Chapter 14 - Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders

agoraphobia

fear of being outside

anxiety

a vague feeling of dread or apprehension; it is a response to external or internal stimuli that can have behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and physical symptoms

anxiety disorders

a group of conditions that share a key feature of excessive anxiety, with ensuing behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and physiological responses

assertiveness training

techniques using statements to identify feelings and communicate needs and concerns to others; helps the person negotiate interpersonal situations, foster self assurance, and ultimately assists the person to take more control over life situations

avoidance behavior

behavior designed to avoid unpleasant consequences or potentially threatening situations

decatastrophizing

a technique that involves learning to assess situations realistically rather than always assuming a catastrophe will happen

defense mechanism

cognitive distortions that a person uses unconsciously to maintain a sense of being in control of a situation, to lessen discomfort, and to deal with stress; also called ego defense mechanisms

flooding

a form of rapid desensitization in which behavioral therapist confronts the client with the phobic object (either a picture or the actual object) until it no longer produces anxiety

mild anxiety

a sensation that something is different and warrants special attention

moderate anxiety

the disturbing feeling that something is definitely wrong; the person becomes nervous or agitated

panic anxiety

intense anxiety, may be a response to a life threatening situation

panic attacks

between 15-30 minutes of rapid, intense, escalating anxiety in which the person experiences great emotional fear as well as physiologic discomfort

panic disorder

composed of discrete episodes or panic attacks

phobia

an illogical, and persistent fear of a specific object or social situation that causes extreme distress and interferes with normal functioning

positive reframing

a cognitive behavioral technique involving turning negative messages into positive ones

primary gain

the relief of anxiety achieved by performing the specific anxiety driven behavior;the direct internal benefits that being sick provides, such as relief of anxiety, conflict, or distress

secondary gain

the external benefits received from others because one is sick, such as attention from family members, comfort measures, and being excused from usual responsibilities or tasks

severe anxiety

an increased level of anxiety when more primitive survival skills take over, defensive responses ensue, and cognitive skills decrease significantly; person with severe anxiety has trouble thinking and reasoning

stress

the wear and tear that life causes on the body