Lesson objectives Learn what an anxiety disorder is focusing on Specific Phobia Understand the biological contributing factors to phobias and the ways to manage phobias Study design dot point application ID: 618589
Download Presentation The PPT/PDF document "Anxiety disorder: specific phobia" is the property of its rightful owner. Permission is granted to download and print the materials on this web site for personal, non-commercial use only, and to display it on your personal computer provided you do not modify the materials and that you retain all copyright notices contained in the materials. By downloading content from our website, you accept the terms of this agreement.
Slide1
Anxiety disorder: specific phobiaSlide2
Lesson objectives
Learn what an anxiety disorder is, focusing on Specific Phobia
Understand the biological contributing factors to phobias and the ways to manage phobiasSlide3
Study design dot point
application
of a
biopsychosocial
framework to understanding ONE of the following four types of mental disorder and its management:
Anxiety
disorder: specific phobia
biological
contributing factors: role of the stress response; role of the neurotransmitter gamma
aminobutyric
acid (GABA) in the management of phobic
anxietySlide4
Anxiety definition
A state of physiological arousal associated with feelings of apprehension, worry or uneasiness that something is wrong or that something unpleasant is about to happen.Slide5
Anxiety disorder definition
Describes a group of disorders that are
characterised
by chronic feelings of anxiety, distress, nervousness and apprehension or fear about the future, with a negative effect.Slide6
DSM-IV-TR anxiety disorders
Agoraphobia without history of panic disorder
Panic disorder with/without agoraphobia
Specific phobia
Social phobia
Obsessive compulsive disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Generalised
anxiety disorder
Acute stress disorder
Anxiety disorder due to a general medical condition
Substance-induced anxiety disorderSlide7
Phobia definition
An excessive or unreasonable fear directed towards a particular object, situation or event that causes significant distress or interferes with everyday functioning.Slide8
Specific phobia definition
A disorder
characterised
by significant anxiety provoked by exposure to a specific feared object or situation, often leading to avoidance
behaviour
.
The specific object/situation producing the fear is called the
phobic stimulus
.Slide9
Phobia activity
Anunptaphobia
: fear of staying single
Arachibutyrophobia
: fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth
Hippopotomonstrosesquipped-aphiliophobia
: fear of long words
Keraunophobia
: fear of lighting
Ornithophobia
: fear of birds
Papaphobia
: fear of the Pope
Pentheraphobia
: fear of mother-in-laws
Quadrataphobia
: fear of quadratic equations
Vuteuthindon
: fear of picnicsSlide10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rl7Lr6eDLc
People with a specific phobia know that their level of fear is excessive or unreasonable.
The fear is in excess of any real danger posed by the phobic stimulus.Slide11
Symptoms
Elevated
heart rate & blood pressure
Hand tremors
Diarrhoea
Sweating
Shortness
of breath
Dizziness
Feel like they have no control over the situationSlide12
DSM specific phobia categories
Categories
Examples
Animal
type
Situation
type
Blood, injections and injury type
Natural environments type
Other phobias
Choking, vomiting,
loud noises, dying, costumed charactersSlide13
Biopsychosocial
framework applied to specific phobia and its management
Biological factors
Contributing factors:
Role of stress response
Dysfunctional GABA system
Management:
Benzodiazepines
GABA supplement
Relaxation response
Specific phobiaSlide14
Biological contributing factors
Genetic predisposition – moderate level of heritability of anxiety disorders
Role of the stress response
Role of the brain’s neurochemistrySlide15
How does the stress response contribute to phobic anxiety?
Fight-fight response activated
Accounts for phobic symptoms such as sweating & palpitations
Dizziness due to increase in ANS arousal then sudden drop in blood pressureSlide16
Becomes
problematic when
the anxiety response is triggered when there is no real threat or danger
For example, objects/situations that have little potential for harm
flowers (
anthophobia
) or clouds (
nephophobia
)
Anxiety remains until the exposure to the phobic stimulus is goneSlide17
Role of GABA
Gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA)
= Primary
inhibitory
neurotransmitter
Inhibits firing of neurons
Maintains optimal level of neurotransmission
Low levels of
GABA
leads to higher levels of
anxiety
Neurons are not stopped from
firing
NOT THAT GABBA…Slide18
Role of glutamate
(GABA’s mate)
Glutamate
= primary
excitatory
neurotransmitter
Makes neurons more likely to fire
Both GABA and glutamate have important roles in arousal and therefore anxietySlide19
Management of phobias
Benzodiazepines
: a group of drugs which are referred to as minor tranquillisers
ADVANTAGE: Calm down the body by reducing physiological arousal and promoting relaxation
DISADVANTAGE: induce drowsiness and are addictive
Eg
:
Valium
,
Temazepam
, Xanax
etcSlide20
How do ‘
benzos
’ work?
Agonists
Imitate therefore stimulate a neurotransmitter’s activity
Benzos
are GABA agonists
Benzos
have inhibitory effects on neurons which
reduce
the symptoms of anxiety
Antagonists
Inhibit a neurotransmitter’s activity
Reduce GABA function and increase anxiety symptomsSlide21
GABA/anxiety connection
Researchers believe that some
people develop anxiety because they have a dysfunctional GABA system
The
result of failure to produce, release or receive the correct amount of GABA
that is
needed to regulate neuronal transmission in the
brainSlide22
GABA may be affected by:
Genetic
inheritance
Socio-cultural factors
Exposure
to prolonged stress
Exposure
to
environmental
toxins
Nutritional deficiencies (vitamin B6 and citric acid, and high caffeine intake
)
What can you do?
Proposals that GABA levels can be increased “naturally”
by:
Drinking
green tea
Eating
foods “high in GABA
” (
e.g.
beans
, dairy foods,
eggs
,
seafoods
and
wholegrains
)
GABA
supplements
(although
there is no significant research evidence that
this works)Slide23
Review!
Draw a flow chart to
describe
and explain how the stress response contributes to a phobic
reaction