Panic Disorders

Question 1

During the Freudian era, what were the 2 types of diagnosis for mental disorders? List and define them.

Answer 1

1. Neurosis: Mental distress without loss of contact with reality
2. Psychosis: Loss of contact with reality

Question 2

Define the emotion “fear”.

Answer 2

• Short-term, acute response to a real or perceived threat
• It enables the fight or flight response

Question 3

Define the emotion of “panic”.

Answer 3

An extreme fear reaction that is triggered even when there is no danger/threat present

Question 4

What are some physical symptoms of fear/panic? (2)

Answer 4

• Increased heart rate, blood pressure, cortisol and adrenaline levels
• Muscle tension

Question 5

1. Define “anxiety”.
2. When is it considered a disorder?

Answer 5

1. Affective state where an individual feels threatened by the potential occurrence of something that could happen to them in the future
2. When fear, panic, anxiety reach levels that interfere w/ the person’s way of living

Question 6

How are anxiety disorders organized into the DSM-5? (List the 3 different categories)

Answer 6

1. Anxiety disorder –> panic + phobia, social anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder
2. OCD
3. Trauma-related –> PTSD

Question 7

How does High Top organize anxiety and panic disorders?

Answer 7

Internalizing:
- Fear –> specific phobia, panic disorder, OCD, SAD

• Distress –> GAD + PTSD

Question 8

1. Define “phobia” (3)
2. Give an example with spiders

Answer 8

1. An unreasonable fear when in the presence of or anticipating encountering an object, which interferes with day-to-day activities and causes significant distress. Exposure to the stimulus produces a panic attack.
2. You can’t go to class because you’re so scared of seeing a spider

Question 9

List 4 different types of phobias

Answer 9

1. Animal-type
2. Natural environment type
3. Blood/injection/injury type
4. Situational type (tunnels, bridges, elevators, planes)

Question 10

List 5 common phobias

Answer 10

1. Choking
2. Vomiting
3. Illness
4. Loud noises
5. Falling down

Question 11

Is fear always from the object itself?

Answer 11

No, fear can be an outcome of interacting with the object

Question 12

1. What is the % of lifetime prevalence rates of phobias?
2. What is the prevalence in men and women?
3. When does the onset of phobias occur?
4. Does it comorbid with other illnesses? Name 2.

Answer 12

1. 12.5%
2. 2F : 1M
3. During childhood
4. Other anxieties and depression

Question 13

What is the age of onset of these phobias?

• animals
• blood + injury
• dental

Answer 13

• Animal: 7 y/o
• Blood + injury: 9 y/o
• Dental: 11y/o

Question 14

What are two types of learning that contribute to the etiology of phobias?

Answer 14

1. Classical Conditioning
2. Operant Conditioning

Question 15

What did Mowrer propose?

Answer 15

The 2-factor theory states that fears are acquired through classical conditioning but are maintained through operant conditioning

Question 16

How is it that people can have phobias without the bad experience? (4)

Answer 16

1. They don’t remember what happened to them
2. Vicarious transmission –> they learn to be afraid by watching how other people react to objects in the environment
3. Evolutionary Preparedness Theory
4. Immunizing effect –> after interacting with the stimulus over and over, you’re less scared of it

Question 17

1. Explain the “Evolutionary Preparedness Theory”.
2. Give an example with lab-reared monkeys

Answer 17

1. Some fears are adaptive, which increases one’s survival and human reproduction
2. Lab-reared monkeys were afraid of snakes despite having no experience with them.

Question 18

What is the criteria for a panic disorder according to DSM-5? (5)

Answer 18

1. Panic attacks must be uncued (occur spontaneously) and recurrent
2. Must be followed by a persistent concern about having panic attacks for at least one month
3. 4/13 symptoms should show
4. Panic attacks must peak within 10 mins of starting
5. Panic should not be induced by another phobia

Question 19

What are some symptoms of panic disorder? (4)

Answer 19

• Fear of death
• Numbness
• Intense acute physiological arousal
• Rapid heartbeat

Question 20

1. When panic is stimulus-bound, it is a […]?
2. When does the panic occur?

Answer 20

1. Phobia
2. Panic happens every time (or almost every time) the person encounters the stimulus

Question 21

When panic is situationally-bound, it is a […]?

Answer 21

Agoraphobia

Question 22

Define “Agoraphobia”.

Answer 22

Fear of having a panic attack, which prevents you from going to the place.

Question 23

What did Klein propose?

Answer 23

Anxiety occurs when it is paired with a negative stimulus

Question 24

Explain how avoidance negatively reinforces anxiety.

Answer 24

Avoiding places you think might trigger a panic attack gives you relief, which makes you want to keep avoiding them.

Question 25

What makes a simple phobia different from social phobias?

Answer 25

- Simple phobia: fear of a specific external danger - Social phobia: fear of a negative evaluation from others

Question 26

1. What is the % of lifetime prevalence rates of panic disorders? 2. What is the prevalence in men and women? 3. When does the onset of panic attacks occur?

Answer 26

1. 4-6% 2. 2F: 1M 3. 14-34 years old --> onset is abrupt (goes from nothing to having full-blown panic symptoms

Question 27

1. What was David Clark's belief about panic disorders? 2. Give an example of a heart attack

Answer 27

- Panic attacks result from a catastrophic misinterpretation of bodily sensations, meaning that these people are more sensitive to physiological senses - For them, having a panic attack was almost the same as a heart attack

Question 28

What can potentially trigger panic attacks for some people? (3)

Answer 28

- Caffeine - Cocaine - Levels of anger

Question 29

What did Reiss & McNally propose in relation to panic disorders? (2)

Answer 29

- Anxiety Sensitivity --> some people are more anxious (or afraid) about being anxious - People high on this trait are more likely to panic when experiencing anxiety