Trauma and Anxiety Disorders Overview
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Questions and Answers

What biological factor may indicate vulnerability to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?

  • Increased dopamine levels
  • Alterations in the structure and activity of the limbic system
  • Genetic predisposition (correct)
  • Taking anti-anxiety medication

    • Which treatment is specifically mentioned as effective for OCD?

  • Exposure and response prevention therapy (correct)
  • Electroconvulsive therapy
  • Psychoanalysis
  • Aromatherapy

    • How do compulsions in OCD typically develop according to cognitive-behavioral theories?

  • Through classical conditioning
  • Through operant conditioning – negative reinforcement (correct)
  • From childhood trauma
  • As a side effect of medication

    • What is a common characteristic of individuals with hoarding disorder?

    <p>An exaggerated sense of responsibility and guilt</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which brain structures show decreased activity in people with OCD after responding to behavior therapy?

    <p>Caudate nucleus and thalamus</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What physiological change occurs when the hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system?

    <p>Increased glucose release from the liver</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following responses is characterized by the symptom of hypervigilance?

    <p>Increased alertness</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key characteristic of trauma as defined in the content?

    <p>Involves actual or threatened death or injury</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following represents a behavioral response to stress?

    <p>Escape</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What occurs when the adrenal-cortical system is activated after a threatening stimuli?

    <p>The activation turns off</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which emotional response is characterized by exaggerated perceptions of danger?

    <p>Dread</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the major criteria for diagnosing PTSD or acute stress disorder?

    <p>The traumatic event was experienced by someone close to the individual</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which physiological change is NOT associated with the activation of the sympathetic nervous system?

    <p>Muscle relaxation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which psychological factors increase the likelihood of developing PTSD after a trauma?

    <p>Pre-existing symptoms of anxiety or depression</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one reason women are more likely to develop PTSD compared to men?

    <p>Women experience stigmatizing types of traumas</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which racial or ethnic group has been reported to have higher rates of PTSD?

    <p>African Americans</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a physical symptom associated with Ataque de Nervios?

    <p>Loss of consciousness</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which brain region is known to respond more actively to emotional stimuli in individuals with PTSD?

    <p>Amygdala</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the medial prefrontal cortex's activity relate to PTSD symptoms?

    <p>It is less active in people with more severe symptoms</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following symptoms is characteristic of 'Nervios' among Latinos?

    <p>Chronic anxiety-like symptoms</p> Signup and view all the answers

    People from racial or ethnic minority groups are generally less likely to seek treatment for which type of symptoms?

    <p>Trauma-related symptoms</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a biological factor that may contribute to PTSD?

    <p>Abnormalities in brain responses to emotional stimuli</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a goal of cognitive-behavioral therapy for PTSD?

    <p>To expose clients to their fears</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of phobia involves an intense fear of seeing blood or injury?

    <p>Blood-injection-or injury type phobia</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements about specific phobias is true?

    <p>Anxiety occurs immediately upon encounter with the feared object.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which therapy is described as helping clients manage stress in their lives?

    <p>Stress-inoculation therapy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a common type of situational phobia?

    <p>Fear of public transportation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is observed in individuals with PTSD regarding cortisol levels?

    <p>They have significantly lower resting cortisol levels.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the evidence regarding biological therapy effectiveness in treating PTSD?

    <p>The evidence is inconsistent.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a common characteristic of individuals with agoraphobia?

    <p>They typically have a history of panic attacks.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to behavioral theories, which method is NOT used in treating phobias?

    <p>Cognitive restructuring</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How much more likely are first-degree relatives of individuals with phobias to also have a phobia?

    <p>Three to four times more likely</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What treatment technique is specifically used for blood-injection-injury type phobia?

    <p>Applied tension technique</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement about social anxiety disorder is true?

    <p>It can cause severe disruption in a person's life.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following symptoms is NOT commonly associated with social anxiety disorder?

    <p>Improve on stage performances</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a significant factor in the prevalence of agoraphobia among genders?

    <p>It is more common in women.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which theory suggests that phobias may arise from unconscious anxiety being displaced onto a neutral object?

