PSYC 385 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Heritability, Thought Suppression, Acne Vulgaris
Document Summary
Generalized anxiety disorder: chronic or excessive worry about multiple events, occurs more days than not for 6-month period, plus 3 or more of 6 symptoms, (e. g. on edge, fatigued, tense, irritable, poor sleep) Prevalence, age of onset, and gender differences: lifetime prevalence is 5. 7, twice as common in women as in men, 60-80% report having been anxious nearly all their lives. Comorbidity with other disorders: gad, experience occasional panic attacks, especially other anxiety disorders and mood disorders. Psychological causal factors: uncontrollable and unpredictable stressors, worry: provides sense of preparation, but increases negative emotions, cognitive bias toward potentially threatening information in environment. Biological causal factors: twin studies (mz vs. d) suggest small genetic contribution, gaba (gamma-aminobutric acid) deficiencies especially in core emotional brain regions, inhibitory role in the brain, down regulates other reactionary systems, 5-ht deficiencies. Treatments: anxiolytic drugs, buspirone, not a benzodiazepine, cognitive behavioral therapy. Relaxation training: psychologists have not been effective in helping people stop to worry.
