Anxiety Disorders Lesson 16-2

Bell Ringer Read intro p. 455

Anxiety A general state of dread or uneasiness a person feels as a response to a real or imagined danger –Anxiety is out of proportion to cause –Can interfere with normal functioning –Affects 15% of adults –Often refuse to give up their behavior for more effective ways of dealing with anxiety.

Anxiety Anxiety usually leads to physical symptoms –Muscular tension –Poor appetite –Diarrhea –Difficulty sleeping Learning can cause certain anxieties to be generalized to other situations

Anxiety Can be inherited Environmental factors, such as unpredictable traumatic experiences in childhood, can lead to anxiety.

Phobia Disorder When severe anxiety is focused on a particular object, animal, or activity that is out of proportion to the real danger involved- phobia Develop elaborate plans to avoid what they fear Range from mild to extreme

Panic Disorder A feeling of sudden, helpless terror- panic Symptoms include: sense of smothering, choking, difficulty breathing, nausea Usually last just a few minutes

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Obsession- having the same thoughts over and over Compulsion- repeatedly performing the same actions Runs in families- maybe genetic Even though they realize their behavior is irrational, they are unable to stop them.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder When a person feels long-term effects after a traumatic event –Veterans –Survivors of natural disasters –Victims of human aggression Experience “flashbacks” and nightmares May experience insomnia and guilt