    <p>Psychoanalytic theory</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the flight-or-fight response?

    <p>A set of physical and psychological responses that help fight a threat and flee from it.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following systems does the hypothalamus activate when a stressful situation occurs?

    <p>Sympathetic Nervous System</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the physiological changes that occur when the hypothalamus activates the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS)?

    <p>The liver releases extra sugar, the body's metabolism increases, heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate increases, muscles tense, less essential activities are curtailed, saliva and mucus dry up, the body releases endorphins, the surface blood vessels constrict, and the spleen releases more blood vessels.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the adrenal-cortical system?

    <p>The adrenal-cortical system is a part of the endocrine system that releases hormones, especially cortisol, in response to stress.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of these is NOT a typical emotional symptom of the fight-or-flight response?

    <p>Euphoria</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of these is NOT a cognitive symptom of the flight-or-flight response?

    <p>Increased focus</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of these is NOT a behavioral symptom of the flight-or-flight response?

    <p>Relaxation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is trauma, as defined by the American Psychiatric Association?

    <p>Trauma are events in which individuals are exposed to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The DSM-5 criteria for both Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) require that the traumatic event happened to someone the sufferer is close to, or that they repeatedly experienced the traumatic event.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a common symptom of both PTSD and Acute Stress Disorder?

    <p>Physical symptoms of pain</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of these is a common symptom of PTSD that often leads to a diagnosis of PTSD with prominent dissociative (depersonalization/derealization) symptoms?

    <p>Dissociation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) is diagnosed when symptoms arise within one month of exposure to the stressor and last for no longer than four weeks.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of these is NOT a common dissociative symptom associated with Acute Stress Disorder?

    <p>Increased memory of the traumatic event</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Individuals with Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) are at a high risk of continuing to experience posttraumatic stress symptoms.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is Adjustment Disorder?

    <p>It consists of emotional or behavioral symptoms that arise within three months of the experience of a stressor.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is Adjustment Disorder typically diagnosed as?

    <p>It is a diagnosis for people experiencing emotional and behavioral symptoms following a stressor who do not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD, Acute Stress Disorder, or an anxiety or mood disorder resulting from a stressful experience.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of these is NOT a common trigger for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

    <p>Human-made disasters</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Individuals who experience more severe and longer-lasting traumas, and are directly affected by a traumatic event, are more likely to develop PTSD.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    People who have the emotional support of others after a trauma recover more quickly than people who do not.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Individuals who already are experiencing increased symptoms of anxiety or depression before a trauma occurs are more likely to develop PTSD following the trauma.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Individuals with self-destructive, avoidant, and dissociative coping strategies are more likely to experience PTSD.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Women are more likely than men to experience PTSD.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Women are more likely to develop PTSD because the types of traumas they experience are more stigmatizing than men, thus reducing their social support.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    African Americans have higher rates of PTSD than whites, Hispanics, and Asian Americans.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    All racial and ethnic minority groups are less likely than whites to seek treatment for trauma-related symptoms.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is Ataque de Nervios, and how common is it?

    <p>Ataque de Nervios (Attack of Nerves) is a cultural syndrome found among Latinos.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a typical physical symptom associated with Ataque de Nervios?

    <p>Intense warmth in the chest</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of these is NOT a typical behavioral symptom of Ataque de Nervios?

    <p>Intense laughter</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is Nervios, and how common is it?

    <p>Nervios is a cultural syndrome found among Latinos, characterized by more chronic anxiety-like symptoms.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the Amygdala, and what role does it play in PTSD?

    <p>The Amygdala is a brain structure responsible for processing emotions, especially fear and anxiety.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the Medial Prefrontal Cortex, and what role does it play in PTSD?

    <p>The Medial Prefrontal Cortex (mPFC) is a brain region involved in regulating emotions and cognitive control.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the Hippocampus, and what role does it play in PTSD?

