Anxiety Related Disorders
What physical symptoms are common during a panic attack?
Rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, sweating, trembling, dizziness, and fear of losing control.
What is one common theme of obsessions seen in OCD?
Contamination, symmetry, or fear of harming others.
What’s the key difference between anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa?
Anorexia = significant weight loss and restriction; Bulimia = binge eating and compensatory behaviors like vomiting, but normal weight.
Which dissociative disorder involves inability to recall personal information, often after trauma?
Dissociative Amnesia.
What is the DSM-5 criterion for a major depressive episode duration?
Symptoms must last at least 2 weeks, including depressed mood or loss of interest.
A man avoids all social situations for fear of embarrassment or judgment, even refusing job interviews. Which disorder fits best and what treatment is recommended?
Social Anxiety Disorder; best treated with exposure therapy and cognitive restructuring.
A woman repeatedly checks if the stove is off, even after confirming it several times. how would you explain this?
A checking compulsion, common in OCD.
A patient severely restricts food intake, believes she’s “fat,” and weighs 40 kgs. What subtype of anorexia does this describe?
Restricting type of Anorexia Nervosa.
In Factitious Disorder, what is the main motivation behind producing symptoms?
To assume the sick role and get attention or sympathy — not for external rewards.
What’s the main difference between Bipolar I and Bipolar II?
Bipolar I = full manic episodes; Bipolar II = hypomanic and major depressive episodes, but no full mania.
What is the biological system most involved in the fight-or-flight response?
The autonomic nervous system, especially the sympathetic division (releases adrenaline, increases heart rate).
This part of the brain, located in the frontal lobe, becomes overactive in OCD and is involved in detecting mistakes.
Orbitofrontal Cortex
What medical complications can result from frequent self-induced vomiting in bulimia nervosa?
Electrolyte imbalance, tooth erosion, dehydration, and heart irregularities.
A woman believes she has cancer despite repeated negative tests and reassurance from doctors. What disorder might this fit?
Illness Anxiety Disorder (Hypochondriasis).
A man has felt sad and hopeless nearly every day for two years but has never met criteria for major depression. What diagnosis fits best?
Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia).
What differentiates Panic Disorder from a single panic attack, according to DSM-5?
Panic Disorder involves recurrent, unexpected panic attacks plus persistent worry or behavioral changes for at least 1 month.
Which DSM-5 disorder involves pulling out one’s own hair, leading to bald patches?
Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder).
Explain how family dynamics and perfectionism can contribute to the development of eating disorders according to cognitive-behavioral and sociocultural models.
Families emphasizing achievement, appearance, or control can increase pressure and reinforce perfectionism, which supports body dissatisfaction and restrictive eating behaviors reinforced by societal ideals.
A soldier suddenly becomes paralyzed after a traumatic event, but there’s no physical injury. What disorder does this fit?
Conversion Disorder (Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder).
What biological treatment is most effective for stabilizing bipolar mood swings?
Lithium (a mood stabilizer).
How can biological and cognitive-behavioral models work together to explain the development of anxiety disorders?
Biological models highlight overactive amygdala and low GABA activity, while cognitive-behavioral theories explain learned fear responses and maladaptive thought patterns. Together, they show that both brain chemistry and learned thinking contribute to chronic anxiety.
How does Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) help treat OCD?
It gradually exposes a person to their triggers without allowing the compulsion, breaking the anxiety–relief cycle over time.
How does the biological model explain eating disorders, particularly anorexia nervosa?
Genetic predispositions, serotonin imbalance, and hypothalamic dysfunction (altered hunger/satiety signals) contribute to disordered eating and obsession with weight.
What is the key difference between Somatic Symptom Disorder and Factitious Disorder?
Somatic Symptom = symptoms are unconscious and not faked; Factitious = symptoms are intentionally produced for attention.
How does learned helplessness explain depression?
Repeated failure or lack of control leads people to stop trying, believing they can’t change outcomes — a cognitive model of depression.