Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Related Disorders
Generalized Anxiety
Fear: CNS physiological and emotional response to a serious threat
Anxiety: CNS nervous systems physiology and emotional response to
vague sense of threat
Generalized anxiety disorder: excessive feelings of worry
- Most coming type of mental disorders in the US
- Symptoms: edginess, fatigue, poor concentration, irritability,
muscle tension, sleep problems
o Person must experience for 6 months and three symptoms
Sociocultural perspective: GAD more likely to develop in people who are
faced with dangerous societal conditions – race, poverty- DOES NOT
OFFER FULL EXPLAINATION
Psychodynamic perspective: FREUD – all children experience anxiety
(realistic, neurotic, moral)
- Believe people with GAD use defense mechanisms (EX:
repression)
- Therapies: free association, therapist interpretation, controlling
id, object-relations therapy, short-term psychodynamic therapy (most
effective)
Humanistic perspective: GAD arises when people stop looking at
themselves honestly
- Lack of unconditional positive regard in childhood
- Self judgement
- Therapies: client-centered approach: unconditional positive
regard for clients and empathize with them
Cognitive-behavioral perspective: problematic behaviors and
dysfunctional thinking often caused psychological disorders
- ALBERT ELLIS: basic irrational assumptions: inaccurate and
inappropriate beliefs held by people with psychological problems
- AARON BECK: constantly hold silent assumptions that make
one believe there is danger
, - Newer explanations
o Metacognitive theory: hold both positive and negative beliefs
about worrying – worried about worrying, worrying keeps them
safe
o Intolerance of uncertainty theory: cannot tolerate negative
events occurring, even if the probability of those events is small
o Avoidance theory: worrying serves as positive function by
reducing unusually high levels of body arousal
- Treatment
o Rational emotive therapy: help clients identify and change
irrational assumptions
o Mindfulness based cognitive behavioral therapy: help clients
become aware and mindful of their thoughts
o Mindfulness meditation: paying attention to thoughts during
meditation
Biological perspective: GAD is caused chiefly by biological factors
- Fear circul: prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate, cortex, insula,
and amygdala
- GABA: important inhibitory neurotransmitter
o Neurons release and to inhibit neuron firing, reducing the
experience of fear and anxiety
o GAD results from hyperactive fear circuit – too few GABA?
Ineffective receptors?
- Drug therapy
o Sedative-hypnotic drugs: used to calm people down or fall
asleep
o Benzodiazepines: provide modest relief – negative side effects
and withdrawal symptoms
o Antidepressants: target serotonin and norepinephrine –
increased activity may improve functioning of fear circuit
o Antipsychotic: target dopamine, and increased dopamine
activity may improve functioning of the fear circuit
Generalized Anxiety
Fear: CNS physiological and emotional response to a serious threat
Anxiety: CNS nervous systems physiology and emotional response to
vague sense of threat
Generalized anxiety disorder: excessive feelings of worry
- Most coming type of mental disorders in the US
- Symptoms: edginess, fatigue, poor concentration, irritability,
muscle tension, sleep problems
o Person must experience for 6 months and three symptoms
Sociocultural perspective: GAD more likely to develop in people who are
faced with dangerous societal conditions – race, poverty- DOES NOT
OFFER FULL EXPLAINATION
Psychodynamic perspective: FREUD – all children experience anxiety
(realistic, neurotic, moral)
- Believe people with GAD use defense mechanisms (EX:
repression)
- Therapies: free association, therapist interpretation, controlling
id, object-relations therapy, short-term psychodynamic therapy (most
effective)
Humanistic perspective: GAD arises when people stop looking at
themselves honestly
- Lack of unconditional positive regard in childhood
- Self judgement
- Therapies: client-centered approach: unconditional positive
regard for clients and empathize with them
Cognitive-behavioral perspective: problematic behaviors and
dysfunctional thinking often caused psychological disorders
- ALBERT ELLIS: basic irrational assumptions: inaccurate and
inappropriate beliefs held by people with psychological problems
- AARON BECK: constantly hold silent assumptions that make
one believe there is danger
, - Newer explanations
o Metacognitive theory: hold both positive and negative beliefs
about worrying – worried about worrying, worrying keeps them
safe
o Intolerance of uncertainty theory: cannot tolerate negative
events occurring, even if the probability of those events is small
o Avoidance theory: worrying serves as positive function by
reducing unusually high levels of body arousal
- Treatment
o Rational emotive therapy: help clients identify and change
irrational assumptions
o Mindfulness based cognitive behavioral therapy: help clients
become aware and mindful of their thoughts
o Mindfulness meditation: paying attention to thoughts during
meditation
Biological perspective: GAD is caused chiefly by biological factors
- Fear circul: prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate, cortex, insula,
and amygdala
- GABA: important inhibitory neurotransmitter
o Neurons release and to inhibit neuron firing, reducing the
experience of fear and anxiety
o GAD results from hyperactive fear circuit – too few GABA?
Ineffective receptors?
- Drug therapy
o Sedative-hypnotic drugs: used to calm people down or fall
asleep
o Benzodiazepines: provide modest relief – negative side effects
and withdrawal symptoms
o Antidepressants: target serotonin and norepinephrine –
increased activity may improve functioning of fear circuit
o Antipsychotic: target dopamine, and increased dopamine
activity may improve functioning of the fear circuit
