“A slight change in the balance of brain chemistry can cause large changes in behavior.”
Anxiety Disorders: disruptive feelings of "fear," apprehension, or "anxiety," or distortions in behavior that are anxiety related. (Coon, 527) Disorders in which extreme anxiety is the main diagnostic feature and causes significant disruptions in the person’s "cognitive," "behavioral," or interpersonal function. (Hockenbury, 512)
We all become anxious occasionally, especially when confronted by danger. But if we experience a chronic state of excessive worry and guilt for no discernible reason, we are suffering from an anxiety disorder. (Kandel4, 184) A chronic state of tension and worry about work, relationships, ability, or impending disaster. (Coon, 543) Persistent, chronic, unreasonable worry and anxiety. General symptoms of anxiety, including persistent physical arousal. People with this disorder are constantly tense and anxious. They feel anxious about a wide range of life circumstances. Normally, anxiety quickly dissipates when a threatening situation is resolved. The anxiety can be characterized as ‘free-floating’ because it can be attached to virtually any object. (Hockenbury, 512, 519) Fear-related anxiety disorders include panic attacks, phobias (such as fear of heights, animals, or public speaking), and post-traumatic stress disorder. Frequently occur with depression. (Kandel4, 184) Hard to separate from “depression.” (Rose, Episode 4 Kerry Ressler) The most common of adult mental disorders. (Cardwell, 15) Characterized by 2 major types of symptoms. ‘Subjective symptoms’ consist of the subject’s experiences of anxiety. ‘Objective symptoms’ are observable signs of physiological arousal. (Bamford, 10/25/10) For many years, the various anxiety disorders were considered separate syndromes, but because of their similarities, scientists now regard them as a related cluster of disorders. Two main classes of treatment for anxiety disorders are “medications” and “psychotherapy.” Both decrease activity in the ‘amygdala,” but they do so in different ways. (Kandel4, 185-187) Also referred to as ‘general anxiety disorder,’ ‘free-floating anxiety,’ and ‘anxiety-neurosis.’
Fear Disorders: (anxiety disorders) clustered together based on the similarities of panic attacks. Disorders in which the (body’s) natural reaction to fear has gotten out of control. (Rose, Episode 4 Kerry Ressler) We know more about the biology of fear than of any other emotion. We know more about the disorders of fear than any other psychiatric disorder. (Rose, Episode 4 Eric Kandel)
Acute Stress Disorder: an anxiety disorder precipitated by an experience of intense fear or horror while exposed to a traumatic (especially life-threatening) event. The disorder is characterized by “dissociative” symptoms; vivid recollections of the traumatic event; avoidance of stimuli associated with the traumatic event; and a constant state of hyper-arousal for no more than one month. (NCIt)
Panic Disorder: characterized by relatively short, intermittent periods of intense anxiety. The intense anxiety and fear may reach the point of panic. (Bamford, 10/25/10) An anxiety disorder in which the person experiences frequent and unexpected episodes of extreme anxiety that rapidly escalate in intensity. These “panic attack” episodes occur frequently and unexpectedly. (Hockenbury, 513) Often quite unpredictable attacks that involve a very wide range of symptoms, including heart palpitations, chest pains, dizziness, labored breathing, intense apprehension and a feeling of unreality. These short-lived attacks tend to occur frequently, and are sometimes linked to specific situations. (Cardwell, 174)
Catastrophic Cognitions Theory: tendency to misinterpret the physical signs of "arousal" as catastrophic and dangerous. (Hockenbury, 513) Also referred to as ‘cognitive-behavioral theory of panic disorder.’
Panic Attack: a sudden episode of extreme anxiety that rapidly escalates in intensity. (Hockenbury, 513) An episode of intense fear accompanied by symptoms such as heart palpitations, sweating and chills or hot flushes , a sensation of dyspnea, chest pain, abdominal distress, depersonalization, fear of going crazy, and fear of dying. (NCIt)
Phobic Disorders: a persistent and unreasonable fear of an object or situation. A phobic disorder differs from a normal non-phobic fear in that it is more intense, and there is a compelling desire to avoid the object of the fear. (Cardwell, 182) A strong or irrational fear of something, usually a specific object or situation, that does not necessarily interfere with the ability to function in daily life. (Hockenbury, 151) The individual may be fearful of enclosed spaces, heights, spiders, crowds, etc. (Bamford, 10/25/10) Also referred to as ‘phobias.’
