Abnormal Psychology - Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety = a sense of agitation or nervousness, which is often focused on an upcoming potential danger

Anxiety Disorder = fear, extreme anxiety, intense arousal, and extreme attempts to avoid stimuli that lead to fear & anxiety

Fight or Flight response often occurs when a person perceives a threat

Your body responds by:

• increasing heart & breathing rate
• increasing sweat on palms
• dilating pupils

Panic - an extreme sense of imminent doom, with an extreme stress response

Phobia - an exaggerated fear of an object or situation with an extreme avoidance of that object or situation

Generalized Anxiety Disorder - excessive & persistent worry & anxiety about events or activities

GAD sufferers worry about:

• family
• finances
• work
• illness
• AND the worries are excessive
• AND they worry even when things are going well

Psychological Factors for GAD

• hypervigilance
• worries are out of control
• worrying gives them the illusion of coping

Stressful life events can trigger symptoms of GAD in someone who is vulnerable

Medications:

• Buspar
• Effexor, Paxil & Lexapro - treat anxiety & depression

Treating Psychological Factors

• increase person's sense of control
• biofeedback
• habituation
• exposure

People with GAD often develop behaviors that are associated with their worries and reinforce them

Panic Attack - can often resemble a heart attack

Panic Disorder is marked by frequent, unexpected panic attacks, along with worry about further attacks or their consequences & restriction of behavior

Agoraphobia - persistent avoidance of:

• Situations that might trigger panic symptoms
• Situations from which escape would be difficult or help would not be available

Panic Disorder can cause

• Catastrophic thinking
• Anxiety sensitivity

People with panic disorder tend to have had a higher than average number of stressful events during childhood & adolescence

Medications:

• Xanax
• Klonapin
• Anafranil

Therapy

• deep breathing
• relaxation techniques
• psychoeducation
• cognitive restructuring
• therapy groups

Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia) - intense fear of or anxiety about being scrutinized by others when in social situations

Types:

• social interactions
• being observed
• performing

Extreme overprotection by parents is associated with childhood anxiety

Specific Phobia - marked anxiety or fear of a specific situation or object that is out of proportion to the danger presented

Types

• animal
• natural environment
• blood-injection-injury
• situational
• other

Separation Anxiety Disorder - excessive anxiety about separation from home or a parent (usually)