PSY3032 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Social Anxiety Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Avoidant Personality Disorder
11 Oct 2018
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Document Summary
Both anxiety and fear play a significant role in these disorders. Anxiety = apprehension over an anticipated problem. Psychologists focus on the immediate" aspect of fear (a present threat) vs the anticipated" aspect of anxiety (a future threat) Fear is adaptive fundamental for fight or flight responses as it triggers rapid changes in the sympathetic nervous system to prepare the body for escape or fighting. Fear of objects or situations that is out of proportion to any real danger: disproportionate fear caused by a specific object or situation, such as fear of flying, fear of snakes or fear of heights. A phobia is marked and disproportionate fear consistently triggered by specific objects or situations. The object or situation is avoided or else endured with intense anxiety. A persistent, unrealistically intense fear of social situations that might involve being scrutinized by unfamiliar people.
