ANXIETY DISORDER

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A Written Report Submitted to Mr. Ceferino Camay Meycauayan College

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In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in Master of Arts in Education MAJOR IN PSYCHOLOGY

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JA

October 2012

Meycauayan College City of Meycauayan, Bulacan Graduate School

Reporter: J

Professor: Prof. Ceferino Camay

I. INTRODUCTION All of us were experiencing anxiety in our daily lives. People tend to be anxious if they encounter problems, work stress or making an important decision. Yet there are some that anxiety has interfere their ability to lead a normal life. For people with anxiety disorders, they worry much and their fear is constant and overwhelming and can be crippling. This is because Anxiety disorder is a serious mental illness. So lets define first anxiety. Anxiety is an emotion. Without it, we become reckless and engage in dangerous activities that could lead to harm or death. But if this anxiety become inappropriately high, they stop being responsive to threats and will be a problem to the person. Anxiety disorders has different types: (1) Panic Disorder, (2) Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and (3) Phobia.

II. BODY OF THE REPORT A. Panic Disorder Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder who have sudden and repeated attacks of fear that last for several minutes. Sometimes symptoms may last longer. These are called panic attacks. Panic attacks are characterized by a fear of disaster or of losing control even when there is no real danger. A person may also have a strong physical reaction during a panic attack. It may feel like having a heart attack. Panic attacks can occur at any time, and many people with panic disorder worry about and dread the possibility of having another attack. A person with panic disorder may become discouraged and feel ashamed because he or she cannot carry out normal routines like going to the grocery store or driving. Having panic disorder can also interfere with school or work. The word panic originate from the Greek woodland god Pan, who was a frightening figure. It is a half man and half goat. Famous personality/ celebrity with panic disorder are Michael Jackson, Isaac Newton, Abraham Lincoln and Nicole Kidman

1. Causes of Panic Disorder * Biological: Panic disorder is caused by an imbalance of one or more of our neurotransmitter /chemical messenger * Genetic link: Individuals who have biological relative with panic disorder are more likely to develop panic disorder * Environmental causes: These are persons surrounding us. Ex: High levels of stress in the home during upbringing, overprotected mother Major stressful life events * Social factors: High levels of social stress can increase risk for panic disorder. Ex: widowed, divorced or separated individuals who live in cities, limited education, early parental loss or physical/sexual abuse also increase risk for the disorder. Poor attachment with parents can also cause panic disorder in adulthood. * Psychological explanation: Fight or flight Theory explains that the cause of panic disorder is that the bodys alarm system is triggered without a cause. 2. Symptoms of Panic Disorder -chest pain -choking -sudden chills -dizziness 3. Treatment for Panic Disorder *Psychodynamic treatment- this is a form of talk therapy in which the therapist and the patient, working together, seek to uncover emotional conflicts that may underlie the patients problems. This treatment may help to relieve the stress that contributes to panic attacks, they do not seem to stop the attacks directly. However, if a patients panic disorder occurs along with some broader and pre-existing emotional disturbance, psychodynamic treatment may be a helpful addition to the overall treatment program. *Pharmacotherapy- a prescription medication is used in this treatment to prevent panic attacks or reduce their frequency and severity, and to decrease the associated anticipatory anxiety. Drugs used in this treatment are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclic antidepressants, the high-potency benzodiazepines, and the monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). Determination of which drug to use is based on considerations of safety, efficacy, and the personal needs and preferences of the patient. -difficulty in breathing -sweating -anxious -shaking

*Combination Treatments- a combination of medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy yet it only offer rapid relief, high effectiveness, and a low relapse rate. *Cognitive-behavioral therapy- can modify or eliminate thought patterns contributing to the patients symptoms and aims to help the patient to change his or her behavior. In the cognitive portion of the therapy, the therapist usually conducts a careful search for the thoughts and feelings that accompany the panic attacks. In behavioral portion of cognitive-behavioral therapy may involve systematic training in relaxation techniques. By learning to relax, the patient may acquire the ability to reduce generalized anxiety and stress that often sets the stage for panic attacks.

B. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Everyone double checks things sometimes. For example, you might double check to make sure the stove or iron is turned off before leaving the house. But people with OCD feel the need to check things repeatedly, or have certain thoughts or perform routines and rituals over and over. The thoughts and rituals associated with OCD cause distress and get in the way of daily life. The frequent upsetting thoughts are called obsessions. To try to control them, a person will feel an overwhelming urge to repeat certain rituals or behaviors called compulsions. People with OCD can't control these obsessions and compulsions. Common Obsessions Fear of contamination Need for symmetry, precise arranging ------Associated Compulsions Washing, cleaning ordering, arranging, balancing, straightening until just right Unwanted sexual or aggressive thoughts Or images Doubts (ex: gas jets off, doors locked) Concerns about throwing away something Valuable 1. Causes of OCD *Chemical and Brain Dysfunction- OCD sufferers has a high level of brain dysfunction. This does not mean that people with this problem have damaged brains or their reasoning functions are inferior. Its because of the Seretonin, a type of neurotransmitter that allows nerve cells to communicate to the body. Malfunction in one or more of these receptors in the brain causes OCD ---------Checking, praying, undoing actions, asking for reassurance repeated checking behaviors Hoarding

