According to Abnormal Psychology: An Integrative Approach (2015), anxiety is defined as a “negative mood state characterized by bodily symptoms of physical tension and apprehension about the future” (Barlow, 2015). Anxiety is a set of behaviors, such as looking worried, anxious or fidgety, or a physiological response in the brain that is reflected by increased heart rate and muscle tension (Barlow et al., 2015). Within the spectrum of anxiety disorder, there are many disorders that are classified under anxiety, such as panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. In regards to this essay, the anxiety disorders of obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic …show more content…
The symptoms of OCD are broken into the symptoms for obsession and the symptoms for compulsions. Some symptoms for obsession are fears of contamination, fears of harm to one self or others, fear of violent images, sexual thoughts or images, aggressive sexual behaviours, sexual obsessions, concern with right and wrong, hoarding, and perfectionism. To counter these obsessions, some symptoms of compulsion are excessive hand washing or showering, excessive cleaning, constant checking, repeating activities in multiples, repetitive body movements, counting, arranging and ordering (What is OCD?, 2014). In contrast to OCD, the symptoms for PTSD are quite different. Some symptoms include feeling detached from others, feeling detached from feelings, flashbacks, nightmares, distressing thoughts of the experience, avoidance of thoughts and feeling about the experience and avoidance of situations or activities similar to the experience (POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, 2007). Lastly, the symptoms for GAD are also considerably different from OCD and PTSD. Some symptoms of GAD are feelings of restlessness, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, irritability, muscle tension, sleep difficulties, nausea, diarrhea and sweating (GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER, 2007). Overall, the …show more content…
From different studies of OCD, PSTD, and GAD, each disorder has different factors that influence that specific disorder but each disorder begins with generalized psychological and generalized biological vulnerabilities (Barlow et al., 2015), possible genetic influence and some type of brain dysfunction. OCD and GAD share the most similar causations between the three disorders. These disorders both have generalized psychological and biological vulnerabilities that increase in vulnerability when life events are stressful (Barlow et al., 2015). Biological vulnerabilities that OCD and GAD share are genetic factors. With these similarities, there are also slight differences between the psychological contributions of OCD and GAD. The psychological vulnerabilities of individuals with OCD are a constant belief that their thoughts are unacceptable (Barlow et al., 2015), while the psychological vulnerabilities for GAD are uncertainty, misguided beliefs about worry, poor problem solving and avoidance (Barlow et al., 2015). In contrast, although PTSD begins with generalized psychological and biological vulnerabilities like OCD and GAD, the contributions are not cause by the stress of life events. The psychological contributions for PTSD are caused by traumatic events, threatened death or serious injury
When it comes to generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) though they differ in each diagnosis, they also can share a unique bond with each other. Both diagnoses can co-occur among patients. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-V), post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition that 's triggered by exposure to one or more tragic/terrifying events. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). For generalized anxiety disorder, according to the DSM-V, “the essential feature of generalized anxiety disorder is excessive anxiety and worry (apprehensive expectation) about a number of events or activities. The intensity, duration, or frequency of the anxiety and worry is out of proportion to the actual likelihood or impact of the anticipated event” (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p.1).
The cognitive perspective often describe psychological problems as dysfunctional ways of thinking. There are many cognitive symptoms but one major one includes excessive worry which is a key characteristic of GAD. One assumption is the maladaptive assumption. One psychologist, Albert Ellis, discussed that many people are guided by irrational beliefs which leads them to act in irrational ways. He called them basically irrational assumptions, and included that many individuals with generalized anxiety disorder have these irrational assumptions. One includes “It is awful and catastrophic when things are not the way one would very much like them to be.” So when a person with these irrational assumptions are faced with situations that are stressful they interpret them as dangerous and they tend to worry excessively for no reason. Another psychologist, Aaron Back, discuss
On October 10th Brad Riemann, PhD held a conviction on anxiety related disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), general anxiety disorder (GED), and social anxiety disorder (SAD). His presentation was packed full of information on the skim of each disorder. For example, anxiety related disorders are very common (OCD is 2.5% common, GED is 5%, and SAD is 7-8%). I also learned that anxiety disorders are often comorbid with depression (SAD is also comorbid with substance abuse disorder). Most people find out they have GED when they check into a health care facility to check on physical symptoms (GED has the symptoms of restlessness, fatigue, impaired concentration, muscle tenseness, and sleep problems). What separates normal nervousness
“Anxiety disorders take many forms, but all share the core characteristic of unrealistic and counterproductive levels of anxiety. Anxiety has two major components: (1) strong negative emotions and (2) physical tension due to the anticipation of danger,” (Cacioppo, & Freberg, 2013). Anxiety disorders occur in people who worry about things they think are going to happen to them in the future, (Cacioppo, & Freberg, 2013). They exaggerate these events and this causes them undue anxiety. They may worry about someone being in danger or even something as normal as paying bills. The anxiety from these things may cause them to withdraw from their family and friends and not participate in daily life. Although, people with anxiety unnecessarily
