Unit 4 Media Response Flashcards
Define anxiety disorders.
Dysfunctional feelings of extreme apprehension, fear, stress and uneasiness.
What are the five main types of anxiety disorder.
- Generalised anxiety disorder.
- Phobic disorder.
- Panic disorder.
- OCD.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder.
Define phobic disorder.
A fear of something that interferes with a person’s ability to function in day-to-day life.
In what percentage of the population do anxiety disorders occur?
18%
When are women more vulnerable to anxiety disorders?
Between 45-54 years old.
Define phobia.
Defines as a persistent, irrational and intense fear of a particular object or event.
What is social phobia?
Can involve a fear of other people or social situations.
What is specific phobia?
Fear of a single object or event that triggers a panic response.
What is agoraphobia?
Fear of leaving a familiar place such as home.
What are the three contributing biological factors to the maintenance and development of a phobia?
- Stress response.
- GABA (Gamma-amino butyric acid).
- Genetic factors.
What is the role of the stress response?
Activates the fight-or-flight response; releasing stress hormones such as adrenaline and noradrenaline into the blood stream to:
- Increase heart rate.
- Increase respiration rate.
- Circulate more glucose through the body for more energy.
- Improve focus.
- Temporarily boost stamina to either fight the impending danger or flee to a safe place.
List the symptoms of the stress response.
- Elevated heart rate
- Elevated blood pressure
- Tremors
- Palpitations (abnormally fats heartbeat that the person is aware of)
- Diarrhea
- Sweating
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
- Skin sensation of prickling, burning or itching
Where are the amygdala and hippocampus located?
Left and right medial temporal lobes.
What does the amygdala do?
Is vital in initiating and processing emotional responses and in forming emotional memories.
- Is part of the Limbic system.
What does the hippocampus do?
Involved in the formation of declarative memories such as information about the world, facts, knowledge and autobiographical memories.
Outline what occurs when a person experiences a frightening event.
- Frightening event.
- All sense are processed by the amygdala.
- Emotion is linked to the memory.
- Memory is consolidated by the hippocampus.
What is the amygdala responsible for?
The formation and storage of classically conditioned event.
Therefore, if a person is exposed to a similar stimulus to the anxiety-inducing stimulus, the amygdala ‘triggers’ the emotion of fear which leads to the fight-or-flight response.
What does GABA stand for?
Gamma-amino butyric acid.
What is GABA and what is its role?
It is a neurotransmitter which has an inhibitory role in the regulation of anxiety, arousal and sleep.
Low levels of GABA = High levels of anxiety
t(-.-t)
GABA-producing Synapes are present in approximately 49% of all nerve junctions in the brain.
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