Anxiety

Disorders
Anxiety is normal
• There are even
positives about anxiety
Anxiety Symptoms
• Dizziness, light-headedness
• Hypertension
• Palpitations
• Restlessness
• Diarrhea
• Tachycardia
 Tingling in extremities
 Tremors
 Upset Stomach
 Urinary frequency
What makes an
event
stressful?
• The nature of the event and how
the person views it
• The person’s resources
• The person’s psychological
defenses
• The person’s coping mechanisms
 Epidemiology
 1 in 4 have had an anxiety disorder
 Lifetime prevalence is 30.5% for women
and 19.2% for men
 Prevalence is lower for higher
socioeconomic classes
 Onset usually prior to age 35
 Etiology
Behavioral Theory
Biology
Genetics
DSM-IV
Anxiety
Disorders
Anxiety Disorder Due to
a General Medical Condition

Hyperthyroidism
Hypothyroidism
Vitamin B12 deficiency
Substance Induced
Anxiety Disorder
Amphetamine
Cocaine
Caffeine
Anxiety Disorder
NOS
• Mixed Anxiety-
Depressive Disorder
 Panic Disorder
and Agoraphobia
DSM-IV Criteria
for Panic Attack
Heart palpitations
Sweating
Trembling or shaking
Shortness of breath/
smothering
•Feeling of choking
•Chest pain or discomfort
•Nausea or abdominal
distress
•Dizzy, unsteady,
lightheaded or faint
•Derealization
•Fear of going crazy
•Fear of dying
•Numbness
•Chills or hot flashes
 Panic Disorder
• Recurrent unexpected panic
attacks
• Followed by:
– Persistent concern about having
another attack
– Worry about attack implications
– Behavior changes as a result
Separated into With
& Without
 Specific Phobia
• Most common mental
disorder for women & 2nd
for men
• Common phobias: animals,
storms, heights, illness,
injury, death
Social Phobia
Obsessive-
Compulsive
Disorder
Contamination

•Germs and dirt

•Urine
Pathological
doubt
•Checkers
Intrusive
thoughts
Symmetry
 Other
•Touching
•Counting
 Posttraumatic
Stress Disorder
Symptoms of PTSD
• Usually appear within 3 months of the
trauma, but can surface years later
• Symptoms fall into 4 categories:
intrusive symptoms, avoidant
symptoms, symptoms of hyperarousal,
& associated features.
Intrusive Symptoms
• The traumatic event "intrudes"
into their current life
• Flashbacks
• Nightmares
• Sudden, painful onslaught of
emotions
Avoidance Symptoms
• Avoid anything to do with the trauma
• Can't feel emotions
• Can’t express emotions
• May avoid accepting responsibility
• May not expect to have a future
Hyperarousal Symptoms
• Suddenly irritable or explosive
• Trouble concentrating
• Insomnia
• Exaggerated startle reactions
• Panic attacks
 Associated
Features
• Substance abuse
• Suicide
 Somatoform
Disorders

• Table 17-1 Clinical

features of
somatoform disorders
 Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome
• Chronic disorder
• Of unknown cause
• Some doubt its existence
Factitious Disorders
• Deliberate production or feigning of
physical or psychological symptoms
• Motivation is to assume the sick role
• External incentives
Dissociative Disorders

• Disorder of the 1980’s.

 Dissociative Identity
Disorder (MPD)
• 2 or more personalities
• Personalities recurrently take
control of the person
• Inability to recall important
personal information