PsychosocialTest4 Flashcards
define anxiety
- feeling of uneasiness, uncertainty, and helplessness
- state of tension
- associated with feelings of dread or doom
- response to a real or imagined treat or stressor
what are the purposes for anxiety
- warning of impending danger
- increase learning
- provides motivation
- leads to in/effective and mal/adaptive behaviors
responses to anxiety occur on what four levels
mild
moderate
severe
panic
what are the types of anxiety
signal anxiety
anxiety state
anxiety trait
define signal anxiety
a learned response to an anticipated event
Ex: a cal student becomes nauseated during exams
define anxiety state
occurs when one’s coping abilities become overwhelmed and emotional control is lost
EX: emergencies, accidents, traumas
define anxiety trait
a learned component of the personality
EX: react with anxiety in relatively low stress situations
what are some physical symptoms of anxiety
muscle tension fidgeting headaches problems with sleep nausea dizziness sweating increased HR elevated BP
coping mechanics come in what 4 realms
physical
intellectual
spiritual
emotional
coping mechanism in the physical realm includes
efforts to directly face and handle the problem
intellectual coping mechanisms are aimed at what
making the threat less meaningful by changing one’s perception
spiritual coping methods include what
faith
prayer
ritual
emotional coping responses include what
crying
communicating or sharing one’s anxious feeling
common defense mechanism; dissociation
separation of emotions from situation; removal of painful anxieties from conscious awareness
Ex:a solider casually describes the battle in which he lost his leg
common defense mechanism; intellectualization
focusing of attention of technical or logical aspects of threatening situation
EX: a wife describes the details of nurse’s unsuccessful attempts to prevent the death of her husband
common defense mechanisms; projection
putting of one’s own unacceptable thoughts, wishes, emotions onto others
EX: a woman is afraid to leave her house because she knows ppl will riddle her
common defense mechanism; reaction formation
development of conscious attitudes and behavior patterns that are opposite to what one really would like to have
EX: a man with homosexual feelings, which he finds to be threatening, engages in excessive heterosexual activities
common defense mechanism; restitution
giving back to resolve guilt feelings
EX: a man argues with his wife and then buys her roses
common defense mechanism; suppression
removal of conflict by removing anxiety from consciousness
EX: a woman with a family history of breast cancer “forgets” her appointment for a mammogram
common defense mechanism; symbolization
use of an unrelated object to represent hidden idea
EX: a girl who feel insignificant draws a picture of her family in which she is the smallest character
common defense mechanism; undoing
inappropriate behavior that is followed by acts to take away or reverse action and decrease guilt and anxiety
EX: a man physically abuses his wife then cleans her wounds and nurses her back to health
what are the purposes of defense mechanisms
reduce or avoid negative states such as conflict, frustration, anxiety, and stress
- used when on feels threatened
- helps avoid negative emotional states
- reduce uncomfortable negative emotions
what is a crisis
when one’s ability to cope with anxiety is overwhelmed
-defense mechanisms are no longer useful
what is bad about having too little or too much anxiety
too little=lack of attention or focus in important situation
too much=overwhelm and immobilize an individual. inability to accomplish important tasks