Module 9: Anxiety Disorders Flashcards
What are the different anxiety disorders?
- Separation Anxiety Disorder
- Selective Mutism
- Specific Phobia
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- Panic Disorder
- Agoraphobia
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
What is Separation Anxiety Disorder concerned or characterized with?
+ concerns with real or imagined separating from attachment figures
+ concerned about the proximity and safety of key attachment figures
+ fear of possible separation is the central thought
What may separation lead to for a person with separation anxiety disorder?
separation may lead to extreme anxiety and panic attacks
What are some effects that people with separation anxiety disorder may experience?
do not attend school so they won’t be separated with their attachment figure (although not entirely responsible for school absences or school avoidance)
When does separation anxiety disorder develop?
develops after life stress, bullying and a history of parental overprotection and intrusiveness
Is separation anxiety disorder heritable?
Yes, it is heritable
What is the comorbidity of Separation Anxiety Disorder in children?
highly co-morbid with GAD and Specific Phobia in children
What is the comorbidity of Separation Anxiety Disorder in adults?
for Adults, common comorbidities inc. phobia, PTSD, Panic Disorder, GAD, SAD, Agora, OCD, Prolonged Grief Disorder, PD (Dependent, Avoidant, and OCPD), MDE and Bipolar Disorders
What should the duration of the symptoms be for it to be diagnosed as separation anxiety disorder?
at least 4 weeks (children) or 6 months or more (adults)
What is Selective Mutism concerned or characterized with?
+ rare childhood disorder
+ characterized by a lack of speech in one or more setting in which speaking is socially expected
+ restricted to a specific social situation
+ a child could speak in one setting but cannot/do not in another setting
+ not better explained by communication disorder
When can selective mutism be diagnosed?
only diagnosed when a child has established a capacity to speak in some social situations
What to people with selective mutism learn to do?
learn to perform avoidance and safety behaviors to avoid disasters
What is the comorbidity of selective mutism in children?
children with selective mutism are almost always given an additional diagnosis of another anxiety disorder (usually, Social Anxiety)
In what part of the brain are there abnormalities in people with selective mutism?
increased abnormalities in the auditory efferent neural activity during vocalization
What are parents of children with selective mutism described to be?
parents are described to be overprotective or more controlling
How long should the duration of symptoms for selective mutism be to be diagnosed?
at least 1 month
What is Specific Phobia concerned or characterized with?
irrational fear of a specific object or situation that markedly interferes with an individual’s ability to function
How is Specific Phobia acquired by a person?
acquired through direct experience, experiencing in false alarm, and observation
What is the difference between specific phobia and agoraphobia?
it only fears one setting, unlike Agoraphobia (which requires 3 settings), then Specific Phobia-Situational can be diagnosed
When does specific phobia usually develop?
usually develops during childhood
Is specific phobia heritable?
there may be genetic susceptibility to certain category of specific phobia
Gender Proportions in Specific Phobia
+ Animal, Natural Envi, and Situational Specific Phobias ~ Women > Men
+ Blood-Injection-Injury Phobia ~ Women = Men
What is the comorbidity of specific phobia?
increased risk for the development of other disorder such as other anxiety disorders, depressive and bipolar disorders, substance related disorders, somatic disorders, and PD
What is the duration before specific phobia can be diagnosed?
6 months or more
What is Social Anxiety Disorder concerned or characterized with?
+ fear or anxiety about possible embarrassment or scrutiny
+ typically have adequate age-appropriate social relationships and social communication capacity
Are panic attacks comorbid in social anxiety disorder?
can have panic attacks but it is cued by social situations
What is the medicine/treatment for social anxiety disorder?
Self-medication with substances is common
What are the concepts important to note in social anxiety disorder?
- Blushing
- Paruresis
Blushing
hallmark physical response of Social Anxiety Disorder
Paruresis
difficulty peeing in public restrooms or with people nearby
When does social anxiety disorder result to MDD?
Chronic Isolation in the course of Social Anxiety Disorder may result to MDD
What are the comorbidities with social anxiety disorder?
requently co-morbid with BDD and Avoidant PD
What are the comorbidities with social anxiety disorder in children?
in children, comorbidities with high functioning ASD and Selective Mutism are common
What is the duration for social anxiety disorder symptoms to occur before it can be diagnosed?
6 months or more
What is Panic Disorder concerned or characterized with?
+ abrupt surge of intense fear or discomfort out of nowhere, with no triggers
+ followed by persistent concerns about more attacks or the consequences of it or maladaptive change in behavior related to the attacks
When can panic attacks be diagnosed?
cannot be diagnosed unless full symptom panic attacks were experienced
What is the biological explanation for panic disorders?
norepinephrine activities are irregular
What is the gender proportion for panic disorders?
women > men
What is the required duration for the symptoms before panic disorder can be diagnosed?
1 month or more
What is Agoraphobia concerned or characterized with?
fear in two or more situations (public transpo, open spaces, enclosed spaces, standing in line, being outside of the home alone) due to thoughts that escape might be difficult or no one will help them in case panic-like symptoms would manifest
When does agoraphobia usually develop?
developed after a person has unexpected panic attacks
What genetic factor is agoraphobia strongly associated with?
has the strongest and most specific association with the genetic factor that represent proneness to phobia
How many individuals with agoraphobia are diagnosed with other mental disorders?
90% of individuals with agoraphobia also have other mental disorders
How long should the symptoms of agoraphobia in order for it to be diagnosed in an individual?
6 months or more
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
+ difficulty to control worry
+ excessive anxiety and worry occurring more days than not for at least 6 months, about a number of events or activities
+ worry whether or not they are judged/evaluated
What do individuals with generalized anxiety disorder believe in?
“the world is a dangerous place”
What is the biological explanation behind generalized anxiety disorder?
+ intense cognitive processing in the frontal lobes, particularly in the left hemisphere
+ fear circuit is excessively active
+ decreased GABA activity
What may intense worrying in generalized anxiety disorder manifest as?
intense worrying may act as avoidance
