Understanding Anxiety and Defense Mechanisms

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary distinction between anxiety and fear?

Anxiety is a reaction to a specific threat, while fear is a prolonged response to uncertainty.

Anxiety involves a response to real or perceived threats, while fear is a necessary reaction to immediate danger. (correct)

Anxiety is an automatic behavior, while fear is conscious and voluntary.

Anxiety is a survival instinct, while fear is a state of uneasiness.

Which of the following describes the characteristics of moderate anxiety?

It leads to automatic behaviors and severe distress.

It causes selective inattention and hampers clear thinking. (correct)

It is accompanied by panic attacks and disorganized thought processes.

It increases problem-solving efficiency and cognitive clarity.

What are maladaptive defenses in the context of anxiety?

Immature defenses that obscure effective coping strategies. (correct)

Mechanisms that block feelings and memories but are healthy.

Coping styles that enhance self-image and are constructive.

Adaptive strategies that promote personal growth and achievement.

Severe anxiety is characterized by which of the following symptoms?

Difficulty concentrating and increased somatic symptoms. Signup and view all the answers

What role do defense mechanisms play against anxiety?

They serve as coping styles that protect individuals from feeling distress. Signup and view all the answers

Which is NOT a characteristic of normal anxiety?

It is always harmful and leads to confusion. Signup and view all the answers

How does severe anxiety affect behavior?

It induces impulsivity and difficulties in processing reality. Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of mild anxiety on functioning?

It promotes effective information processing and problem-solving. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately reflects the experience of panic in severe anxiety?

It often includes disorganized behavior and outbursts. Signup and view all the answers

Which defense mechanism is generally considered adaptive?

Finding healthy avenues for emotional expression. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of separation anxiety disorder?

Developmentally inappropriate anxiety over being away from a significant other. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main feature of panic disorder?

Sudden episodes of intense fear or discomfort. Signup and view all the answers

Which treatment method is first-line for obsessive-compulsive disorder?

Cognitive-behavioral therapy with exposure and response prevention. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes body dysmorphic disorder?

A false belief about one's physical appearance. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes illness anxiety disorder from somatic symptom disorder?

Fear of having a serious illness despite mild or absent symptoms. Signup and view all the answers

What is the treatment approach for conversion disorder?

Psychological therapies and physical rehabilitation. Signup and view all the answers

What might be a common symptom of trichotillomania?

Compulsive hair pulling. Signup and view all the answers

What factor might increase the risk of developing obsessive-compulsive disorder?

Child abuse trauma. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is not a characteristic of somatic symptom disorder?

Significant physical findings and diagnoses. Signup and view all the answers

Which classical treatment method is considered appropriate for managing the anxiety related to obsessive-compulsive disorder?

Cognitive-behavioral therapy with medication. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Anxiety

Anxiety is a feeling of uneasiness, uncertainty or dread arising from a real or perceived threat.
Fear is a reaction to a specific danger and is necessary for survival.
Mild anxiety helps with problem-solving by providing leverage and information.
Moderate anxiety can lead to selective inattention, impaired clear thinking, reduced optimal problem-solving.
Severe anxiety can result in a greatly reduced perceptual field, difficulty concentrating on the environment, confusion, automatic behavior, and an increase in somatic symptoms.
Panic is a markedly disturbed behavior with symptoms that include screaming, shouting, pacing, and an inability to process reality due to impulsivity.

Defenses Against Anxiety

Defense mechanisms are automatic coping styles that protect people from anxiety.
These coping styles maintain self-image by blocking feelings, conflicts, and memories.
Adaptive defenses are used for acceptable achievement of goals.
Maladaptive defenses are immature defenses that lower anxiety but can be detrimental.

