Introduction

• Setting: Denver conference mentioned, caution against attending the conference.

• Preparation for a quiz before transitioning to social psychology.

Anxiety Disorders

• General overview of anxiety disorders.

  • Identification of faulty thoughts to modify them.

• The evolution of therapy approaches:

  • Historical context: Therapists trained in specific schools of thought (e.g., psychoanalysis).

  • Modern approach: Therapists trained in multiple modalities to better treat anxiety.

• Types of anxiety disorders:

  • Example: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).

  • Case for pharmacological treatments (e.g., medication) in severe cases.

Phobia Treatment

• Systematic Desensitization:

  • Definition: Gradual exposure to feared object or situation to reduce reactivity.

  • Hierarchy of fears: ranking situations by anxiety level.

  • Example of spider phobia:

  • Picture of a spider (least anxiety) → spider in a glass → spider on body (most anxiety).

  • Process involves:

  • Learning relaxation techniques during exposure.

  • Focusing on breathing and positive imagery to reduce heart rate.

• Measurement technique:

  • Monitoring heart rate (measured in beats per minute) during exposure.

• Cognitive approaches:

  • Training to identify irrational thoughts and reappraise the situation to reduce fear.

Exposure Therapies

• Major categories:

  • Systematic Desensitization: gradual exposure.

  • Flooding: immediate exposure to the most feared scenario (can be intense and uncomfortable).

  • Emphasis on overcoming fear through direct confrontation and relaxation.

• Example from pop culture: Fear Factor show, risking extreme exposure to phobias.

• Use of Virtual Reality (VR) technology in treatment:

  • Advantage of creating controlled exposure scenarios (e.g., flying fear).

  • Reduction of costs and practical challenges compared to real-life exposure.

• Highlight of brain activity changes:

  • Potential reduction of amygdala activation pre and post-treatment confirms efficacy.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

• Definition:

  • Obsessions: recurrent intrusive thoughts.

  • Compulsions: repetitive behaviors performed to mitigate anxiety.

• Treatment effectiveness:

  • Medications typically have 40-60% efficacy.

  • Even partial symptom relief can significantly improve quality of life.

• Therapeutic Approach:

  • Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP): a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).

  • Process includes:

  • Challenging compulsive behaviors (e.g., hand-washing).

  • Providing rationale and evidence against irrational fears (e.g., handshake example).

  • Assessing actual risks involved with compulsive behaviors.

• Discussion of clomipramine as an effective medication for OCD.

Cognitive and Talking Therapies

• Rational Emotive Therapy (RET):

  • Aim: Challenge and change irrational beliefs.

  • Example scenario addressing dysfunctional thoughts after an interaction with a boss.

• Humanistic Therapy:

  • Concept: Focus on self-worth, unconditional positive regard, non-judgmental support.

  • Therapeutic approach includes reflecting feelings back to the client to encourage self-discovery.

Conclusion of Therapy Techniques

• Observation that different therapies may suit different individuals.

• Emphasis on therapist-client relationship and adapting therapy to individual needs.

• New Treatment for Depression:

  • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS):

  • Definition: A non-invasive therapy using magnetic pulses to stimulate brain areas.

  • Mechanism: Targets left prefrontal cortex shown to have reduced activity in depression.

  • Regenerative effect: Repeated stimulation can boost neural activity and alleviate symptoms of depression without medication.

• Encouragement to view further materials to understand TMS.