    <p>The Hippocampus is a brain structure involved in memory formation and retrieval.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Resting levels of cortisol among individuals with PTSD tend to be lower than those among individuals without PTSD when not exposed to trauma reminders.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Extreme or chronic stress during childhood may have a long-lasting impact on the individual's biological stress response, making them more vulnerable to PTSD.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Abnormally low cortisol levels and brain abnormalities in responses to emotional stimuli are thought to have a genetic basis in PTSD.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a goal of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for PTSD?

    <p>Encourage clients to rely on medication as the primary treatment method</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are two core techniques used in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for PTSD?

    <p>Systematic Desensitization and Stress-inoculation Therapy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Selective-Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and Benzodiazepines are both proven highly effective in treating PTSD.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are Specific Phobias?

    <p>Unreasonable or irrational fears of specific objects or situations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    When someone with a Specific Phobia encounters the feared object, their anxiety is immediate and intense, and they may sometimes experience a panic attack.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Most specific phobias develop during childhood.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    90% of people with a Specific Phobia seek treatment for their condition.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Claustrophobia is a common Situational Phobia.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Agoraphobia is characterized by a distinct fear of open spaces.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    50% of individuals with Agoraphobia have a history of panic attacks.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Individuals with Agoraphobia generally have a history of other anxiety disorders, somatic symptom disorders, or depression.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Agoraphobia is equally prevalent among men and women.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Freud, what is the core of the Psychoanalytic Theory of Phobias?

    <p>Phobias result when unconscious anxiety is displaced onto a neutral or symbolic object.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of these is NOT a key component of Behavioral Theories of Phobias?

    <p>Cognitive restructuring</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Biological Theories of Phobias, the first-degree relatives of individuals with phobias are more likely to develop a phobia than first-degree relatives of those without phobias.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Research suggests that situational and animal phobias are linked to the same genes.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are three commonly employed Behavioral Treatments for Phobias?

    <p>Modeling, flooding, and systematic desensitization.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The applied tension technique, which involves tensing muscles to help counteract physiological symptoms, is often used to treat the blood-injection-injury type of phobia.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Benzodiazepines, which are a class of drugs primarily used to reduce anxiety, are highly effective for treating phobias in the long-term.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is associated with a fear of being rejected, judged, or humiliated in public, and these fears often lead individuals to avoid social situations.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a relatively rare disorder, with lower prevalence rates than most other anxiety disorders.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Men are more likely than women to develop Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD).

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) typically develops during childhood.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) often co-occurs with other anxiety disorders and mood disorders.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is typically a temporary condition that resolves on its own.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is Taijinkyofusho?

    <p>Taijinkyofusho is a Japanese term for a cultural syndrome characterized by extreme shame and a persistent fear of causing others offense, embarrassment, or harm due to one's perceived personal inadequacies.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Research suggests that shyness tends to run in families, indicating a potential genetic component to Social Anxiety Disorder.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Genetic factors alone are responsible for Social Anxiety Disorder.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the Cognitive Perspective, individuals with SAD tend to have excessively high standards for their own social performance.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Individuals with SAD tend to focus on positive aspects of social interactions and view their own social behavior favorably.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    People with SAD are less likely to notice potentially threatening social cues or misinterpret them in a self-defeating manner than individuals without SAD.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Individuals with SAD are highly attuned to their self-presentation and their internal feelings.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a common treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)?

    <p>Psychodynamic therapy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Mindfulness-based interventions are a helpful addition to treating Social Anxiety Disorder.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a Panic Attack?

    <p>It is a sudden onset of intense fear or discomfort, often accompanied by physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, trembling, dizziness, shortness of breath, and feelings of choking.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Panic Disorder occurs when panic attacks become a common occurrence, are often unexpected, and lead to a pattern of worry about future attacks that influences behavior.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Individuals with Panic Disorder often fear they have a life-threatening illness.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Individuals with Panic Disorder often believe they are going crazy or losing control.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Panic Disorder is typically a temporary condition.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Panic Disorder is more prevalent in men than in women.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Individuals with Panic Disorder rarely experience any other mental health conditions.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Research suggests that the heritability of Panic Disorder is relatively low.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Specific genes have been consistently identified as the sole cause of Panic Disorder.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Individuals with Panic Disorder tend to have a poorly regulated fight-or-flight response.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Dysregulation of the norepinephrine system in the locus ceruleus is thought to be a possible contributor to Panic Disorder.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Fluctuations in progesterone levels have no impact on the neurotransmitter systems associated with Panic Disorder.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    An increase in progesterone can induce mild, chronic hyperventilation in women prone to panic attacks.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Individuals who are prone to panic attacks tend to pay close attention to bodily sensations, misinterpret these sensations negatively, and engage in catastrophic thinking.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is Anxiety Sensitivity?

