Assignment 4 Part2

Name and Surname: Elisa Brownrigg

Group Number: 6B
Lecturers Name: Dr. Olivia Galea Seychell

Question A
What is an anxiety disorder? Give a clear explanation.

Anxiety disorders are a category of mental disorders characterized by feelings of

anxiety and fear, where anxiety is a worry about future events and fear is a reaction
to current events. These feelings may cause physical symptoms, such as a racing heart
and shakiness.

They are partly genetic but may also be due to drug use including alcohol and caffeine,
as well as withdrawal from certain drugs. They often occur with other mental
disorders, particularly major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, certain personality
disorders, and eating disorders. The term anxiety covers four aspects of experiences
that an individual may have. These are mental apprehension, physical tension, physical
symptoms and dissociative anxiety. The emotions present in anxiety disorders range
from simple nervousness to terror. There are other psychiatric and medical problems
that may mimic the symptoms of an anxiety disorder, such as hyperthyroidism.

Moreover, treatment includes lifestyle changes, therapy, and medications. Medications

are typically recommended only if other measures are not effective. Furthermore,
anxiety disorders may be classified as psychological disorders characterized by
distressing, persistent anxiety or maladaptive behaviours that reduce anxiety.

Words 150

Question B
Identify three types of anxiety disorders.

Three types of anxiety disorders include generalised anxiety disorder, phobias and
obsessive compulsive disorder.

Words 14

Question C
Provide a detailed description of the three types of anxiety disorders. In each
case an explanation of related symptoms is expected.

Generalized anxiety disorder is a common, chronic disorder characterized by longlasting anxiety that is not focused on any one object or situation. Those suffering
from generalized anxiety disorder experience non-specific persistent fear and worry,
and become overly concerned with everyday matters.

It is "characterized by chronic excessive worry accompanied by three or more of the

following symptoms: restlessness, fatigue, concentration problems, irritability, muscle
tension, and sleep disturbance".

Moreover, it can be a symptom of a medical or substance abuse problem. A diagnosis

of GAD is made when a person has been excessively worried about an everyday
problem for six months or more. One may have problems making daily decisions and
remembering commitments as a result of lack of preoccupation with worry.

Phobias are anxiety disorders in which an irrational fear causes the person to avoid
some object, activity, or situation. Many people accept their phobias and live with
them, while others may be incapacitated by their efforts to avoid the feared
situation. Moreover, this persistent and irrational fear leads to disruption of
behaviour.

In the event the phobia cannot be avoided entirely, the sufferer will endure the
situation or object with marked distress and significant interference in social or
occupational activities. The terms distress and impairment should also take into
account the context of the sufferer's environment if attempting a diagnosis. If a
phobic stimulus, whether it be an object or a social situation, is absent entirely in an
environment - a diagnosis cannot be made.

OCD is a persistent and uncontrollable tenseness which tends to follow stressful life
events. The person has an autonomic arousal and incapability to identify and avoid
cause of certain feelings.

OCD is a mental anxiety disorder where people feel the need to check things
repeatedly, have certain thoughts repeatedly, or feel they need to perform certain
routines repeatedly. People are unable to control either the thoughts or the activities.
Common activities include hand washing, counting of things, and checking to see if a
door is locked. These activities occur to such a degree that the person's daily life is
negatively affected.

Words 340