Anxiety Disorders Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Anxie

ty

Disor

ders

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Anxiety Disorders

Mental problems characterized mainly by anxiety.


Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress.

It helps one deal with a tense situation work, study harder for an exam, or keep focused on an important speech. In general, it

helps one cope.

But when anxiety becomes an excessive, irrational dread of everyday situations, it has become a disabling disorder.


Anxiety DisordersAnxiety Disorders

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)Characterized by persistent and

pervasive feelings of anxiety, without any external cause


Panic Disorder Strong feeling of anxiety that has no connection to present events.

Unlike GAD, the victims are usually free of anxiety between attacks


Panic Attack

A wave of panic with no known source.

Usual consists of dizzy spells, a racing heart, shakes, cold/clammy hands, and the fear that you are going to die

Evidence of genetic influences…however the brain mechanism responsible for this condition lies in the amygdala


AgoraphobiaAgoraphobia

A fear of public places (situations that they can not easily escape from ..crowds, open spaces, etc…)

Commonly accompanying a panic disorder.




PhobiasA group of anxiety disorders

involving a pathological (excessive) fear of a specific

object or situation

Common PhobiasCommon Phobias


10 Most Common Phobias6. Astraphobia: The fear of thunder and lightening.

7. Trypanophobia: The fear of injections.

8. Social Phobias: The fear of social situations.

9. Pteromerhanophobia: The fear of flying.

10. Mysophobia: The fear of germs or dirt.


10 Most Common Phobias

1. Arachnophobia: The fear of spiders.

2. Ophidiophobia: The fear of snakes.

3. Acrophobia: The fear of heights.

4. Agoraphobia

5. Cynophobia: The fear of dogs.


Preparedness HypothesisPreparedness HypothesisThe concept that we

have an innate tendency,

acquired through natural selection, to respond quickly and automatically

to stimuli that posed a survival

threat to our ancestors




Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Condition characterized by patterns of

persistent, unwanted thoughts and behaviors


Obsessions:Thoughts, images, behaviors, impulses reappear

despite the person’s effort to suppress them.A Mild Obsessive Experience: rechecking a door to see if it’s locked


Compulsions:Repetitive, purposeful acts performed

according to certain ‘rules’ in response to an obsession.


Documents

Anxiety Disorders Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007