    <p>It is an unfounded belief that bodily symptoms have harmful consequences.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Individuals prone to panic attacks tend to have a heightened interoceptive awareness.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Beliefs about the controllability of symptoms are not considered to be important in the context of Panic Disorder.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main difference between a panic attack and panic disorder?

    <p>A panic attack is a sudden onset of intense fear or discomfort that often includes physical symptoms like racing heart, shortness of breath, dizziness, or trembling. Panic disorder is a diagnosis given when panic attacks become recurrent and unexpected, leading to anxiety and behavioral changes due to the worry of having another attack.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the four types of symptoms associated with PTSD and Acute Stress Disorder?

    <p>Repeated re-experiencing of the traumatic event, persistent avoidance of situations associated with the trauma, negative changes in thought and mood associated with the event, and hypervigilance and chronic arousal.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The criteria for diagnosing PTSD and ASD include the requirement that the traumatic event must have happened directly to the individual.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Dissociative symptoms, including ______, are commonly seen in Acute Stress Disorder.

    <p>numbing or detachment, reduced awareness of surroundings, derealization, depersonalization, and an inability to recall important aspects of the trauma</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the defining characteristic of Adjustment Disorder?

    <p>In Adjustment Disorder, emotional or behavioral symptoms arise within three months of a stressful experience, but these symptoms do not meet the criteria for a PTSD, ASD, anxiety or mood disorder diagnosis.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary focus of specific phobias?

    <p>Specific phobias are characterized by unreasonable or irrational fears of specific objects or situations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of these is NOT a common type of specific phobia?

    <p>Social type</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Agoraphobia is also known as 'fear of the marketplace' since it involves fear of public spaces, open spaces, and crowds.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Freud's psychoanalytic theory, how do phobias develop?

    <p>Freud suggested that phobias result from unconscious anxiety being displaced onto a neutral or symbolic object.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the main behavioral theories associated with phobias?

    <p>Observational learning, classical conditioning, and operant conditioning.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Twin studies suggest that phobias have a strong genetic component, with a 3-4 times higher risk for first-degree relatives of individuals with phobias.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the most common types of obsessions across cultures?

    <p>The most common types of obsessions across cultures include aggression, sexuality, religion, symmetry and ordering, and contamination.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of these is NOT a common symptom of OCD?

    <p>Intrusive thoughts of harming oneself or others.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The prevalence of OCD is significantly different across countries.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Explain how compulsive hoarding is related to OCD.

    <p>Compulsive hoarding is a behavior closely related to OCD and is often classified as a separate diagnosis in the DSM-5. Individuals with hoarding disorder have difficulty discarding possessions, even if they are considered trash, and they often develop strong emotional attachments to their belongings.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the two common obsessive-compulsive related disorders?

    <p>The two common obsessive-compulsive related disorders are trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder) and skin picking disorder.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The estimated prevalence of hair pulling disorder is ______ of the population.

    <p>1 to 3 percent</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main characteristic of Body Dysmorphic Disorder?

    <p>Body Dysmorphic Disorder involves an excessive preoccupation with a perceived defect in one's physical appearance, which is often seen as minor or insignificant by others.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Body dysmorphic disorder is rarely comorbid with other mental health disorders.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary biological factor influencing the development of OCD and related disorders?

    <p>Alterations in the structure and activity of the striatum, a brain region involved in motor control and habitual behaviors, are often observed in individuals with OCD and related disorders.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the primary treatment modalities for OCD?

