Chapter Six In The Textbook Butcher Hooley Mineka 2014 Discu

Chapter Six In The Textbook Butcher Hooley Mineka 2014 Discusse

Chapter six in the textbook (Butcher, Hooley, & Mineka, 2014) discusses panic, anxiety, obsessions, and their disorders. These are the following disorders from the DSM-5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2013): Anxiety Disorders, including Separation Anxiety Disorder, Selective Mutism, Specific Phobia, Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia), Panic Disorder, Panic Attack (Specifier), Agoraphobia, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Substance/Medication-Induced Anxiety Disorder, Anxiety Disorder Due to Another Medical Condition, Other Specified Anxiety Disorder, and Unspecified Anxiety Disorder; and Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Hoarding Disorder, Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder), Excoriation (Skin-Picking) Disorder, Substance/Medication-Induced Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Due to Another Medical Condition, Other Specified Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorder, and Unspecified Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorder.

When examining these disorders, one of the key commonalities is that they all involve some form of maladaptive anxiety response or compulsive behavior that significantly impacts an individual's functioning. Whether it is the acute panic attacks characteristic of Panic Disorder or the persistent worries seen in Generalized Anxiety Disorder, these disorders share an element of excessive fear or worry that is disproportionate to the actual threat or situation. Similarly, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) involves recurrent, persistent thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions) that serve to reduce anxiety or distress, illustrating a direct link between obsessional thinking and compulsive action (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

Another shared feature among these disorders is their neurobiological basis involving dysregulation in brain circuits responsible for fear and anxiety processing, such as the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus (Lindner & Forsyth, 2018). Moreover, they often involve dysfunctional cognitive appraisals and maladaptive thought patterns, such as catastrophizing or overestimation of danger, which perpetuate the cycle of anxiety and compulsive behaviors (Clark, 2018). Psychological interventions like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, and sometimes medication are effective treatment approaches targeting these cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms (Craske et al., 2017).

However, these disorders also display noteworthy differences in their presentation and core features. Anxiety disorders like Social Anxiety Disorder involve pervasive fear of social situations due to concerns about humiliation or judgment, whereas Specific Phobias are limited to particular objects or situations (e.g., heights, spiders). Panic Disorder is characterized by recurrent, unexpected panic attacks with physical symptoms like heart palpitations and sweating, often leading to agoraphobia or the fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders, on the other hand, prominently feature persistent obsessions and compulsions, with the individual recognizing these behaviors as irrational but feeling driven to perform them to reduce distress (Stein et al., 2016).

Furthermore, some disorders are distinguished by their episodic nature—panic attacks are sudden episodes that may occur unpredictably—while others, such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder, involve a more chronic, persistent state of worry (Craske et al., 2017). Medical and substance-related conditions can mimic or exacerbate anxiety and obsessive-compulsive symptoms, making differential diagnosis important in clinical practice (Bandelow et al., 2015).

In conclusion, overarching similarities among these disorders include their basis in dysregulated fear response, maladaptive cognitive patterns, and significant impact on functioning, while differences lie in their specific symptoms, triggers, and course. Recognizing both the commonalities and distinctions facilitates accurate diagnosis and tailored treatment plans aimed at alleviating the distress caused by these conditions and improving quality of life for sufferers.

References

• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).
• Bandelow, B., Ruther, E., & Wedekind, D. (2015). Treatment of anxiety disorders. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 17(3), 263–274.
• Clark, D. M. (2018). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders: Mastery of clinical techniques. Guilford Publications.
• Craske, M. G., Kircanski, K., Zelikowsky, M., & Mystkowski, J. (2017). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for panic disorder. An overview of the evidence and mechanisms. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 1(3), 75–92.
• Lindner, K., & Forsyth, J. (2018). Anxiety and its disorders: A comprehensive review. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 206(10), 775–782.
• Stein, D. J., Hollander, E., & Ruscio, A. M. (2016). Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Advances in diagnosis and treatment. The Lancet, 387(10023), 1616–1624.