpret bodily sensations in a catastrophic way, leading to anxiety and panic attacks.
What is interoceptive exposure in panic disorder treatment?
A technique where patients are exposed to feared bodily sensations (e.g., dizziness, increased heart rate) to reduce sensitivity to these sensations.
Why do individuals with panic disorder continue fearing panic attacks despite never experiencing the expected catastrophe?
They engage in safety behaviors (e.g., breathing techniques, carrying medication) and falsely attribute their safety to these behaviors rather than realizing panic attacks are not dangerous.
What is a major risk factor for developing GAD?
A history of uncontrollable or unpredictable life stressors (e.g., having an unpredictable boss or spouse).
How does cognitive bias contribute to panic disorder?
Individuals misinterpret bodily sensations and ambiguous situations as threatening, reinforcing anxiety.
What is low tolerance for uncertainty, and how is it linked to GAD?
It is the inability to handle uncertainty, leading to excessive worry about unpredictable outcomes.
Nocturnal Panic Attacks
Panic attacks that occur during sleep, usually during Stage 2 or 3 non-REM sleep.
What is hoarding disorder?
Difficulty discarding possessions, leading to excessive clutter.
How does trichotillomania differ from OCD?
It involves compulsive hair pulling and was once classified as an impulse-control disorder but is now under OCD-related disorders.
What is the main difference between fear and anxiety?
Fear is an immediate response to danger, while anxiety is ongoing worry about potential threats.
What brain region is overactive in panic disorder?
The amygdala (fear center of the brain).
What therapy is most effective for OCD?
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) – Gradual exposure to fears while preventing compulsions.
What neurotransmitter is overactive in panic disorder?
Norepinephrine.
How are nocturnal panic attacks different from night terrors?
Night terrors happen in deep sleep (Stage 4), while nocturnal panic attacks occur in lighter sleep (Stage 2-3).