    <p>Antidepressant drugs, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Cognitive behavioral therapy is considered more effective than benzodiazepines in treating generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the underlying principle of the Cognitive Avoidance model of GAD?

    <p>The Cognitive Avoidance model suggests that worrying, while seemingly unhelpful, can serve as a coping mechanism for people with GAD, helping them avoid awareness of internal and external threats and reducing their reactivity to negative events.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of these is NOT a common biological factor associated with GAD?

    <p>Excessive activity in the hippocampus.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the key differences between anxiety and fear?

    <p>Fear is a natural response to a perceived threat, often characterized by physical symptoms like increased heart rate and rapid breathing. It is usually triggered by an immediate danger. Anxiety, on the other hand, is a more diffuse and anticipatory feeling of apprehension or worry, often focused on future events or situations that might be potentially threatening.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Treatment for separation anxiety disorder primarily focuses on medication.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Explain how Taijinkyofusho differs from Social Anxiety Disorder.

    <p>Taijinkyofusho is a Japanese cultural syndrome characterized by intense shame and fear of causing others offense, embarrassment, or even harm through personal inadequacies. While both share aspects involving social interactions, Taijinkyofusho specifically focuses on the fear of social disapproval and potential harm caused by one's actions or perceived shortcomings, while Social Anxiety Disorder emphasizes fear of negative evaluation and social rejection.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The treatment options for Social Anxiety Disorder include cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness techniques.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the most common symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?

    <p>Individuals with GAD often experience persistent and excessive worry about a range of events or situations. They may also experience muscle tension, sleep disturbances, and chronic restlessness.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    • Trauma refers to events where individuals experience or witness actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violation.
    • The flight-or-fight response is a set of physical and psychological reactions triggered by stress or crisis, allowing individuals to confront or escape threats.
    • The hypothalamus initiates the flight-or-fight response by activating the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) and the Adrenal-Cortical System.
    • The SNS, when activated by the hypothalamus, causes a range of physiological changes including: increased glucose release by the liver, heightened metabolism, elevated heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate, muscle tension, reduced non-essential activities, decreased saliva and mucus production, endorphin release, constriction of surface blood vessels, and increased red blood cell production by the spleen.
    • The Adrenal-Cortical System is responsible for the release of cortisol, a stress hormone, which acts as a brake on the SNS, deactivating it once the threatening stimuli subside.
    • Psychological trauma can trigger a range of emotional, cognitive, and behavioral reactions, including:
      • Emotional: Terror, dread, irritability, restlessness
      • Cognitive: Anticipation of harm, exaggerated perception of danger, difficulty concentrating, hypervigilance, ruminative thoughts, fear of losing control, fear of dying, feelings of unreality.
      • Behavioral: Escape, avoidance, aggression, freezing.

    Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Acute Stress Disorder

    • Both PTSD and Acute Stress Disorder require the sufferer to directly experience a traumatic event, witness it happening to someone close to them, be repeatedly exposed to the traumatic event, or be intensely exposed to the details of the traumatic event.

    Theories of PTSD

    • Psychological Factors: People who experience increased anxiety or depression before a trauma are at higher risk of developing PTSD. Individuals with self-destructive, avoidant, and dissociative coping mechanisms are more likely to experience PTSD.
    • Gender and Cross-Cultural Differences: Women tend to experience PTSD more frequently than men, potentially due to the stigmatization of the types of trauma they often face, limiting their social support. African Americans experience higher rates of PTSD compared to white, Hispanic, and Asian American populations. Asian Americans report higher occurrences of being refugees or civilians in war zones. All racial/ethnic minorities are less likely than white individuals to seek treatment for trauma-related symptoms.
      • Culture: Culture influences the manifestation of anxiety. Examples include:
        • Ataque de Nervios (Attack of Nerves): Common among Latinos, characterized by physical symptoms like tremors, heart palpitations, chest heat rising to the head, limb movement difficulties, loss of consciousness, memory lapses, paresthesia, chest tightness, dyspnea, dizziness, faintness, and spells, as well as behavioral symptoms like shouting, swearing, striking others, falling to the ground with convulsive movements, and lying immobile.
        • Nervios: More chronic, anxiety-like symptoms among Latinos, encompassing a wide range of physical ailments and emotional symptoms.
    • Biological Factors: Neuroimaging findings indicate that the amygdala, a brain region responsible for emotional processing, shows greater activity in individuals with PTSD. The medial prefrontal cortex, associated with executive functions, is less active in those experiencing more severe symptoms. The hippocampus, involved in memory formation and spatial navigation, shows shrinkage in people with PTSD.
    • Biochemical Findings: Individuals with PTSD often have lower resting levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, compared to those without PTSD. This lower cortisol level may contribute to prolonged SNS activity following stress.
    • Genetics: Abnormally low cortisol levels and variations in brain responses to emotional stimuli appear to have a genetic basis.

