PSYC 2280 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Norepinephrine, Specific Phobia, Headon
29 Apr 2016
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Document Summary
Anxiety: negative mood state characterized by bodily symptoms of physical tension and apprehension about the future. Good for us, in moderate amounts - we perform better when we"re a bit nervous. Too much anxiety - can"t concentrate, physical symptoms, unease. Severe anxiety usually doesn"t go away even when we know there"s nothing to worry about. Fear: immediate alarm reaction to danger: protects us by activating response from the ans (increased heart rate and blood pressure), motivated to fight or flee. A lot of evidence shows that fear and anxiety reactions differ psychologically and physiologically: anxiety is future-oriented, apprehension of what we can"t control, fear is present-oriented, reaction to present danger. Panic attack: abrupt experience of intense fear or acute discomfort, accompanied by physical symptoms that usually include heart palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness: situationally bound (cued): only have an attack in certain places or situations.
