The Biology of Anxiety
This chemical messenger sends signals to other neurons, glands, and muscles
What is a neurotransmitter?
Janie can't stop thinking about her Biology test tomorrow and believes that she might not have studied enough to do well.
What is worry?
These two types of medications are often used to treat anxiety by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin or norepinephrine
What are SSRIs and SNRIs
Mark has an intense fear of flying
What is a simple phobia?
Bryan has had recurrent nightmares and flashbacks since he was rescued from a fire 2 years ago.
What is PTSD?
SSRIs help with depression and anxiety by regulating levels of this neurotransmitter
What is Serotonin?
A reaction to external event or environmental change that exceed the individual's resources
What is stress?
This type of therapy is based on the idea that emotional distress can arise from distorted thought patterns
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?
Ali cannot leave her house because she is afraid of interacting with other people.
What is social anxiety?
When she is alone in her room and feeling stressed, Francis has a compulsion to pull out her hair.
What is trichotillamania?
This part of the brain is associated with our fight or flight response
What is the amygdala?
This has both a physical and cognitive component and results when a person is anticipating that something bad might happen in the future
What is anxiety?
One of the two psychologists who are considered to be the pioneers of CBT
Who are Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis?
Ricky cries hysterically and clings to his mother's leg everytime she tries to drop him off at daycare
What is separation anxiety?
For all of her adult life, Marsha has felt inadequate and has struggled to make social connections, leading to a pattern of social avoidance.
What is avoidant personality disorder?
The hypothalamus triggers the endocrine system to release this hormone that responds to stress by increasing heart rate and respiration.
What is adrenaline?
This term would be used to describe the emotion you feel when you are home alone and suddenly hear loud noises outside the door.
What is fear?
These negative and inaccurate patterns of thinking reinforce negative beliefs about ourselves and the world
What are cognitive distortions?
Mr. Smith lives alone and since his wife died 10 years, he refuses to throw anything away, resulting in stacks of clutter and trash in his house.
What is hoarding disorder?
With no apparent warning, Jack will suddenly feel a sense of doom and his heart will begin to beat very fast leading him to worry that he is having a heart attack.
What is panic disorder?
This part of the neuron branches out, receiving the neurotransmitters from a sending neuron.
What are the dendrites?
Although acute stress can actually be motivating, this type of stress can cause long-term health and emotional problems
What is chronic stress?
This type of therapy involves pairing relaxation with progressively more anxiety provoking stimuli in order to allow the person to take control when confronted with what makes them anxious
What is exposure therapy?
Even though Chrissy communicates with her family at home, she is unable to speak when she is at school
What is selective mutism?
Carlos has repetetive thoughts that something terrible is going to happen and can only control these thoughts by counting the number of steps he takes whenever he walks.
What is obsessive complusive disorder?