    Treatments for PTSD

    • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Stress Management: CBT aims to reduce fear by exposing clients to their fears, challenging distorted cognitions that contribute to symptoms, and assisting them in managing stress in their lives.
    • Specific Techniques: Systemic Desensitization, Stress-inoculation Therapy
    • Biological Therapies: Selective-Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) medications and benzodiazepines are used, though their effectiveness in treating PTSD is mixed.
    • OCD is often present in people with body dysmorphic disorder.
    • Biological Theories of OCD: Changes in the structure and activity of the striatum, a brain region involved in movement control and reward, may contribute to OCD. Medication regulating serotonin levels often provides relief for individuals with OCD and related disorders. Behavioral therapy for OCD can lead to reduced activity in the caudate nucleus and thalamus, brain regions involved in movement and sensory processing. A sudden onset of OCD in children is associated with strep infection. Genetic factors are believed to play a role in vulnerability to OCD.
    • Cognitive-Behavioral Theories of OCD: Individuals with OCD and related disorders struggle to suppress negative, intrusive thoughts. Compulsive behaviors, such as repetitive actions, emerge through operant conditioning—negative reinforcement, where the behavior reduces anxiety or distress. People with hoarding disorder experience an exaggerated sense of responsibility, guilt about wasting things, an excessive need to prepare for unexpected situations, and a feeling of moral obligation to prevent harm to objects.

    Treatments for OCD

    • Biological Treatments: Antidepressant medications are commonly used.
    • Cognitive-Behavioral Treatments: CBT interventions using exposure and response prevention are effective.

    Specific Phobia and Agoraphobia

    • Specific Phobias: Characterized by unreasonable or irrational fears of specific objects or situations. The presence of the feared object or situation triggers immediate and intense anxiety, sometimes resulting in panic attacks. Often develop in childhood.
    • Common Specific Phobias:
      • Animal Type: Focus on specific animals or insects, such as dogs, cats, snakes, spiders.
      • Natural Environment Type: Focus on events or situations in natural environments, like storms, heights, or water.
      • Situational Type: Fear of public transportation, tunnels, bridges, elevators, flying, or driving. Claustrophobia is a common situational phobia.
      • Blood-Injection-Injury Type: Fear of seeing blood or injury.
    • Agoraphobia: Often described as “fear of the marketplace", characterized by intense anxiety in situations that involve public transportation, open spaces, shops, theaters, crowded places, or being alone outside one's home. 50% of those with agoraphobia have experienced panic attacks. Individuals with agoraphobia frequently have a history of other anxiety disorders, somatic symptom disorders, or depression. It commonly develops in early adulthood and is more prevalent in women than men.

    Theories of Phobias

    • Psychoanalytic Theory (Freud): According to Freud, displacement of unconscious anxiety onto a neutral or symbolic object leads to the development of phobias.
    • Behavioral Theories:
      • Mowrer's Two-Factor Theory (1939): Proposed that phobias develop through classical conditioning (learning to fear an object or situation) and operant conditioning (avoidance of the feared object or situation reduces anxiety, reinforcing the fear).
      • Observational Learning: Observing others experiencing fear can trigger the development of phobias in individuals.
      • Prepared Classical Conditioning: Humans possess a predisposition to develop phobias of certain objects or situations, like snakes, spiders, or heights, due to evolutionary factors.
    • Biological Theories: First-degree relatives of individuals with phobias are three to four times more likely to have a phobia than the relatives of people without phobias. Research suggests a genetic link between situational and animal phobias, as well as a general predisposition to phobias that isn't limited to specific types.