*Infection- OCD might results from strep throat infection. A streptococcal infection of the throat is known to occasionally result in the body confusing healthy cells with the infection and causing cellular damage. If this has happened with the brain, the bodys infection fighting system can attack the outside of nerve cells in the Basal Ganglia part of the brain with the result that symptoms occur. *Depression- People with depression sometimes develop OCD symptoms and those with OCD very often develop depression. *Genetics- OCD sufferers might have a family member with OCD problem or with one of the other OCD spectrum of disorders 2. Symptoms of OCD -Have repeated thoughts or images about many different things -Do the same rituals over and over -Cant control the unwanted thoughts and behavior -Dont get pleasure when performing the behavior or rituals but get brief relief from the anxiety the thoughts cause -Spend at least one hour a day on the thoughts and rituals which can cause distress and get in the way of daily life 3. Treatment for OCD *Cognitive Behavioral Therapy- a type of psychotherapy which is effective in treating most cases of OCD. It teaches person different ways of thinking, behaving and reacting to situations that help him feel less anxious or fearful without having obsessive thoughts or acting compulsively. *Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI)- an antidepressant which includes Celexa, Prozac, Luvox, Paxil and Zoloft

C. Phobia A phobia is an intense fear of something that, in reality, poses little or no actual danger. If you have a phobia, you probably realize that your fear is unreasonable, yet you still cant control your feelings. Just thinking about the feared object or situation may make you anxious. And when youre actually exposed to the thing you fear, the terror is automatic and overwhelming. Women tend to be twice as likely to suffer from a phobia compared to men. Fears during childhood are: animals, dentists, blood injury and natural environments. Adolescence and early adulthood fears are: claustrophobia and agoraphobia.

Kinds of Phobia Common Phobia Fear of germs ( mysophobia ) Fear of Cats ( ailurophobia ) Fear of Worm ( helminthophobia ) Fear of heights ( acrophobia ) Fear of public speaking ( glossophobia ) Fear of water ( aquaphobia ) Fear of death ( necrophobia ) Fear of insects ( insectophobia ) 1. Causes of Phobia *Life Experience- Many phobias are based in real life events that may or may not be consciously remembered. A phobia of dogs may stem from being attacked as a small child. A social phobia may develop from teenage awkwardness or childhood bullying. *Genetics- research has shown that certain phobias may run in families. For example, twins who are raised separately in different locations may develop the same phobias. However, many people with phobias have no relatives with the conditions. *Cultural factors- Some phobia occur only in certain cultural groups. An example is taijin kyofusho, a social phobia that appears almost exclusively in Japan. This is a fear of offending or harming others in social situations. It is markedly different from a traditional social phobia, in which the sufferer is afraid of being personally embarrassed or humiliated 2. Symptoms of Phobia -nausea -shaking -sweating 3. Treatment for Phobia *Exposure to the fear situation/ circumstances- When it comes to conquering phobias, facing your fears is the key. If you avoid fear/phobia You never get the chance to learn how to cope with your fears and experience control over the situation. *Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)- helps the patient to change certain ways that they think, feel and behave. It is a useful treatment for various mental health problems, including phobias. Cognitive therapy is based on the idea that certain ways of thinking can trigger, or fuel, certain mental health problems such as anxiety, depression and rapid heartbeat -trouble breathing -feeling unsteady Not common Phobia Fear of number 13 ( triskaidekaphobia ) Fear of Being buried alive ( taphephobia ) Fear of flowers ( anthrophobia ) Fear of books ( bibliophobia ) Fear of clocks ( chronomentrophobia ) Fear of the color white ( leukophobia ) Fear of feet( podophobia ) Fear of beautiful women ( venustraphobia )

phobias. Behavioural therapy aims to change any behaviours which are harmful or not helpful *Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI)- commonly prescribed for social phobia. They also may be prescribed in conjunction with therapy for specific phobias and agoraphobia. Many of the SSRIs have become common household names, such as Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft.

III. SUMMARY Anxiety disorders differ from normal feelings of nervousness. Untreated anxiety disorders can push people into avoiding situations that trigger or worsen their symptoms. People with anxiety disorders are likely to suffer from depression, and they also may abuse alcohol and other drugs in an effort to gain relief from their symptoms. Job performance, school work, and personal relationships can also suffer. Anxiety disorders are phobia, panic and obsessive compulsive disorder. Genetics, biochemistry, environment, family history, and psychological profile can contribute to the development of anxiety disorders. Most people with these disorders seem to have a biological vulnerability to stress, making them especially susceptible to environmental stimuli. Most common symptoms of anxiety disorder are the following generalized fear, annoying thoughts that wont stop flashbacks or memories of painful, frightening, or traumatizing experiences in the past, sleep disturbances, bizarre dreams, difficulty breathing, sweat, cardiac irregularities, light-headedness, dizziness,
low back pain, migraine, loss of composure, heightened defensiveness, feelings of entrapment, of not being

able to move beyond the situation or the moment The standard approach to treating most anxiety disorders is a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and an antidepressant medication. Other types of medications (benzodiazepines, azapirones, beta blockers, or atypical antipsychotics) may also be prescribed. A healthy lifestyle that includes exercise, adequate rest, and good nutrition can also help to reduce the impact of anxiety.