Psychology 2030A/B Lecture Notes - Amygdala, Virtual Reality, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 2030A/B
• Professor: David Vollick

Document Summary

Anxiety: future-oriented mood state with marked negative affect (mood/emotions) and somatic (body) tension; a lot of physiological changes occur, apprehension about future danger or misfortune; become problematic when it becomes pervasive and overwhelming. Fear: preset-oriented mood state with marked negative affect; normal, immediate fight or flight emotional response danger or threat; can be crippling, strong avoidance/escapist tendencies, abrupt activation of the sympathetic nervous system. Anxiety and fear are normal emotional states. Pervasive and persistent symptoms of anxiety and fear; anxiety is damaging to the immune system and arteries. Symptoms and avoidance cause clinically significant distress and impairment. Dsm table 5. 1- diagnostic criteria for panic attack. What is a panic attack: abrupt experience of intense fear or discomfort, accompanied by several physical symptoms (i. e. breathlessness, chest pain) Diathesis-stress: basic genetic predisposition to respond to a stressful situation in a certain way; inherit vulnerabilities for anxiety and panic, not for anxiety disorders, stress and life circumstances activate the vulnerability.