Anxiety and Fear Related Disorders - Key Vocabulary

Flashcards covering key vocabulary from the lecture notes on anxiety and fear-related disorders, including disorders, symptoms, criteria, and theoretical explanations.

Anxiety and Fear Related Disorders

These are mental health conditions characterized by overwhelming and persistent feelings of fear and anxiety, which lead to significant distress and often cause behavioral disturbances that impair daily functioning.

Fear

An acute, immediate psychological and physiological reaction to a perceived, present, and imminent threat or danger.

Anxiety

A state of apprehension, worry, and physiological arousal in anticipation of a potential future threat or danger.

Agoraphobia (ICD-11)

As per ICD-11, Agoraphobia is characterized by marked and excessive fear or anxiety occurring in at least two of the following situations: public transportation, open spaces, enclosed places, standing in line or being in a crowd, or being outside the home alone. The individual avoids these situations or endures them with intense distress, due to the thought that escape might be difficult or help unavailable if panic-like symptoms or other incapacitating or embarrassing symptoms occur. These symptoms must persist for an extended period, typically several months.

Agoraphobia - Example Situations

Common situations that trigger fear or anxiety in individuals with Agoraphobia include:

• Using buses, trains, or other forms of public transportation.
• Being in open spaces, such as parking lots, marketplaces, or bridges.
• Being in enclosed places, like shops, theaters, or elevators.
• Standing in line or being in a crowd.
• Being outside of the home alone.

Blood-Injection-Injury Phobia (BII)

An intense and disproportionate fear or anxiety specifically triggered by the sight of blood, injections, or injuries. Individuals with this phobia typically actively avoid these triggers and often experience a unique vasovagal response (fainting or near-fainting), which distinguishes it from other specific phobias. This fear typically persists for several months.

BII Phobia – ICD-11 Criteria

According to ICD-11, BII Phobia is a type of specific phobia characterized by a persistent and excessive fear of a specific object or situation (blood, injections, or injuries). This fear leads to immediate anxiety and distress or is actively avoided, and the symptoms, along with the avoidance behavior, must last for several months.

Screening Test (BII-related)

A screening tool is an informal assessment or questionnaire that helps identify individuals who might be at risk for a particular condition or who may benefit from further professional evaluation. For BII-related phobias, such a test is primarily useful for recommending a referral to a qualified psychiatrist or psychologist for a formal diagnosis, rather than providing definitive diagnostic details itself.

BII Phobia Assessment Example

A typical assessment for BII Phobia might involve a self-report scenario where individuals rate their level of fear, the probability of fainting, and the intensity of negative thoughts on a scale (e.g., from 0 to 3, where 0 is 'not at all' and 3 is 'severely') when presented with descriptions or images of blood or needles.

Classical Conditioning

A fundamental learning process first described by Pavlov, where a neutral stimulus (e.g., a bell) is repeatedly paired with an unconditioned stimulus (e.g., food) that naturally elicits an unconditioned response (e.g., salivation). Eventually, the neutral stimulus alone becomes a conditioned stimulus, capable of eliciting a conditioned response (salivation) similar to the original unconditioned response.

Counterconditioning

A behavioral therapy technique used to reduce or eliminate a maladaptive conditioned response, such as fear or anxiety. It involves pairing the fear-inducing stimulus with a new, incompatible response (e.g., relaxation or calmness), effectively replacing the unwanted emotional reaction with a more desirable one. For example, a person with a fear of dogs might be taught relaxation techniques while gradually being exposed to dogs.

Psychodynamic Explanations

These are explanations that propose anxiety and phobias stem from unresolved unconscious conflicts, often originating from repressed childhood fears, traumas, or desires. According to psychodynamic theories, defense mechanisms are employed to cope with these internal conflicts, leading to symptoms like anxiety when these mechanisms fail or are overwhelmed.

Free Dream Analysis

A psychoanalytic therapeutic technique where the patient recounts their dreams without censorship, allowing the therapist to analyze the manifest content (what is remembered) and interpret its latent content (hidden, symbolic meanings). This aims to uncover repressed conflicts, unconscious fears, and underlying psychological issues contributing to anxiety or phobias.

Catharsis

In a psychological context, catharsis refers to the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions, particularly fears or anxieties. This emotional discharge can occur through open expression, such as talking about experiences, crying, or other forms of emotional ventilation, often leading to a reduction in their psychological impact and power.

Oedipus Complex

A cornerstone of Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, the Oedipus Complex describes a stage in psychosexual development (typically during the phallic stage) where a child experiences unconscious sexual desires toward the parent of the opposite sex and feelings of rivalry, jealousy, or even aggression toward the same-sex parent. In some psychodynamic interpretations, unresolved conflicts from this complex are linked to the development of neurotic anxieties and phobias in adulthood.

Little Hans Case (Freud, 1909)

Published by Freud in 1909, this famous case study involved a five-year-old boy named Hans who developed a phobia of horses, particularly white ones. Freud interpreted Hans's phobia not as a fear of horses themselves, but as a symbolic manifestation of an unresolved Oedipus Complex. He proposed that Hans's fear of the horse was a displacement of his unconscious fear and aggression towards his father, indicating a transference of deeply repressed familial conflicts.

Oral Stage (0-1)

According to Freud, this is the first psychosexual stage of development, occurring from birth to approximately one year of age. During this period, the infant's primary source of pleasure and interaction with the world centers around the mouth, through activities like sucking, feeding, and tasting.

Anal Stage (1-3)

The second psychosexual stage, occurring roughly between ages one and three. This stage focuses on the child's development of bowel and bladder control, with toilet training serving as a significant conflict related to control and independence.

Phallic Stage (3-6)

The third psychosexual stage, typically from ages three to six. During this period, the child's libido (sexual energy) becomes focused on the genitals, and children begin to recognize the differences between sexes. This stage is also critical for the development of gender roles and the resolution of the Oedipus or Electra complex, which contributes to the formation of the superego and identification with the same-sex parent.

Latent Stage (6-puberty)

Occurring from approximately age six until puberty, this is the fourth psychosexual stage. During the latent period, sexual urges are largely repressed or inactive. The child focuses on developing social skills, forming platonic relationships with peers, engaging in intellectual pursuits, and learning new coping mechanisms. Unresolved conflicts from earlier stages may be transferred or expressed through new behaviors or anxieties during this period.

Genital Stage (puberty-adult)

The final psychosexual stage, beginning at puberty and continuing into adulthood. In this stage, individuals become aware of the importance of sexual urges and seek to satisfy them through romantic relationships. The focus shifts to developing healthy sexual desires and relationships directed toward others, moving beyond self-gratification.

Little Albert Experiment

A foundational behaviorist experiment conducted by John B. Watson and Rosalie Rayner in 1920. This study demonstrated classical conditioning of fear in an 11-month-old infant, Little Albert. Initially unafraid of a white rat (neutral stimulus), Albert developed a fear of it after it was repeatedly paired with a loud, sudden noise (unconditioned stimulus) that naturally elicited fear (unconditioned response). Consequently, the rat became a conditioned stimulus, eliciting a conditioned fear response in Albert and generalized to other furry objects.

Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders

Common physical and psychological manifestations experienced by individuals with anxiety disorders include:

• Physical Symptoms: Muscle tension (e.g., stiff neck, aching shoulders), motor restlessness (e.g., pacing, fidgeting), and autonomic overactivity such as nausea, heart palpitations, excessive sweating, trembling, and dry mouth.
• Cognitive/Emotional Symptoms: Persistent nervousness, difficulty concentrating, feelings of irritability, and disturbances in sleep patterns (e.g., difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or restless sleep).