Anxiety and Psychology

Anxiety is a natural response to stress, characterized by feelings of worry, fear, or unease. While occasional anxiety is normal, persistent or excessive anxiety can interfere with daily life and may indicate an anxiety disorder. Symptoms often include restlessness, rapid heartbeat, difficulty concentrating, and physical discomfort.

Types of Anxiety

There are several types of anxiety disorders, including:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Persistent and excessive worry about various aspects of life.

Social Anxiety Disorder: Intense fear of social situations and being judged.

Panic Disorder: Recurrent panic attacks with physical symptoms like chest pain and shortness of breath.

Agoraphobia: Fear of places or situations where escape might be difficult.

Separation Anxiety Disorder: Fear of being apart from loved ones.

Anxiety and Fear Compared

Anxiety and fear are closely related but may be distinct emotional responses. Both are part of our body's natural defense mechanism, but they differ in their triggers and how they manifest.

• Fear is an immediate reaction to a clear and present danger. It's often acute, instinctual, and specific, like the fear of encountering a snake or being in a dangerous situation. Fear triggers the "fight-or-flight" response, preparing the body to respond to a real threat.

• Anxiety, on the other hand, is more anticipatory and future-oriented. It arises from the possibility of danger, not necessarily its immediate presence. For instance, worrying about a speech you'll give next week or imagining a worst-case scenario are examples of anxiety. It tends to linger longer than fear and is often less specific, making it feel pervasive.

The two overlap because anxiety can sometimes arise as a result of fear, especially if past experiences have heightened sensitivity to certain triggers. While fear serves an evolutionary purpose to protect us from immediate harm, anxiety—when managed appropriately—can help us prepare for future challenges. However, chronic anxiety, unlike fear, can become debilitating if it persists without an actual threat.

Anxiety in the SCOPES Model of Analysis

The SCOPES model organizes psychological information for the purposes of research, clinical diagnoses, and treatment planning (Sutton, 2021). Following are some features of some types of anxiety associated with the holistic SCOPES model.

S Self

Negative self-evaluation or self-criticism.

Self-concept includes inadequacy or unworthiness

Self-concept includes a sense of failure

Self-doubting one’s abilities or decisions.

Self-evaluation by comparing oneself unfavorably to others.

C Cognition: Thoughts

Persistent worry or fear.

Difficulty concentrating or focusing.

Racing thoughts or overthinking.

Catastrophizing (expecting the worst).

Intrusive or obsessive thoughts.

E Emotions: Feelings

Overwhelming sense of dread or panic.

Irritability or restlessness.

Feeling on edge or tense.

Emotional numbness or detachment.

Feeling helpless or out of control.

O Observable Behavior  or Personality Patterns

Avoidance of feared situations or activities.

Compulsive behaviors (e.g., repetitive actions to reduce anxiety).

Procrastination or indecision.

Seeking constant reassurance from others.

Difficulty completing tasks due to distraction.

P Physical or Biological

Rapid heartbeat or palpitations.

Shortness of breath or hyperventilation.

Sweating or trembling.

Muscle tension or aches.

Fatigue or exhaustion.

Gastrointestinal issues (e.g., nausea, diarrhea).

Sleep disturbances (e.g., insomnia or nightmares).

S Social Context

Withdrawal from social interactions.

Difficulty maintaining conversations or relationships.

Fear of judgment or embarrassment in social settings.

Avoidance of group activities or gatherings.

Overdependence on close friends or family for support.

Recent Journal Article

A recent review article titled "Anxiety Disorders: A Review" by Szuhany and Simon (2022) discusses the prevalence, symptoms, and treatments of anxiety disorders. It highlights that anxiety disorders affect approximately 34% of adults in the U.S. during their lifetime. The review emphasizes the effectiveness of treatments like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and medications such as SSRIs and SNRIs. It also discusses the importance of personalized treatment plans based on individual needs.

References

Sutton, G. W. (2021). Creating surveys: Second Edition| How to create and administer surveys, evaluate workshops & seminars, interpret and present results. Sunflower.  

Szuhany, K. L., & Simon, N. M. (2022). Anxiety disorders: A review. JAMA, 328(24), 2431–2445.  https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2022.22744

Resources

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety/symptoms-causes/syc-20350961

Post Author

Geoffrey W. Sutton, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Evangel University, holds a master’s degree in counseling and a PhD in psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. His postdoctoral work encompassed education and supervision in forensic and neuropsychology. As a licensed psychologist, he conducted clinical and neuropsychological evaluations and provided psychotherapy for patients in various settings, including schools, hospitals, and private offices. During his tenure as a professor, Dr. Sutton taught courses on psychotherapy, assessment, and research. He has authored over one hundred publications, including books, book chapters, and articles in peer-reviewed psychology journals. His website is https://suttong.com

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Snake Phobia or Ophidiophobia

 

Ophidiophobia is an intense, irrational fear of snakes. Unlike normal fear, which arises in response to actual danger (like encountering a rattlesnake in the woods), ophidiophobia triggers anxiety even when thinking about snakes or seeing them on television.