    Treatments for Phobias

    • Behavioral Treatments: Modeling, flooding, and systematic desensitization techniques are effective. The applied tension technique is used to treat blood-injection-injury type phobias.
    • Biological Treatments: Benzodiazepines reduce anxiety when confronting phobic objects.

    Social Anxiety Disorder

    • Individuals with social anxiety disorder experience intense anxiety in social situations. They have an overwhelming fear of rejection, judgment, or humiliation in public, leading to preoccupation with these worries and avoidance of social interactions. Social anxiety disorder can severely disrupt a person's daily life.
    • Symptoms: Tremors, perspiration, confusion, dizziness, heart palpitations, and potentially panic attacks; a fear of being subject to scrutiny.
    • Prevalence: Social anxiety disorder is common, with a lifetime prevalence of about 12% in the US and 3 to 7% internationally. Women are slightly more likely to develop social anxiety than men. Social anxiety disorder tends to begin in childhood or adolescence. It commonly co-occurs with mood disorders and other anxiety disorders, often becoming chronic without treatment.

    Theories of Social Anxiety Disorder

    • Genetic Factors: Social anxiety tends to run in families; twin and family history studies indicate a possible genetic link.
    • Cognitive Factors: Individuals with social anxiety disorder typically have excessively high standards for social performance, focus on negative aspects of interactions, and harshly evaluate their own behavior. They may notice and misinterpret potentially threatening cues, leading to self-defeating conclusions. They are often more attuned to their self-presentation and internal feelings.
    • Cultural Factors: Taijinkyofuho is a culturally specific form of social anxiety disorder, characterized by shame and persistent fear of causing embarrassment to others through one's own perceived inadequacies, common in Japan.

    Treatments for Social Anxiety Disorder

    • Biological Treatments: SSRIs and SNRIs can be effective.
    • Psychological Treatments: CBT, mindfulness-based interventions.

    Panic Disorder

    • Panic disorder is characterized by recurring, unexpected panic attacks. Panic attacks are characterized by short but intense periods of fear accompanied by palpitations, trembling, feelings of choking, dizziness, and intense dread.
    • Prevalence: Panic disorder affects approximately 3-5% of individuals, typically developing between late adolescence and the mid-thirties.
    • Comorbidity: Panic disorder frequently co-occurs with other conditions like depression and generalized anxiety disorder as well as problems involving the consumption of alcohol or other substances.

    Theories of Panic Disorder

    • Biological Theories: Family history and twin studies suggest a heritability of panic disorder in the range of 43-48%. Dysregulation of the norepinephrine system in the locus ceruleus and fluctuations in progesterone levels may influence panic attacks, with increased progesterone potentially inducing chronic hyperventilation in women experiencing panic attacks.
    • Cognitive Theories: People prone to panic attacks tend to pay close attention to bodily sensations, misinterpret these sensations in negative ways, and engage in catastrophic thinking, exaggerating the potential harm of the sensations. Anxiety sensitivity is a common factor, characterized by an unfounded belief that bodily symptoms portend harmful consequences. Increased interoceptive awareness and beliefs concerning the controllability of symptoms are likely contributing factors as well.

    Treatments for Panic Disorder

    • Biological Treatments: Antidepressants and benzodiazepines.
    • Psychological Treatments: Cognitive-behavioral therapy.

    Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

    • GAD is marked by excessive worry about various aspects of life lasting for a significant period, and frequently shifting focus. Individuals experience difficulty controlling their worry, which can lead to substantial impairment or distress.
    • Physiological Symptoms: Muscle tension, sleep disturbances, and chronic restlessness are often seen.
    • Prevalence: GAD is relatively common, found in approximately 14 percent of people, and its onset often occurs in childhood or adolescence, often occurring with other anxiety disorders and conditions involving the abuse of substances. Women are more likely to experience GAD.

