Transcript Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety Disorders
I. What is Anxiety?
A. Anxiety: an emotional state characterized by physiological
arousal, unpleasant feelings of tension, and a sense of
apprehension or foreboding.
II. Anxiety Disorders
A. Anxiety Disorder: a class of psychological disorders
characterized by excessive or maladaptive anxiety reactions.
1) Physical Features
2) Behavioral Features
3) Cognitive Features
B. Panic Disorder: a type of anxiety disorder characterized by
repeated episodes of intense anxiety or panic.
1) Diagnosis requires repeated and unexpected attacks
followed by one of the following…
a) At least a month of
persistent fear of subsequent
attacks.
b) Worry about the
implications or consequences
of the attack.
c) Significant change in
behavior.
2) Biological Factors…
3) Cognitive Factors…
4) Treatment…
C. Phobic Disorders
1) Phobia: a strong and persistent fear of a specific object
or situation that often interferes with daily living.
2) Social Anxiety Disorder: excessive fear of social
interactions or situations (a.k.a. social phobia).
3) Agoraphobia: an intense fear of open or public places.
4) Psychodynamic Perspectives...
5) Learning Perspectives...
a) Two-Factor Model: a theoretical model that accounts for the
development of phobic reactions on the basis of classical and
operant conditioning.
6) Biological Perspectives...
7) Cognitive Perspectives...
8) Treatment... Exposure Therapies: the patient is
exposed to the phobic object or situation in some form.
a) Systematic Desensitization: a behavior therapy technique for
overcoming phobias by means of exposure to progressively more
fearful stimuli (in imagination or by viewing slides) while remaining
deeply relaxed.
b) Gradual Exposure: a method of overcoming fears through a
stepwise process of exposure to increasingly fearful stimuli in
imagination or in real-life situations.
c) Flooding: a behavior therapy technique for overcoming fears by
means of exposure to high levels of fear-inducing stimuli.
d) Virtual Reality Therapy: a form of exposure therapy involving the
presentation of phobic stimuli in a virtual reality environment.
D. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): the experience of
almost constant and exaggerated worry.
III. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: a type
of anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent
obsessions, compulsions, or both.
A. Obsessions: repetitive, unwelcome streams of thought.
B. Compulsions: repetitive, almost irresistible actions.
C. Types of obsessive thoughts and related compulsive
behaviors…
1) Contamination fears
2) Harming self or others
3) Lack of symmetry
4) Pathological doubt
5) Sexual obsessions
6) Obsessions with superstitious or religious beliefs
D. Comorbidity…
E. Demographics…
F. Genetic Causes…
G. Treatment…
1) Thought Stopping Therapy (Cognitive Therapy): the
individual is instructed to yell “STOP” every time they begin
having repetitive thoughts.
2) Exposure Therapy (Behavioral Therapy): the patient is
exposed to the situation that brings on the compulsive
behavior, but is prevented from engaging in it.
3) Drug Therapy
IV. Body Dysmorphic Disorder: preoccupation
with an imagined or exaggerated physical
defect in appearance causing individuals to feel
they are ugly or even disfigured.
V. Hoarding Disorder: accumulation of and
need to retain unnecessary and seemingly
useless possessions, causing personal distress
or making it difficult to maintain a safe,
habitable living space.
VI. Trichotillomania: recurrent hair-pulling that
results in serious hair loss.
VII. Excoriation Disorder: repeated skin
picking that produces skin lesions.