Anxiety DisordersWEB

Anxiety as a Normal and an Abnormal ResponseSome amount of anxiety is normal and is associated with optimal levels of functioning.

Only when anxiety begins to interfere with social or occupational functioning is it considered abnormal.

The Fear and Anxiety Response PatternsFearPanicAnxietyAnxiety Disorder

The Bell Curve

An Important Law- The Yerkes Dodson Law

Another Bell Curve- Courtesy of Our Good Buddies Yerkes-Dodsen

Phobic DisordersPhobiasSpecific phobiasSocial phobiaAgoraphobia

Specific Phobias

Specific PhobiasPsychosocial causal factorsGenetic and temperamental causal factorsPreparedness and the nonrandom distribution of fears and phobiasTreating specific phobias

Social PhobiaGeneral characteristics Fear of being in social situations in which one will be embarrassed or humiliated

Social PhobiaInteraction of psychosocial and biological causal factorsSocial phobias as learned behaviorSocial fears and phobias in an evolutionary contextPreparedness and social phobia

Social PhobiaInteraction of psychosocial and biological causal factorsGenetic and temperamental factorsPerceptions of uncontrollabilityCognitive variables

Panic Disorder With and Without AgoraphobiaPanic disorderPanic versus anxietyAgoraphobiaAgoraphobia without panic

Panic DisorderPrevalence and age of onsetComorbidity with other disordersBiological causal factorsThe role of Norepinephrine and Serotonin

Panic and the Brain

Panic DisorderGenetic factorsCognitive and behavioral causal factorsInteroceptive fears

Panic Disorder: The Cognitive Theory of Panic

Panic Disorder: The Cognitive Theory of PanicPerceived control and safetyAnxiety sensitivity as a vulnerability factor for panicSafety behaviors and the persistence of panicCognitive biases and the maintenance of panic

Treating Panic Disorder and AgoraphobiaMedicationsBehavioral and cognitive-behavioral treatments

Generalized Anxiety DisorderGeneral characteristicsPrevalence and age of onsetComorbidity with other disorders

Generalized Anxiety Disorder:Psychosocial Causal FactorsThe psychoanalytic viewpointClassical conditioning to many stimuliThe role of unpredictable and uncontrollable eventsA sense of mastery: immunizing against anxiety

Generalized Anxiety Disorder:Biological Causal FactorsGenetic factorsA functional deficiency of GABANeurobiological differences between anxiety and panic

Obsessive-Compulsive DisorderObsessions- repetitive unwanted ideas that the person recognizes are irrationalCompulsions- repetitive, often ritualized behavior whose behavior serves to diminish anxiety caused by obsessions

Obsessive-Compulsive DisorderPrevalence and age of onsetCharacteristics of OCDTypes of compulsionsComorbidity with other disorders

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder:Psychosocial Causal FactorsPsychoanalytic viewpointBehavioral viewpointThe role of memoryAttempting to suppress obsessive thoughts

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder:Biological Causal FactorsGenetic influencesAbnormalities in brain functionThe role of serotonin

Post-Traumatic Stress DisorderCritical Component Symptoms occurs AFTER a traumatic stressor

Symptoms CategoriesIntrusivedistressing recollectionsdreamsflashbackspsychological trigger reactionsphysiological trigger reactions

Symptoms CategoriesAvoidanceavoid thoughts, feelings or discussionsavoid activities, placesmemory blocksanhedonia (without pleasure)numbalexithymia (emotions unknown)feeling of doom

Symptom CategoriesHyperarousal Symptomssleep disturbanceanger problemsconcentrationstartle responseon guard hypervigilence

DiagnosesAcute Stress Disordernew to DSM-IV (1994)symptoms 2 days to 4 weeks following traumatic eventPTSDnew to DSM-III (1980)symptoms beyond 4 weeksdelayed onset

Who Is Vulnerable?All agesBoth gendersAcross Cultures and ethnic groups

Some StatsAndrews, Wahlberg, Montgomery (1993)

Employment

Depression

Types of TraumasNaturalearthquakesfloodsfiresHuman induceswarcrimes of violence

Co-Morbid DiagnosesAlcoholism75% for Vietnam Veterans with PTSDDepression77% of firefighters with PTSD also have depressionGeneralized AnxietyPanic Attacks