Psychology 2030A/B Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Attack, Panic Disorder

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

Document Summary

Anxiety: future-oriented: mood state with marked negative affect & somatic tension (we are not anxious about the past!! Just about the future: apprehension about future danger or misfortune. Fear: present-oriented: mood state with marked negative affect (something just happens, normal response, helps us to get ready) Immediate fight or flight emotional response to danger or threat: strong avoidance/escapist tendencies, abrupt activation of the sympathetic nervous system. Anxiety and fear are normal emotional states. Characteristics of anxiety disorders: pervasive (embedded our all life) and persistent symptoms of anxiety and fear (always present, continue). Panic attack: people victims of panic attacks think they are going to die (palpitation, dizzy, nausea, chest pain heart attack disease!) What is panic attack: emotional component: abrupt experience of intense fear or discomfort (because you"re really thinking you"re dying!!, physical component: accompanied by several physical symptoms (e. g. breathlessness, chest pain)