Anxiety is the body’s normal reaction to stressors and occurs in various degrees by everyone. It is a healthy, protective response when experienced in moderation, however, when anxiety is experienced in excess, it can become an impairment to an individual’s normal functioning. According to SAMHSA, “Anxiety disorders are characterized by excessive fear or anxiety that is difficult to control and negatively and substantially impacts daily functioning”(2014). There are many different types of anxiety disorders ranging from Generalized Anxiety Disorder to specific phobias. The new
Anxiety is an emotion of fear or panic, and majority people feel anxious, panicky or fearful about many situations in life. Taking students as an example, their most fear or panicky times are during their exam, but once the difficult situation is over, the feeling will make the young person feel calmer and better. Likewise, there are people who will still have a feeling of fear or anxiety continued after the difficult situation is over, or even feel a stronger sense of fear than others. If this is the case, this will cause a problem, therefore, will affect everyday life (AnixetyUK 2015). A further aspect of anxiety are the symptoms. Symptoms include: feeling frightened, nervous or panicky all the time. At times, the patient may feel depressed
Anxiety disorders are one of the categories of mental disorders. Persistent, pervasive, and excessive feelings of fear and anxiety are characteristic symptoms of the disorders in this category. Among these are separation anxiety disorder, specific phobias, social anxiety disorder (social phobia) and generalized anxiety disorder. The symptoms of these disorders are more severe than mild feelings of anxiety or fear that are present in everyday life. For example generalised anxiety disorder is characterized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a persistent and general feeling of anxiety and worry about several different activities and events (222). According to Kessler et al. specific phobias are the most common anxiety
Anxiety is a very common disorder found in many people. An anxiety disorder of any kind can associate itself with, any types of disorders as well. Havranek (2017) stated that anxiety disorders have a negative impact on one’s life. Anxiety disorders in some cases hold people back from being at their best. In these articles, they work to study and find the difference and similarities between different disorders and phobias to anxiety disorder and other kinds of anxiety disorders such as SAD (social anxiety disorder) as said by Havranek (2017). Along with finding these differences and similarities they also try and find ways these disorders can be and how they are treated.
Everyday we experience anxiety. Normally, it’s the feeling you get right before a test, recital, or an interview, but sometimes and for some people it can be a whole lot worse. It can even result in terrible panic attacks that affect the way they live. Anxiety is defined as a general term for several disorders that cause nervousness, worrying,, and fear. Severe anxiety is the most common mental illness and affects 40 million people in the U.S. That’s about 18% of our population. We all get mild anxiety from time to time, but there are more severe cases, types, and forms to this illness. I will tell you about the type of anxiety that could be harmful to your everyday life. Today I will tell you about the types of anxiety, the different
In today’s society, one of the most common psychological disorders common among individuals is anxiety disorder. Everyone has some form of anxiety in their everyday life whether it is speaking in front of others or feeling anxious, but when this unpleasant feeling becomes persistent in everyday life, one may be diagnosed with anxiety disorder. According to Adult Psychopathology and Diagnosis (2014), anxiety disorders are commonly diagnosed in the United States, with almost one-third of individuals meeting criteria for at least one anxiety disorder at some time in their lives. Anxiety disorders has five types disorders based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) that are common and significantly affects the quality of an individuals life.
In today’s society anxiety plays a huge role in our daily lives. Imagine being in front of a crowd of people feeling nervous, anxious, and even avoiding eye contact? Many people experience these symptoms of anxiety. There are many different types of anxiety disorders. Catching early signs of complications can lead to better treatment and acknowledgment. Gaining knowledge about anxiety and some of the different types of Anxiety Disorders, like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder can be beneficial to understanding the signs and symptoms a love one can have. It is important to know signs and symptoms because it is not worth risking a loved one’s life.
Anxiety disorders are conditions of persons who develop intense fear and anxiety for real or imagined reasons. Since the last century, it has been classified under the science of psychiatry when it was observed that fear and apprehension could affect the mental and physical functions of those afflicted. It is manifested in various symptoms classified into mental anxiety, physical tension and panic attacks. In many instances, the anxiety persists continuously even if the perceived threat or feared object is no longer present.
This paper will discuss the possible causes of anxiety disorders and the affects that it may have on an individual’s psychological state. The social implications of this disorder will also be discussed to get a clear understanding of how extreme anxiety can
Beck, A, T., Emery, G., & Greenberg, R, L., (1985). Anxiety disorders and phobias: A
Anxiety is a feeling of uneasiness and apprehension, usually about a situation with uncertain outcomes (Spielberger, 1983). The most established theories about anxiety include the state and trait anxiety (Scheier,1960; Spielberger et al. ,1970; Spielberger,1983), general and specific anxiety(Endler,1975;MacIntyre and Gardner,1991a), facilitating and debilitating anxiety(Alpert and Habert, 1960; Scovel, 1978), and unitary and multidimensional distinctions.(Tryon,1980; Smith and Smoll ,1990).