Symptoms of ophidiophobia include:

Emotional stress and anxiety

A sense of immediate danger or doom

Rapid heart rate

Sweating

Shaking, trembling

Shortness of breath

Chest pain or discomfort

Nausea

Dizziness, or feeling lightheaded

Fear of losing control or death (also dread and terror)

Tingling sensations

Avoidant behavior (e.g., reptile houses at zoos, nature trails, some movies and jobs)

Prevalence

In the US, 64% reported snakes as a cause of fear—32% reported being “very afraid” (Moore, 2014, March 27). The level of fear is worse for older (over age 65) Americans (79% are scared). Fear of snakes is not the top fear in the UK but is still common at 52% behind fear of heights and public speaking.

The fear of snakes is among the most common fear. About half of a population reported a fear of snakes and 2-3% met diagnostic criteria for snake phobia (Polák, 2016).

Gender Differences

Multiple studies, including Fredrikson, Annas, Fischer and Wik (1996), have found specific gender differences in the prevalence of ophidiophobia. In fact, women are four times more likely to have a phobia of snakes compared to men.

Preparedness Theory and Ophidiophobia:

Humans are biologically predisposed to fear snakes more readily than other animals.

Fear acquisition happens faster with snakes due to our evolutionary history.

The amygdala, a brain structure, which plays a role in processing snake-related fear and response. (The amygdala is also involved in memory formation.)

Causes and Diagnosis:

The fear network in the human brain, involving the amygdala, plays a role in processing snake-related stimuli.

Diagnosis is based on symptoms outlined in the most recent DSM.

Treatment and Overcoming Ophidiophobia:

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective in treating specific phobias.

Techniques like exposure therapy help desensitize individuals to snake-related stimuli.

Practical ways to overcome ophidiophobia include gradual exposure, relaxation techniques, and seeking professional help.

Ophidiophobia and Religion

The fear of snakes is common in many cultures. In the Hebrew Bible, a snake appears as a talking character that deceives Eve, the first woman in Genesis.

 

References

Fredrikson, M., Annas, P., Fischer, H., & Wik, G. (1996). Gender and age differences in the prevalence of specific fears and phobias. Behaviour research and therapy, 34(1), 33–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-7967(95)00048-3

Moore, P. (2014, March 27). Snakes, heights and public speaking are the top three fears in the Home of the Brave. YouGov. Retrieved from https://today.yougov.com/society/articles/8983-argh-snakes

Polák, J., Sedláčková, K., Nácar, D., Landová, E., & Frynta, D. (2016). Fear the serpent: A psychometric study of snake phobia. Psychiatry research, 242, 163–168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2016.05.024

Cite this post

Sutton, G. W. (2024, March 6). Snake Phobia or Ophidiophobia. Psychology Concepts and Theories. Retrieved from https://suttonpsychology.blogspot.com/2024/03/snake-phobia-or-ophidiophobia.html

Geoffrey W. Sutton, PhD is Emeritus Professor of Psychology. He retired from a clinical practice and was credentialed in clinical neuropsychology and psychopharmacology. His website is  www.suttong.com

 

Please check out my books on   AMAZON       or  GOOGLE STORE

Follow on    FACEBOOK   Geoff W. Sutton    

   X  @Geoff.W.Sutton    

You can read many published articles at no charge:

  Academia   Geoff W Sutton     ResearchGate   Geoffrey W Sutton 

 

Dr. Sutton’s posts are for educational purposes only. See a licensed mental health provider for diagnoses, treatment, and consultation. 

Classical Conditioning

 Classical conditioning is a type of learning that occurs when a neutral stimulus elicits the same response after it is paired with an unconditioned stimulus that naturally produces a response. After frequent pairings of the neutral stimulus with the unconditioned stimulus, the neutral stimulus produces the same response and is therefore referred to as a conditioned stimulus.

The discovery is attributed to the work of Russian physiologist, Ivan Pavlov in the 1800s. In psychology texts, Pavlov conditions a dog to salivate to the sound of a bell without food after the bell had been paired with the presentation of food. The salivation was a natural response to food but after the bell was paired with the presentation of food, salivation became a conditioned response.

Classical conditioning has been applied to psychotherapy.

