I.

Classification and Characteristic of Anxiety

1. Phobia
- It is an illogical, intense and persistent fear of a specific object or a social
situation that causes extreme distress and interferes with normal
functioning
- Do not result from the past negative experiences
- May never have had any contact with the object of phobias
- People with phobias develop anticipatory anxiety when thinking about or
encountering the dreaded phobic object or situation
Characteristic of Phobia
1. Avoidant, anxiety response - Confrontation with feared objects
and situations produces a high anxiety response, efforts are made
on the part of the individual to avoid the feared objects and
situations in order to reduce the chances of anxiety occurring. For
example, if someone is afraid of ghosts, they would avoid taking a
shortcut through a graveyard at night.
2. Disruption of functioning - Anxiety and avoidance responses are
so extreme that they can severely interfere with the ability to
conduct everyday working and social functioning. For example, a
person with a social phobia will find it very difficult to socialize
with others.
3. Persistent, excessive fear- Anxiety is produced from the presence
of or anticipation of feared objects/situations
4. Fear from exposure to phobic stimuli- immediate fear response
(e.g. panic attacks) due to the presence of the phobic
object/situation
5. Recognition of exaggerated anxiety- People who suffer from
phobias are consciously aware that the anxiety levels they
experience in relation to their feared object or situation are
overstated (over exaggerated)

2. Panic
- Individuals with this disorder experience recurrent, unexpected panic
attacks and experience persistent concern and worry about having another
panic attack.
 - Panic disorder is composed of discrete episodes of panic attacks
- - 15 to 30 minutes of rapid, intense, escalating anxiety this includes
experiencing great fears as well as a physiological discomfort

- They also have changes in their behavior linked to panic attacks which
are maladaptive, such as avoidance of activities and situations to prevent
the occurrence of panic attacks. Panic attacks are abrupt surges of intense
fear or extreme discomfort that reach a peak within minutes, accompanied
by physical and cognitive symptoms such as palpitations, sweating,
shortness of breath, fear of going crazy, or fear of dying. Panic attacks can
occur unexpectedly with no obvious trigger, or they may be expected,
such as in response to a feared object or situation.

3. GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder)

- Worries excessively and feels anxious at least 50% of the time for 6
months or more and is Unable to control this focus on worry,
- The key feature of this disorder is persistent and excessive worry about
various domains, including work and school performance, that the
individual finds hard to control.
- The person also may experience feeling restless, keyed up, or on edge;
being easily fatigued; difficulty concentrating or mind going blank;
irritability, muscle tension, and sleep disturbance.

4. OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder)

- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition marked by
persistent, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts
(compulsions) that an individual feels compelled to perform in response to the
obsessions. The impact of these obsessions and compulsions is notable, often
disrupting daily activities and causing considerable distress.
- Onset
- Can start in childhood, especially males
- In females, it is more commonly begins in the 20’s
- Typically, in late adolescence, with periods of waxing and waning
- symptoms
- Characteristics:
➢ Behavioral: Compulsions are repetitive behaviors.
➢ Emotional: Anxiety which is caused by the obsessions
 ➢ Cognitive: Fear of contamination, by dirt or germs; Fear of safety, by
leaving doors or windows; religious fears, from being immoral;
perfectionism, a fear of not being the best.

5. PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)

Disturbing pattern of behavior demonstrated by someone who has experience,
witnessed or been confronted with a traumatic events such as natural disaster,
combat or an assault

- Characteristic:
➢ Intrusive Memories: Flashbacks, nightmares, or distressing memories
related to the traumatic event.

➢ Avoidance: Efforts to avoid reminders or triggers associated with the

trauma, leading to emotional numbing and detachment.
➢ Negative Changes in Mood and Cognition: Persistent negative beliefs
about oneself or the world, distorted thoughts, and feelings of guilt or
shame.
➢ Hyperarousal and Reactivity: Increased irritability, hypervigilance,
difficulty concentrating, exaggerated startle response, and sleep
disturbances.