Anxiety Disorders, OCD, and PTSD
Anxiety Disorders, OCD, and PTSD
Anxiety Disorders
- Anxiety is a normal part of life.
- Anxiety disorders are characterized by distressing and persistent anxiety or dysfunctional anxiety-reducing behaviors.
- Three key anxiety disorders are:
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Panic Disorder
- Phobias
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Excessive and uncontrollable worry that persists for 6 months or more.
- Constant worry; individuals might feel jittery, on edge, and sleep-deprived.
- Trouble identifying, relieving, or avoiding anxiety triggers.
Panic Disorder
- Characterized by panic attacks, which involve:
- Irregular heartbeat
- Chest pains
- Shortness of breath
- Choking sensations
- Trembling
- Dizziness
- Panic disorder might trigger agoraphobia (fear of places and situations that might cause panic, helplessness, or embarrassment).
Phobias
- Phobias are persistent, irrational fears and avoidance of specific objects, activities, or situations.
- Distinction between normal fear and a phobia: phobias significantly disrupt normal functioning.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Characterized by unwanted repetitive thoughts (obsessions), actions (compulsions), or both.
- More common in teens and young adults.
- Other OCD-related disorders:
- Hoarding disorder
- Body dysmorphic disorder, etc.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Symptoms might include:
- Intrusive memories
- Nightmares
- Social withdrawal
- Jumpy anxiety
- Numbness of feeling
- Higher risk of PTSD with greater emotional distress during trauma.
- Survivor resiliency: ability to recover after severe stress.
- Somatic Symptom Disorder: Symptoms occur without an apparent physical cause, but the symptoms are genuinely felt and cause distress.
- Illness Anxiety Disorder (formerly hypochondriasis): Normal sensations are viewed as potential diseases, leading to excessive worry and seeking reassurance.
Understanding Anxiety Disorders: Conditioning
- Fear can become linked with neutral objects and events through classical conditioning.
- Stimulus generalization: tendency to respond to a stimulus that is similar to the original conditioned stimulus.
- Reinforcement can maintain phobias and compulsions.
Understanding Anxiety Disorders: Cognition
- Some fears are learned by observation (social learning).
- Interpretations and expectations shape anxiety responses.
- Hypervigilance: heightened sensitivity to threats that may contribute to anxiety.
Understanding Anxiety Disorders: Biology
- Genes: Gene variations are associated with anxiety disorder symptoms.
- Some genes are specifically associated with OCD.
- Some genes regulate neurotransmitters, impacting anxiety levels.
- Experiences impact gene expression (epigenetics).
Understanding Anxiety Disorders: Biology (Brain)
- Experience changes the brain.
- New pathways can be created.
- Fear pathways can create a path for more fear experiences, reinforcing anxious responses.