Abnormal Psych Unit 2 Terms

fear

immediate response to a real, present threat; activates fight or flight

anxiety

future oriented feeling of tension about potential danger

worry

repetitive, uncontrollable negative thoughts about future threats

anxiety disorder

excessive, uncontrollable fear/anxiety that causes impairment and avoidance

low road

fast automatic pathway (thalamus → amygdala) triggers immediate fear

high road

slower, logical pathway (thalamus → cortex → amygdala) evaluates threat

amygdala

brain’s threat detector; triggers fear response

prefrontal cortex

regulates and calms the amygdalaGABA

GABA

inhibitory neurotransmitter; reduces anxiety (“brake pedal”)

serotonin

regulates mood; low levels linked to anxiety and depression

classical conditioning

learning by association; neutral stimulus becomes linked to fear

operant conditioning

behavior shaped by consequences

negative reinforcement

removing anxiety increases behavior (ex: avoidance)

avoidance

staying away from feared stimulus; maintains anxiety

safety behaviors

actions taken to reduce anxiety

modeling

learning fear by observing others

anxiety sensitivity

fear of anxiety symptoms themselves

negative appraisal

interpreting situations as more dangerous than they are

sense of control

belief about ability to manage situations; low control increases anxiety

obsessions

intrusive unwanted thoughts urges or images

compulsions

behaviors done to reduce anxiety caused by obsessions

ego dystonic

thoughts inconsistent with one’s values; feeling disturbing and unwanted

intolerance of uncertainty

inability to tolerate “what if” or doubt

thought-action fusion

belief that thinking something is as bad as doing it

negative reinforcement in OCD

compulsions reduce anxiety, reinforcing the behavior

specific phobia

intense fear of a specific object or situation

social anxiety disorder

fear of being judged or embarrassed by others

agoraphobia

fear of situations where escape may be difficult

panic disorder

recurrent unexpected panic attacks as well as fear of more attacks

generalized anxiety disorder

excessive uncontrollable worry about many areas

OCD

obsessions and compulsions that are time consuming and distressing

body dysmorphic disorder

obsession with perceived flaws in appearance

Hoarding disorder

difficulty discarding possessions

trichotillomania

recurrent hair pulling

excoriation disorder

recurrent skin picking

social support

protective factor that reduces stress and anxiety

perceived support

belief that support is available; more important than actual support

gender differences

females are more likely to focus on negative thoughts and seek help; males are less likely to seek help and resort to more substance use

exposure therapy

gradual exposure to feared stimulus to reduce anxiety

ERP

exposure and preventing compulsions (used for OCD)

Cognitive therapy

identifying and changing maladaptive thoughts

CBT

combines cognitive and behavioral techniques

benzodiazepines

increases GABA. fast acting anxiety relief. risk of dependence

beta blocker

reduce physical symptoms (heart rate, shaking) used for performance anxiety (public speaking)

SSRIs (antidepressants)

increases serotonin. long term treatment for anxiety