Chapter 5: Anxiety, Trauma- and Stressor-Related, and Obsessive-Compulsive & Related Disorders

Core vocabulary terms and concise definitions drawn from the lecture sections on anxiety, trauma- and stressor-related, and obsessive-compulsive & related disorders.

Anxiety

A future-oriented negative mood state involving apprehension about uncontrollable danger coupled with physical tension.

Fear

An immediate alarm reaction to current danger marked by strong escapist action and sympathetic arousal.

Panic

An abrupt surge of intense fear or discomfort that reaches a peak within minutes (a ‘false alarm’ when danger is absent).

Panic Attack

Sudden episode of intense fear plus four or more physical symptoms (palpitations, sweating, etc.); can be expected or unexpected.

Expected (cued) Panic Attack

Panic that occurs only in specific feared situations (e.g., heights).

Unexpected (uncued) Panic Attack

Panic that occurs without warning or obvious trigger.

Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS)

Brain circuit stemming from septo-hippocampal area to frontal cortex that produces anxiety and cautious behavior when activated.

Fight/Flight System (FFS)

Brain circuit beginning in brain-stem that triggers immediate alarm-and-escape response (panic).

Triple Vulnerability Model

Theory that anxiety disorders arise from interaction of biological vulnerability, generalized psychological vulnerability, and specific psychological vulnerability.

Anxiety Sensitivity

Tendency to fear bodily sensations of anxiety, believing they have harmful consequences.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Excessive, uncontrollable worry about multiple events for ≥6 months plus physical tension and fatigue.

Panic Disorder (PD)

Recurrent unexpected panic attacks plus persistent concern or behavior change related to the attacks.

Agoraphobia

Fear and avoidance of situations where escape or help might be difficult in the event of panic-like symptoms.

Interoceptive Avoidance

Avoiding activities that produce physiological arousal resembling panic (e.g., exercise, hot rooms).

Specific Phobia

Irrational fear of a specific object or situation leading to significant avoidance and impairment.

Blood–Injection–Injury Phobia

Phobia subtype with strong vasovagal response (drop in blood pressure) and fainting at sight of blood, injury, or needles.

Situational Phobia

Fear of specific situations such as airplanes, elevators, or enclosed places.

Natural Environment Phobia

Fear of situations in nature—heights, storms, water, etc.

Animal Phobia

Marked fear of animals or insects (e.g., dogs, spiders, snakes).

Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)

Marked fear of social or performance situations involving possible scrutiny or negative evaluation.

Separation Anxiety Disorder

Developmentally inappropriate fear of separation from attachment figures, leading to avoidance of leaving home or school.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Persistent re-experiencing, avoidance, negative mood/cognition changes, and hyperarousal following exposure to traumatic event (>1 month).

Acute Stress Disorder

PTSD-like symptoms occurring within first month after trauma; may progress to PTSD.

Adjustment Disorder

Anxiety or depression causing impairment in response to an identifiable life stressor but not meeting criteria for another disorder.

Reactive Attachment Disorder

Inhibited, withdrawn behavior toward adult caregivers due to early neglect or abuse.

Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder

Indiscriminate friendliness and lack of normal wariness toward strangers following extreme early neglect.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Presence of obsessions, compulsions, or both; time-consuming and distressing.

Obsessions

Intrusive, recurrent thoughts, urges, or images that cause anxiety or distress.

Compulsions

Repetitive behaviors or mental acts aimed at reducing distress or preventing dreaded events.

Thought–Action Fusion

Belief that having a thought is morally equivalent to acting on it or increases likelihood the event will occur.

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)

CBT technique for OCD: patient faces obsessional cues without performing compulsive ritual.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)

Preoccupation with imagined defect in appearance, leading to repetitive behaviors (mirror checking, grooming) and distress.

Hoarding Disorder

Persistent difficulty discarding possessions regardless of value, resulting in cluttered living areas.

Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder)

Recurrent pulling out of one’s hair, leading to noticeable hair loss and distress.

Excoriation (Skin-Picking Disorder)

Recurrent skin picking resulting in lesions, distress, and social impairment.

Panic Control Treatment (PCT)

Therapy inducing mini-panic sensations (e.g., spinning) plus cognitive restructuring to reduce fear of physical symptoms.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Psychological treatment combining cognitive restructuring and behavioral techniques (exposure, coping skills).

Selective-Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

Antidepressant class (e.g., Prozac, Paxil) effective for many anxiety, trauma-related, and OCD-related disorders.

Benzodiazepines

Fast-acting anxiolytic drugs that enhance GABA but carry risks of dependence and cognitive/motor impairment.

Nocturnal Panic

Panic attacks occurring during delta (slow-wave) sleep hours after falling asleep.

Corticotropin-Releasing Factor (CRF)

Neurohormone activating the HPA axis; central in stress response and anxiety expression.