Psychological Disorders Anxiety Disorders

1. Psychological Disorders Anxiety Disorders

2. Anxiety disorders �are a class of disorders marked by feelings of excessive apprehension and anxiety�. Generalized anxiety disorder �is marked by a chronic, high level of anxiety that is not tied to any specific threat�. Phobic disorder �is marked by a persistent and irrational fear of an object of situation that presents no realistic danger�.

3. Panic disorder �is characterized by recurrent attacks of overwhelming anxiety that usually occur suddenly and unexpectedly� Agoraphobia �is a fear of going out to public places�. Agoraphobia may result from severe panic disorder, in which people �hide� in their homes out of fear of the outside world.

4. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) �is marked by persistent, uncontrollable intrusions of unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and urges to engage in senseless rituals (compulsions)�. Common obsessions include fear of contamination, harming others, suicide, or sexual acts. Compulsions are highly ritualistic acts that temporarily reduce anxiety brought on by obsessions.

5. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (cont.) OCD disorders occur in approximately 2.5% of the population. Most cases of OCD emerge before the age of 35.

6. Etiology of anxiety disorders. Biological factors. Inherited temperament may be a risk factor for anxiety disorders. �Anxiety sensitivity� theory posits that some people are more sensitive to internal physiological symptoms of anxiety and overreact with fear when they occur.

7. Etiology of anxiety disorders. (cont.) The brain�s neurotransmitters, or �chemicals that carry signals from one neuron to another�, may underlie anxiety. In particular, drugs that affect the neurotransmitter (e.g., Valium) suggest that these chemical circuits may be involved in anxiety disorders.

8. Etiology of anxiety disorders. (cont.) Conditioning and learning. Classical conditioning may cause one to fear a particular object or scenario. Then, avoiding the fear stimulus is negatively reinforced, through operant conditioning, by making the person feel less anxious. Seligman (1971) adds we are �biologically prepared� to fear some things more than others, however.

9. Etiology of anxiety disorders. (cont.) Cognitive factors. Some people are more likely to experience anxiety disorders because they: Misinterpret harmless situations as threatening. Focus excess attention on perceived threats. Selective recall information that seems threatening.

10. Etiology of anxiety disorders. (cont.) Finally, anxiety disorders may be linked to excessive stress. Specifically, research (Brown, 1998) has found that people with anxiety disorders were more likely to have experienced severe stress one month prior to the onset of their disorder. Thus, stress may precipitate the onset of anxiety disorders.