Some phobias can be reduced or eliminated when the eliciting (trigger) stimulus is successfully paired with a stimulus that produces a calm and relaxed emotional state.

Other interventions based on a classical conditioning model include:

Aversive conditioning

Systematic Desensitization

Exposure Therapy

Geoffrey W. Sutton, PhD is Emeritus Professor of Psychology. He retired from a clinical practice and was credentialed in clinical neuropsychology and psychopharmacology. His website is  www.suttong.com

 

See Geoffrey Sutton’s books on   AMAZON       or  GOOGLE STORE

Follow on    FACEBOOK   Geoff W. Sutton    

   TWITTER  @Geoff.W.Sutton    

You can read many published articles at no charge:

  Academia   Geoff W Sutton     ResearchGate   Geoffrey W Sutton 

 

Dr. Sutton’s posts are for educational purposes only. See a licensed mental health provider for diagnoses, treatment, and consultation.

Apeirophobia

 

Looking at Eternity 2023
Geoffrey W Sutton & Bing AI

Apeirophobia is a term for the fear of infinity or eternity; however, as of the date of this entry, the term does not appear in the PsychINFO database nor does it appear in Merriam-Webster. It has been submitted as a new word suggestion to Collins, which identifies the source as a David Stoller article in Aeon Magazine.

Geoffrey W. Sutton, PhD is Emeritus Professor of Psychology. He retired from a clinical practice and was credentialed in clinical neuropsychology and psychopharmacology. His website is  www.suttong.com

 

See Geoffrey Sutton’s books on   AMAZON       or  GOOGLE STORE

Follow on    FACEBOOK   Geoff W. Sutton    

   TWITTER  @Geoff.W.Sutton    

You can read many published articles at no charge:

  Academia   Geoff W Sutton     ResearchGate   Geoffrey W Sutton 

 

Dr. Sutton’s posts are for educational purposes only. See a licensed mental health provider for diagnoses, treatment, and consultation.

Lazarus effect / phenomenon

The Lazarus Effect or Lazarus Phenomenon is a person's return to life after they were declared dead.

According to the Smithsonian, perhaps one third of those who return to life make a complete recovery.

The effect is named for Lazarus of Bethany brought back to life in response to a command from his friend Jesus (John 11).

Researchers have found published reports of the phenomenon, which is also called spontaneous resuscitation. Physician surveys have documented the Lazarus Effect at a fairly high level of frequency but others are sceptical.

From the perspective of clinical psychology, it is easy to see why people were so afraid of being buried alive in the past and arranged for "safety coffins" that allowed for air intake and ways to notify people if they were trapped inside such as bells and flags. The fear is called taphophobia.

From the perspective of moral psychology, emotional responses can influence decisions about how long people wait until allowing a perceived dead person to be maintained on life support. Another consideration is the time frame for removing donated organs.

References

Adhiyaman, V., Adhiyaman, S., & Sundaram, R. (2007). The Lazarus phenomenon. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 100(12), 552–557. https://doi.org/10.1177/0141076807100012013

Braun P., Herff H., Paal P. (2011). The Lazarus phenomenon-false positive death certifications and auto-resuscitation cases covered in lay press. Resuscitation, 82, 1363-1364

Bray, J.G. (1993). The Lazarus Phenomenon Revisited. Anesthesiology 78:, 991 doi: https://doi.org/10.1097/00000542-199305000-00030

Gerard, D., Vaux, J. Boche, T., Chollet-Xemard, C., & Marty, J. (2013). Lazarus phenomenon: Knowledge, attitude and practice, Resuscitation, 84,12, 153, ISSN 0300-9572, 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resuscitation.2013.07.030.

Hornby, K., Hornby, L., & Shemie, S. D. (2010). A systematic review of autoresuscitation after cardiac arrest. Critical care medicine, 38(5), 1246–1253. https://doi.org/10.1097/CCM.0b013e3181d8caaa

Image: The Resurrection of Lazarus by Duccio di Buoninsegna (1308 - 1311)

Geoffrey W. Sutton, PhD is Emeritus Professor of Psychology. He retired from a clinical practice and was credentialed in clinical neuropsychology and psychopharmacology. His website is  www.suttong.com

 

See Geoffrey Sutton’s books on   AMAZON       or  GOOGLE STORE

Follow on    FACEBOOK   Geoff W. Sutton    

   TWITTER  @Geoff.W.Sutton    

You can read many published articles at no charge:

  Academia   Geoff W Sutton     ResearchGate   Geoffrey W Sutton 

 

Dr. Sutton’s posts are for educational purposes only. See a licensed mental health provider for diagnoses, treatment, and consultation.