Clinical Picture of Anxiety Disorders

Separation Anxiety Disorder: Developmentally inappropriate levels of concern, anxiety, and fear over being away from a significant other.
Specific Phobias: Irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation persistently leading to a desire for avoidance.
Social Anxiety Disorder: Severe anxiety or fear provoked by exposure to social or performance situations that involve being negatively judged by others; can present as physical symptoms such as heart attack, chest pain, and tingling.
Panic Disorder: Abrupt surge of intense fear or discomfort that reaches a peak within minutes; often accompanied by physical symptoms and the fear of groups.
Agoraphobia: Excessive anxiety about being in places or situations from which it might be difficult to escape or in which help might not be available, often resulting in the fear of groups.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorders

Obsessions: Thoughts, impulses, or images that persist and recur, making it difficult to dismiss them from the mind.
Compulsions: Ritualistic behaviors an individual feels driven to perform in an attempt to reduce anxiety; they often include repetitive behaviors like counting or checking things multiple times.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Characterized by the presence of either obsessions, compulsions, or both.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Excessive preoccupation with one or more perceived defects or flaws in physical appearance, often leading to repetitive behaviors like checking the mirror or seeking reassurance from others.
Hoarding Disorder: Persistent difficulty discarding possessions, regardless of actual value, resulting in the accumulation of items that clutter living areas.
Trichotillomania: Habitual hair pulling that can cause noticeable hair loss; often performed in response to stress.
Excoriation (Skin Picking) Disorder: Habitual skin picking that can lead to lesions and skin damage; can also be triggered by stress.

Risk Factors for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders

Trauma (child abuse)
Post-infectious autoimmune syndrome
Genetics: First-degree relatives have twice the risk of developing these disorders.
Comorbidity: Commonly occurs alongside anxiety disorders, eating disorders, mood disorders and other mental health conditions.

Treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders

Biological Treatments:
- SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors): FDA-approved treatments for OCD, including setraline and fluoxetine.
- Other medications include clomipramine (TCA), venlafaxine (SNRI), and some antipsychotics.
- Medications are generally not as effective for body dysmorphic disorder and hoarding disorder.
- SSRIs have been shown to be helpful for individuals with these disorders presenting obsessive-compulsive features.
Psychological Therapies:
- Exposure and Response Prevention: Considered a first-line cognitive-behavioral intervention; involves exposing the patient to triggers of OCD symptoms, helping the patient learn that anxiety will subside even when rituals are not completed.
- Flooding: Exposing the patient to a large amount of trigger stimuli to help extinguish the response.

Somatic Disorders

Somatization/Expression of Stress: Expressing stress through physical symptoms that are often manifestations of emotional distress and psychological conflict.
Multifactorial Interplay: Somatization involves a complex interplay of biological, cognitive, psychological, and social factors.

Primary Somatic Disorders

Somatic Symptom Disorder: Characterized by one or more somatic symptoms that are distressing or interfere with daily life.
Illness Anxiety Disorder (Formerly Hypochondriasis): Preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness despite the absence of significant supportive physical findings.
Conversion Disorder: Neurological symptoms in the absence of a neurological diagnosis; deficits in voluntary motor or sensory function.
Cognitive Factors Affecting Medical Condition: Psychological factors significantly influencing the course or severity of a diagnosed medical condition.

Disorders Under Conscious Control (Two main conditions)

Factitious Disorder: Consciously pretending to be ill for emotional needs, often fabricating or self-inflicting symptoms to assume a sick role.
Malingering: Consciously motivated fabrication of an illness for secondary gain, such as disability compensation, insurance money, avoidance of prison, or military service.

Treatment of Somatic Disorders

Key goals are to provide continuity of care, avoid unnecessary procedures, make frequent and brief visits, conduct a physical exam, avoid negative comments, and set reasonable therapeutic goals.

Effective Treatment Elements (Six Key Factors)

Provide continuity of care.
Avoid unnecessary procedures.
Provide frequent, brief and regular visits.
Always conduct a physical exam.
Avoid disparaging comments.
Set reasonable therapeutic goals.

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Description

Explore the complexities of anxiety, including its definitions, levels, and effects on behavior. Delve into the various defense mechanisms that individuals use to cope with anxiety and maintain their self-image. This quiz will challenge your understanding of how anxiety influences human emotions and actions.