APT - Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Trauma-Related Disorders Lesson

Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Trauma-Related Disorders

Anxiety Disorders

Can you remember the last time you felt anxious? Anxiety is a mixture of fear, apprehension, and worry. In most people's lives, anxiety occurs in response to a rational fear: a bear walks by when you're hiking, you are about to head in for a job interview, you aren't prepared for a big test, you move away from home for the first time, you start a new job, or some other uncontrollable situation. A person with an anxiety disorder, however, experiences anxiety for an extended period of time in response to an irrational fear or for no reason at all.

Anxiety disorders typically last for at least six months, are characterized by a disproportionate fear response relative to the actual danger posed, and produce maladaptive behaviors in an effort to avoid the anxiety-producing situation. To be considered an anxiety disorder, the anxiety must meet all three of the criteria discussed on the previous page:

distressful to the person exhibiting them
deviant from what is standard in the person's culture
dysfunctional to the point of disrupting the person's life

The DSM-5 classifies anxiety disorders into several categories. You need to know three: phobias, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic disorder.

Learn more about anxiety disorders below:

A phobia is an anxiety disorder marked by a persistent, intense, irrational fear and avoidance of a specific object or situation. A person who has claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces) may choose to walk five flights of stairs rather than take the elevator to the tenth floor. A person with agoraphobia (fear of open, public situations) might be unable to leave home because of intense worry. A phobia becomes a disorder when it interferes with daily life such as attending school or going to work.

A person with Generalized Anxiety Disorder experiences anxiety and worry almost all the time. Nothing specific seems to trigger the anxiety; this person is always expecting disaster. Symptoms include inability to relax, a feeling of restlessness, inability to make decisions for fear of failure, and obsessions over small concerns.

A person with Panic Disorder experiences unprovoked, unpredictable minutes-long episodes of intense dread and terror, accompanied by chest pain, choking, or other frightening sensations. Many people with Panic Disorder are so afraid of having a panic attack in public that they develop agoraphobia and refuse to leave home.

In previous versions of the DSM, the next two disorders were included in the category of anxiety disorders. The DSM-5, though, offers separate categories for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Trauma Related Disorders.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders

Before 2013, the DSM classified Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder as a type of Anxiety Disorder, but now obsessive-compulsive disorders are classified separately. People with obsessive-compulsive disorders experience obsessions (persistent, unwanted thoughts) that lead to compulsions (actions that must be performed). Common obsessions include fear of germs, interest in symmetry, and aggressive thoughts toward self or others. Common compulsions include counting, cleaning or hand washing, rearranging to achieve perfect symmetry, double-checking to be sure things are locked or off. Hoarding, hair-pulling, and skin-picking also fall in this category.

Trauma and Stress-Related Disorders

Before 2013, the DSM also classified Post-traumatic Stress Disorder as a type of Anxiety Disorder. Now PTSD has its own category. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder characterized by haunting memories, nightmares, social withdrawal, anxiety, and/or insomnia that lingers for four weeks or more after a traumatic experience. It may include irritable or aggressive behavior, self-destructive behavior, re-experiencing, avoidance/numbing, and arousal. Children or adults who experience trauma may be impacted. Thousands of veterans of the Vietnam War and other wars exhibit these symptoms.

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