Agoraphobia: fear of public places. Often accompanied by a panic attack when the sufferer enters crowded streets, shopping centers, public transport and so on. (Cardwell, 7) An anxiety disorder involving the extreme and irrational fear of experiencing a panic attack in a public situation and being unable to get help. (Hockenbury, 515) Often, the behavior of the individual becomes increasingly more constricted as he avoids situations, and may become completely housebound. (Bamford, 10/25/10)
Social Anxiety Disorder: fear of potentially embarrassing social situations such as having to give a speech or eating in public. (Cardwell, 183) The extreme and irrational fear of being embarrassed, judged, or scrutinized by others in social situations. The most prevalent anxiety disorder. More women than men experience social phobia. (Hockenbury, 151) Also referred to as ‘social phobia.’
Taijin Kyofusho: a form of social anxiety that usually affects young Japanese males. (Hockenbury, 515)
Specific Phobias: characterized by an extreme and irrational fear of a specific object or situation that interferes with the ability to function in daily life. People with this disorder may be terrified of a particular object or situation. (Hockenbury, 515) For example, ‘arachnophobia’ (fear of spiders), or ‘aerophobia’ (fear of flying.) (Cardwell, 183) Also referred to as ‘simple phobia.’
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): a long-lasting disorder that develops in response to an extreme physical or psychological trauma. (Hockenbury, 516) Triggered by exposure to traumatic events. Traumas beyond the normal experiences of day-to-day living. Individuals experience nightmares, and are plagued by intrusive memories of the horrific event. Individuals often experience apprehension and wariness, and are over-sensitive to normal environmental stimuli. (Bamford, 10/25/10) Caused by experiencing or observing life-threatening events such as physical assault or abuse, war, terrorist attack, sudden death, or natural disaster. All told, about 8 percent of the U.S. population will experience PTSD at some point in their lifetime. More than forty thousand U.S. war veterans are known to be affected by the disorder, and thousands more cases are thought to be unreported. Trauma is especially damaging to the hippocampus, critical for recalling memories in response to environmental stimuli. As a result… people with PTSD experience several major symptoms: they have flashbacks, or spontaneous re-experiencing of the traumatic event, they avoid sensory experiences associated with the initial event, they become emotionally numb and withdraw from others, and they are irritable, jumpy, aggressive, or have trouble sleeping. The disorder is commonly accompanied by depression and substance abuse and can lead to suicide. Another primary cause of PTSD is childhood trauma. People who have suffered trauma as children are much more likely to develop PTSD as adults because trauma affects the developing brain differently that it does the adult brain. (Kandel4, 185) The symptoms begin shortly after the event and may last for months or even years. (Cardwell, 189) With PTSD the body's response to a stressful event is changed. Normally, after (a stressful) event the body recovers. The stress hormones and chemicals the body releases due to the stress go back to normal levels. For some reason in a person with PTSD, the body keeps releasing the stress hormones and chemicals. PTSD can occur at any age. It can occur after events such as assault, car accidents, natural disasters, rape, terrorism, and war. (PubMedHealth2)
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): an anxiety disorder in which the symptoms of anxiety are triggered by intrusive, repetitive thoughts and urges to perform certain actions. (Hockenbury, 517) Characterized by excessive intrusive and inappropriate “obsessions” or “compulsions.” The person’s mind is filled with persistent and uncontrollable thoughts which they attempt to control through repetitive behaviors. (Cardwell, 168) Obsessions can center on cleanliness and the avoidance of dirt or germs, counting, or checking. The compulsive behavior can be displayed as repetitive cleaning (repeatedly washing one’s hands or brushing one’s teeth), repetitive counting, or repetitive checking (checking and rechecking locks, ovens, etc.) The individual recognizes the senselessness of the repetition, but is unable to control the repetitive behavior. (Bamford, 10/25/10) A deficiency in “serotonin” has been implicated (as a possible cause.) Dysfunction in the “frontal lobes” and the “caudate nucleus” have been linked (to OCD). (Hockenbury, 519)