Anxiety Disorders. PDF

Anxiety Disorders Introduction to Anxiety Disorders Anxiety disorders are characterized by excessive fear and anxiety that interfere with daily functioning. Distinction: Fear: Emotional response to a real or perceived imminent threat. Anxiety: Anticipation of a future threat. Common Types:...

Anxiety Disorders Introduction to Anxiety Disorders Anxiety disorders are characterized by excessive fear and anxiety that interfere with daily functioning. Distinction: Fear: Emotional response to a real or perceived imminent threat. Anxiety: Anticipation of a future threat. Common Types: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Phobias, Panic Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Social Anxiety Disorder, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) Persistent and excessive worry about a variety of events or activities. Physical Symptoms: Restlessness, muscle tension, fatigue. Cognitive Symptoms: Difficulty concentrating, irritability; Sleep Disturbances: Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Prevalence: Affects about 4% of the U.S. population; women are more likely to develop GAD.  Excessive anxiety and worry (apprehensive expectation), occurring more days than not for at least 6 months, about a number of events or activities (such as work or school performance). B. The individual finds it difficult to control the worry. C. The anxiety and worry are associated with three (or more) of the following six symptoms (with at least some symptoms having been present for more days than not for the past 6 months); Note: Only one item is required in children. 1. Restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge. 2. Being easily fatigued. 3. Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank. 4. Irritability. 5. Muscle tension. 6. Sleep disturbance (difficulty falling or staying asleep, or restless, unsatisfying sleep). D. The anxiety, worry, or physical symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. E. The disturbance is not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or another medical condition (e.g., hyperthyroidism). Explanations for GAD Sociocultural Perspective: Focus on Stressful Life Conditions, GAD is more likely to develop in individuals exposed to ongoing dangerous societal conditions; Psychodynamic Perspective: Anxiety is the result of unresolved childhood conflicts between the id and the ego.  Repression: Blocking of painful memories; Cognitive Perspective: Maladaptive Assumptions;  Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): Changing irrational thought patterns.  Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT): Encouraging present-focused, non-judgmental awareness to reduce worry. Biological Perspective: Neurotransmitters: GABA deficiency contributes to excessive anxiety, as it is responsible for Phobias: Specific Phobia Intense, irrational fear of specific objects or situations; Symptoms: Immediate anxiety response, avoidance behavior, interference with daily functioning. Prevalence: Affects about 12% of individuals at some point in life. Behavioral Causes: Classical Conditioning: Phobias can develop through pairing a neutral stimulus with a frightening event; Modeling: Observing others’ fearful reactions can lead to phobia development. Specific Phobia Diagnostic Criteria  Marked fear or anxiety about a specific object or situation; The phobic object or situation almost always provokes immediate fear or anxiety. The phobic object or situation is actively avoided or endured with intense fear or anxiety; The fear, anxiety, or avoidance is persistent, typically lasting for 6 months or more. The fear, anxiety, or avoidance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning; Separation Anxiety Disorder  The fear, anxiety, or avoidance is persistent, lasting at least 4 weeks in children and adolescents and typically 6 months or more in adults; Developmentally inappropriate and excessive fear or anxiety concerning separation from those to whom the individual is attached, as evidenced by at least three of the following: 1. Recurrent excessive distress when anticipating or experiencing separation from home or from major attachment figures. 2. Persistent and excessive worry about losing major attachment figures or about possible harm to them, such as illness, injury, disasters, or death; Persistent and excessive worry about experiencing an untoward event hat causes separation from a major attachment figure. 4. Persistent reluctance or refusal to go out, away from home, to school, to work, or elsewhere because of fear of separation. Persistent reluctance or refusal to sleep away from home or to go to sleep without being near a major attachment figure. 7. Repeated nightmares involving the theme of separation. 8. Repeated complaints of physical symptoms; Social Anxiety Disorder Fear of social or performance situations where embarrassment or scrutiny by others is possible. Symptoms: Fear of being judged, embarrassed, or humiliated, avoidance of social interactions or public speaking. Cognitive View: Dysfunctional beliefs about social interactions; Social Anxiety Disorder Diagnostic Criteria Marked fear or anxiety about one or more social situations in which the individual is exposed to possible scrutiny by others. Examples include social interactions, being observed, and performing in front of others; The individual fears that he or she will act in a way or show anxiety symptoms that will be negatively evaluated; The social situations almost always provoke fear or anxiety. The fear or anxiety is out of proportion to the actual threat posed by the social situation and to the sociocultural context. The fear, anxiety, or avoidance is persistent, typically lasting for 6 months or more. The fear, anxiety, or avoidance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. Panic Disorder Sudden and repeated episodes of intense fear (panic attacks), accompanied by physical symptoms. Symptoms of Panic Attack: Heart palpitations, dizziness, sweating, shortness of breath, etc. Biological Explanation: Abnormal levels of norepinephrine in the brain’s locus coeruleus are linked to panic attacks. Genetic predisposition increases risk. Cognitive Explanation: Misinterpretation of bodily sensations (e.g., increased heart rate) leads to panic. Anxiety sensitivity: Fear of physical symptoms increases their intensity. Panic Disorder Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate. 2. Sweating. 3. Trembling or shaking. 4. Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering. 5. Feelings of choking. 6. Chest pain or discomfort. 7. Nausea or abdominal distress. 8. Feeling dizzy, unsteady, light-headed, or faint. 9. Chills or heat sensations. 10. Paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations). 11. Derealization (feelings of unreality) or depersonalization (being detached from oneself). 12. Fear of losing control or “going crazy.” 13. Fear of dying. Note: Culture-specific symptoms (e.g., tinnitu Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Persistent, unwanted obsessions (thoughts) and compulsions (behaviors) aimed at reducing anxiety; Obsessions are repeated thoughts, urges, or mental images that are intrusive, unwanted, and make most people anxious; Compulsions are repetitive behaviors a person feels the urge to do, often in response to an obsession;