Difference between fear and anxiety:- Fear is a state of immediate alarm in response to a serious, known threat to one’s well being- Anxiety is a state of alarm in response to a vague sense of being in dangero Both have the same physiological features- increase in respiration, perspiration, muscle tension, etc.o ex) A tiger jumps out of the bushes and your amygdala reacts and you experience fear—if you go somewhere else where there are bushes, your fear instinct will act up againo We do not want to eliminate fear/anxiety because it acts as a protective defense; however, when it becomes overwhelming and immobilizing, you can start considering that it may be a disorderGeneralized Anxiety Disorder:- Excessive anxiety under most circumstances and worry- Symptomso Restlessness, fatigueo Difficulty concentratingo Muscle tensiono Sleep problemso **Symptoms must last at least six months**- Common in Western society- Usually first appears in childhood or adolescence- Around one-quarter of those with GAD are currently in treatment-GAD: The Sociocultural Perspectiveo GAD is most likely to develop in people faced with social conditions that truly aredangerouso One of the most powerful forms of societal stress is poverty due to run-down communities, higher crime rates, fewer opportunities, and greater risk for health problemso Higher rates of GAD in lower SES groups-GAD: The Biological Perspectiveo Biological theorists believe that GAD is caused chiefly by biological factorso Supported by family pedigree studieso Biological relatives more likely to have GAD (~15%) than general population (~6%)o The closer the relative, the greater the likelihoodo There is, however, a competing explanation of shared environmento Children who are difficult as babies may grow up to have anxiety-GABA inactivityo 1950s- Benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax) found to reduce anxietyo Why?Neurons have specific receptors—like a lock and keyBenzodiazepine receptors ordinarily receive gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA, common neurotransmitter in the brain)o GABA carries inhibitory messages; when received, it causes a neuron to stop firingo Medication is a form of negative reinforcement because it decreases the behavior-GAD: The Cognitive Perspectiveo Initially, theorists suggested that GAD is caused by maladaptive assumptionso It is a dire necessity for an adult human being to be loved or approved by every significant person in communityo Awful and catastrophic when things are not the way one would like them to beo When these assumptions are applied to everyday life and to more and more events, GAD may develop-SUDS – Subjective Units of DistressPhobias:- From the Greek word for fear; persistent and unreasonable fears of particular objects, activities, or situations- People with a phobia often avoid the object or thoughts about it- Fear is a normal and common experience- How do common fears differ from phobias?o More intense and persistent fearo Greater desire to avoid the feared object or situationo Distress that interferes with functioningo Most phobias technically are categorized as specific- Also two broader kindso Specific phobias: Persistent fears of specific objects or situations When exposed to the object or situation, sufferers experience immediate fear Most common: phobias of specific animals or insects, heights, enclosed spaces, thunderstorms, and blood- Negative reinforcement paradigm: feeling better when avoiding feared stimulus- Each year close to 9% of all people in the U.S. have symptoms of specific phobia- Many suffer from more than one phobia at a time- Women outnumber men at least 2:1- Prevalence differs across racial and ethnic minority groups; the reason is unclear- Vast majority of people with a specific phobia do not seek treatment- There is a valid reason we have these fears; they are a protective mechanism and we seemto be biologically predisposed to having these fearsSystematic desensitization:- Technique developed by Joseph Volpe- Teach relaxation skills- Create fear hierarchy- Classical conditioning of phobiao EX: girl was swimming in a pool and she ended up getting stuck underwater and accidentally pushed down by friends. This entrapment caused fear, which causedher to pair this entrapment with water and now is afraid of water (because she associates water with being trapped and not able to breathe)- Other behavioral treatments:o Flooding Forced non-gradual exposureo Modeling Therapist confronts the feared object while the fearful person observesSocial Anxiety Disorder:- (Social phobia) A severe and persistent fear of social or performance situations in which embarrassment may occur- Benzodiazepines (9most common group of antianxiety drugs) found to reduce anxiety – fantastically effective as short-term medication, but can be habit-forming- Exposure treatments are biological treatments in which persons are exposed to the objectsor situations they dread- Cognitive therapy – Rational-emotive theory founded by Albert Ellis that helps clients identify and change the irrational assumptions and thinking that help cause their psychological disorder- Social skills training – therapy approach that helps people learn or improve social skills and assertiveness through role playing and rehearsing of desirable behaviorsAgoraphobia:- An anxiety disorder where a person is afraid to be in public situations they can’t escape or be helped if something happened; the fear of being in public places or situations whereescape might be difficult or help unavailable, should they experience panic or become incapacitated - Pervasive and complex- Typically develop in 20’s or 30’sPanic Disorder:- Panic, an extreme anxiety reaction, can result when a real threat suddenly emerges- The experience of “panic attacks,” however, is differento Panic attacks are periodic, short bouts of panic that occur suddenly, reach a peak, and passo Sufferers often fear they will die, go crazy, or lose controlo Attacks happen in the absence of a real threat - Panic disorder often (but not always) accompanied by agoraphobiaObsessive-Compulsive Disorder:- Made up of two main components:o Obsessions = persistent thoughts, ideas, impulses, or images that seem to invade aperson’s consciousnesso Features of obsessions: Thoughts that feel both intrusive and foreign Attempts to ignore or resist them trigger anxiety Take various forms… wishes, impulses, images, ideas, doubts Have common themes…