    Theories of GAD

    • Emotional and Cognitive Factors: Individuals with GAD typically experience intense negative emotions and are highly reactive to negative events; they also frequently feel that their emotions are uncontrollable or unmanageable.
    • Cognitive Avoidance Model: Worrying in GAD may serve as a coping mechanism, helping individuals avoid awareness of internal and external threats, thereby reducing the reactivity to unavoidable negative occurrences.
    • Biological Factors: The SNS demonstrates heightened activity, and people experiencing GAD often display heightened amygdala reactivity to emotional stimuli. Some theories propose a deficiency of GABA or GABA receptors, resulting in excessive neuronal firing and contributing to anxiety. Higher heritability is seen in those with GAD than those without.

    Treatments for GAD

    • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Proven effective in treating GAD, more effective than benzodiazepines or other therapies.
    • Biological Treatments: Tricyclic antidepressants, including imipramine, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as paroxetine, are sometimes used to treat GAD symptoms, with paroxetine generally showing better efficacy than benzodiazepines.

    Separation Anxiety Disorder

    • Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD) usually begins in childhood and is characterized by excessive anxiety concerning separation from caregivers or attachment figures. Individuals with this disorder may experience symptoms such as refusing to attend school, experiencing nightmares, sleep disturbances, or a persistent need to be with caregivers. The symptoms usually last at least 4 weeks and significantly impair the individual's functioning.

    Theories of Separation Anxiety Disorder

    • Biological Factors: SAD tends to have a family history of anxiety and depressive disorders. Studies using twins indicate heritability trends, particularly in girls, yet without clear evidence of a singular genetic basis for SAD.
    • Psychological and Sociocultural Factors: Parental behaviors, such as being controlling, intrusive, and critical, can potentially contribute to children developing separation anxiety. Observational learning, children mimicking observed behavior, is another potential factor in the development of this disorder.

    Treatments for Separation Anxiety Disorder

    • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): A common treatment approach.
    • Biological Treatments (Medications): Antidepressants (SSRIs like Fluoxetine) are sometimes used, and show consistent effectiveness in children. Other drugs, like benzodiazepines and stimulants, or antihistamines are also considered.

    Body Dysmorphic Disorder

    • This disorder involves an excessive preoccupation with a perceived flaw in one's appearance, despite it often being normal or only slightly unusual to others. Individuals with this condition may spend hours checking or grooming a perceived flaw or may seek corrective surgery to address an imagined defect.

    Prevalence Rates (Body Dysmorphic Disorder)

    • Body dysmorphic disorder typically begins in the teenage years and can become chronic if left untreated.
    • The average age of onset is 16, with an average of 4 bodily preoccupations.
    • Body dysmorphic disorder often co-occurs with other conditions, such as anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, personality disorders, and substance use disorders.
    • There is a high degree of comorbidity with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

    Theories of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (Biological Factors)

    • The striatum and other brain regions related to movement control and reward may demonstrate alterations in structure and activity.
    • Alterations in the striatum and other brain areas may be connected. Medication regulating serotonin levels often demonstrates effectiveness in reducing OCD and related symptoms.
    • People experiencing OCD frequently show reduced activity in the caudate nucleus and thalamus, brain areas associated with movement and sensory processing, after behavioral therapies.
    • Sudden onset of OCD in children may be linked to strep infection.
    • Genetic factors are influential in susceptibility to OCD.
    • Note*: The original notes already included a significant amount of detail and accuracy. No further elaboration or expansion was necessary. However, the reorganized information may be helpful in facilitating a better understanding of the core concepts.

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    This quiz covers the fundamentals of trauma, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. It explores the physiological responses to stress, including the flight-or-fight response and the roles of the Sympathetic Nervous System and Adrenal-Cortical System. Test your knowledge on how these systems interact within the context of psychological reactions to trauma.

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