where is the line between normal and abnormal behavior

it is appropriate to feel depressed when you have lost someone close

Anxiety an important job interview or a final examination is perfectly normal
Most of the definitions have certain features in common, often called “the
four Ds”: deviance, distress, dysfunction, and danger
to conduct daily activities in a constructive way
dangerous to oneself or others

Feeling uncomfortable and nervous in certain

social situations.
Fear of
– Embarrassment
– Humiliation
– Look/feel foolish
– Judged harshly by others
– Bad impression
Overcoming

1. F&FLIGHT RESPOSNCE EPINNEPHRINE NOREPINEPH

Physical features may include jumpiness, jitteriness, trembling or shaking, tightness

in the pit of the stomach or chest, heavy perspiration, sweaty palms, lightheadedness
or faintness, dryness in the mouth or throat, shortness of breath, heart pounding or racing, cold fingers or
limbs, and upset stomach or nausea, among
other physical symptoms.
b) Behavioral features may include avoidance behavior, clinging or dependent behavior,
and agitated behavior.
c) Cognitive features may include worry, a nagging sense of dread or apprehension
about the future, preoccupation with or keen awareness of bodily sensations, fear
of losing control, thinking the same disturbing thoughts over and over, jumbled or
confused thoughts, difficulty concentrating or focusing one’s thoughts, and think mind blank

Public speaking 30.2%

Talking in front of a small group 15.2
Talking with others 13.7
Using a toilet away from home 6.6
Writing while someone watches 6.4
Eating or drinking in public 2.7
Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia) It is not abnormal to experience
some degree of fear or anxiety in social situations such as dating, attending parties or
social gatherings, or giving a talk or presentation to a class or group

people with
social anxiety disorder (also called social phobia) have such an intense fear of social situations
that they may avoid them altogether or
endure them only with great distress. The
underlying problem is an
excessive fear of negative evaluations from others—fear of being
rejected, humiliated, or embarrassed.

Imagine what it’s like to have social anxiety disorder

always fearful of doing or saying something humiliating or embarrassing

Biological Factor
Let’s also consider the role of neurotransmitters, especially gamma-aminobutyric
acid (GABA). GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, which means that it tones down
excess activity in the central nervous system and helps quell the body’s response to stress.
When the action of GABA is inadequate, neurons may fire excessively, possibly bringing
about seizures. In less dramatic cases, inadequate action of GABA may heighten states of
anxiety or nervous tension. People with panic disorder tend to have low levels of GABA
in some parts of the brain (Goddard et al., 2001). Also, we know that antianxiety drugs
called benzodiazepines, which include the well-known Valium and Xanax, work specifically
on GABA receptors, making these receiving stations more sensitive to the chemical,
which enhances the calming effects of the neurotransmitter.

use the benzodiazepines to reduce

their anxiety when forced to confront their phobic
objects; for example, they use Valium before fl ying
or giving a presentation. These drugs produce

serotonin (see
Chapter 7). Serotonin is a key brain chemical involved in regulating moods, so it is not
surprising that it plays a role in depression. Two of the most widely used antidepressant
drugs—Prozac and Zoloft—belong to a class of drugs that increase the availability of
serotonin in the brain.

relapse soon
after discontinuing the drug

people with generalized anxiety

disorder have a defi ciency of GABA or GABA
receptors, which results in excessive fi ring of neurons
through many areas of the brain, particularly
the limbic system, which is involved in emotional,
physiological, and behavioral responses to
threat

Learning
Influences

Classical Conditioning Previously neutral stimulus becomes paired with painful or aversive stimulus

Operant Conditioning Avoidance behavior strengthened by negative reinforcement (anxiety relief) (not giving presenstation results in
anxiety releif

Observational Learning Observing others react fearfully to a stimulus leads to acquisition of a phobic response to the stimulus (some onne
fail at giving presenstation and embarsedse infro of audience

Flooding intensively exposes a client to his or

her feared object until anxiety is extinguished
EXPOSURE TECHNIQUES

Cognitive-Behavioral Treatments
Oversensitivity to threatening cues
people with social anxiety tend to be overly sensitive to social cues of rejection or negative evaluation from
others

Overprediction of danger

Self-defeating thoughts and irrational beliefs.

What if I have
an anxiety attack in front of other people? They might think I’m crazy. I couldn’t stand
it if they looked at me that way.”
challenge their negative

dysfunctional ways of thinking

people with social phobia find that their anxiety levels increase as soon as they enter into a social situation

treat them social skills

•social skills training•A therapy
approach that helps people learn or
improve social skills and assertiveness
through role playing and rehearsing of
desirable behaviors.

Standing for one own rights without disrespecting other rights.

Maintain eye contact good posture.

Asking your landlord to fix the toilet

Telling your boss you can not work overtime this
weekend
– Telling a friend not to come over
because it is too late and you are
rehersal and role palying.

cognitive restructuring, a method in

which therapists help clients pinpoint self-defeating thoughts and generate rational alternatives
they can use to cope with anxiety-provoking situations.
For example, in treating social anxiety,
therapists often combine exposure treatment with cognitive restructuring techniques that
help clients replace anxiety-inducing thoughts with calming alternatives (Rapee, Gaston,
& Abbott, 2009). Evidence supports the effectiveness of CBT in treating many types of
phobia, including social anxiety and claustrophobia (e.g., Choy, Fyer, & Lipsitz, 2007;
McEvoy et al., 2012; Rachman, 2009).

Cconclude on
Face it till you make it