Psychology 380 Abnormal Psychology Spring 2015 Exam 2 Study Guide Chapter 5 Anxiety Obsessive Compulsive Related Disorders Case Study o Tomas 25 year old o Therapist observations Worries had reached unbearable level Could not sit still tapping his foot o Symptoms as described by Tomas Looked tense and frightened Inability to concentrate Forget easily Phsycial pain thoughts of having a heart attack o Why start therapy now Increased anxiety Physical symptoms detrimental to health Hard to sleep Worry interfering with his life secluding himself from social Terms to know o Fear central nervous system s physiological and emotional response to a SERIOUS THREAT to one s well being Anytime there is a serious threat to well being respond with o Anxiety the central nervous system s physiological and emotional immediate state of alarm response to a VAGUE sense of threat or danger Same features as fear increase in breathing muscular tension perspiration Flight or Fight Response o Fear and anxiety prepare us for action when danger threatens I e driving slowly in storm working harder on assignments Generalized anxiety disorder disorder marked by persistent and excessive feelings of anxiety and worry about numerous events and activities o Anxiety disorders most common mental disorder in the US o When fear anxiety becomes disabling causes severe discomfort o Only around 1 5 seek treatment o Most people with one anxiety disorder suffer from another as well o Many who suffer with anxiety disorder also suffer from depression Specific Phobia persistent and irrational fear of a particular object activity or situation o Agoraphobia fear of traveling to public places such as stores or movie Social anxiety disorder being intensely afraid of social performance situations in which embarrassment may occur Panic disorder recurrent attacks of terror theaters 1 Generalized Anxiety Disorder a Excessive anxiety under most circumstances and worry about practically nothing sometimes described as free floating anxiety i DSM 5 Checklist I Ongoing worry for at least 6 months II At least 3 of the following symptoms restlessness fatigue poor concentration irritability muscle tension sleep disturbance III Significant distress impairment b Socio Cultural Perspective Societal Multi cultural Factors i GAD is most likely to develop in people who are faced with ongoing societal conditions I Highly threatening environments II Poverty III Nervios I e Local mothers living near a nuclear power plant after the nuclear reactor accident were displaying 5 times as many anxiety depression disorders as mothers living elsewhere One of the most powerful forms of societal stress i As wages decrease anxiety steadily increases Hispanic culture bound disorder similar to GAD Symptoms emotional distress somatic symptoms stomach aches headaches poor concentration nervousness and irritability tearfulness and trembling c Psychodynamic Perspective i Sigmund Freud I All children experience some degree of anxiety as part of growing up and that all use ego defense mechanisms Realistic anxiety when faced with actual danger Neurotic anxiety when repeatedly prevented Moral anxiety when they are from expressing their id impulses threatened punished for expressing id impulses II Some children experience particularly high levels of such anxiety develop into a GAD ii Psychodynamic Explanations When Childhood Anxiety Goes I When a child is overrun by neurotic or moral anxiety Unresolved stage is set for GAD Early developmental experiences may produce an unusually high level of anxiety I e boy is spanked every time he cries for milk Child s defense mechanism may be too weak to cope with even normal levels of anxiety i i I e overprotected children have little opportunity to develop effective defense mechanisms II Today theorists disagree with aspects of Freud s explanation for GAD Continued belief that disorders can be traced to inadequacies in early relationships between children and their parents i Repress change direction or deny feelings when asked to speak of stressful situations become defensive However may be focusing on positive aspects or trying to gain trust in therapist before sharing problems rather than repressing III Psychodynamic therapies Free association transference resistance dreams i Freudian therapists use these methods to help clients become LESS AFRAID of id impulses and more successful in controlling them Object relations therapist i Help patients identify and settle childhood problems that continue to produce anxiety in adulthood d Humanistic Perspective and acceptingly ii Humanistic Treatments others leads to over criticizing in children i GAD arises when people stop looking at themselves honestly I Conditions of worth unconditional positive regard by II Self judgment I Client centered therapy developed by Carl Rogers in which clinicians try to help clients by being accepting empathizing accurately and conveying genuineness Help clients feel secure and recognize own true II Theories and treatment do not receive much research needs thoughts and emotions support e Cognitive Perspective i Theories of GAD I Basic irrational assumptions inaccurate and inappropriate beliefs held by people with various psychological problems according to Albert Ellis Dire necessity for an adult to be loved approved of by every significant other person in community Awful catastrophic when things are not the way we want them to be If something is dangerous one should be terribly concerned and dwell on the possibility of its occurrence One should be thoroughly competent adequate and achieving in all possible respects is one is to be considered worthwhile II Aaron Beck argued that people with GAD constantly hold III Metacognitive theory developed by Adrian Wells silent assumptions that they are in danger suggest that people with GAD hold positive and negative beliefs about worrying Received considerable research support IV Intolerance of uncertainty theory inability to tolerate knowledge that negative events can occur even if possibility is very small V Avoidance theory developed by Thomas Borkovec people with disorder of greater body arousal high heart rate respiration perspiration I Rational emotive therapy developed by Albert Ellis helps clients identify and change irrational assumptions and thinking that help cause psychological disorder ii Treatments Therapies II Acceptance Commitment help clients become aware of thoughts including worries and accept