Chapter 12Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorder- psychological disorders characterized by distressing, persistent anxiety or mal-adaptive behaviors that reduce anxiety◦ Generalized anxiety disorder◦ Panic disorders◦ Phobias◦ Obsessive compulsive disorder◦ Post-traumatic stress disorder

Anxiety Disorder

Generalized Anxiety Disorder- a person is continually tense, fearful, and in a state of autonomic nervous system arousal◦ 2/3 are women- worry continually, often jittery

and sleep deprived◦ Usually go hand-in-hand with depression◦ Could lead to physical symptoms such as ulcers

and high blood pressure

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Panic disorders- marked by unpredictable minutes-long episodes of intense dread in which a person experiences terror, chest pain, choking, etc..◦ Smokers has at least a double risk of this because

nicotine is a stimulant

Panic Disorders

Phobias- persistent, irrational fear causes a person to avoid some object, activity or situation◦ Social phobia- intense fear of being judged by

others◦ Agoraphobia- fear or avoidance of situations in

which panic may strike, avoid being outside or in a crowd

Phobias

Phobias

OCD- an anxiety disorder characterized by unwanted repetitive thoughts (obsession) and/or actions (compulsion)

Interferes with everyday living and causes distress

Obsessive- Compulsive Disorder

Brain Imaging

A PET scan of the brain of a person with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). High metabolic activity (red) in the frontal lobe areas are involved with directing attention.

Four or more weeks of the following symptoms constitute post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD):◦ Haunting memories◦ Nightmares◦ Social withdrawal◦ Sleep problems

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder