Anxiety, OCD, and PTSD

Q: What are the main categories of anxiety-related disorders?

• Anxiety disorders

• Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders

• Trauma- and stressor-related disorders

Q: What characterizes anxiety disorders?

• Frequent, intense, and irrational anxiety or apprehension

• Most common category of mental disorder in the general population

• High comorbidity with depressive disorders

Q: What are the main types of anxiety disorders?

• Specific phobias: Irrational fear of an object or situation

• Social anxiety disorder (social phobia): Fear of public situations (e.g., speaking)

• Panic disorder: Unexpected intense attacks of fear and terror

• Agoraphobia: Fear of places/situations hard to escape from

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): Excessive worry with physiological anxiety symptoms

Q: What is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and its key features?

• OCD: Recurrent obsessions or compulsions causing severe distress and interfering with daily life

• Obsessions: Persistent, irrational thoughts or ideas

• Compulsions: Intentional behaviors performed in response to obsessions

• Note: Anxiety increases if compulsions are prevented

Q: What are trauma- and stressor-related disorders?

• Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Flashbacks, recurrent thoughts of trauma, avoidance, arousal, and mood-related symptoms; develops in ~10% of people exposed to trauma

• Adjustment disorders: Emotional or behavioral responses to identifiable stressors that are maladaptive or disproportionate