CUET UG Booster Psychology-Psychological Disorders Unit 4 Test ( D4)

• Statement I is false because NCERT defines anxiety as a diffuse, vague, and very unpleasant feeling. It is not \"specific\" (which describes fear/phobias) nor \"pleasant.\" Statement II is false because anxiety is a normal and expected response to certain stressors (like exams) and can even motivate better performance. It is not \"always\" abnormal.

• 1-b: Normal anxiety is adaptive and motivates performance. 2-a: Abnormal anxiety is defined by high distress and interference with life. 3-c: Mild levels of arousal (anxiety) heighten alertness. 4-d: Severe levels overwhelm the system, leading to disorganized behavior and panic.

• This scenario describes the internal mental state of anxiety. Worry and anticipatory thoughts of disaster (sense of doom) are cognitive symptoms. The feeling of unpleasantness associated with these thoughts represents the emotional dimension. Together, they form the core psychological experience of anxiety.

• Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is characterized by its prolonged nature. Unlike a temporary scare, GAD involves a \"chronic\" state of worry that persists over a long period. The fears are \"vague\" and \"unexplained\" because they are not tied to a specific object (which would be a phobia).

• Option D is incorrect because it describes a Panic Attack, which is the hallmark of Panic Disorder, not GAD. In GAD, the person is in a state of chronic alertness (scanning) and motor tension (shakiness), but they do not typically experience the \"abrupt surge\" of terror unless they have a comorbid panic disorder.

• According to the passage and NCERT, a panic attack is defined by an abrupt surge of anxiety. It differs from GAD (which is prolonged/vague) because it rises to a peak of intense terror within minutes. This sudden onset is the primary diagnostic feature of the attack.

• The passage states that the thoughts of a particular stimuli that lead to the attack occur in an unpredictable manner. This unpredictability is why individuals with panic disorder often develop \"anxiety about anxiety,\" fearing when the next random trigger will strike.

• A phobia is defined as an intense, irrational, and illogical fear. It is considered irrational because the level of fear is disproportionate to the actual danger posed by the specific object (like a spider), person (social fear), or situation (heights).

• In NCERT and major clinical texts, the classification usually proceeds from the most limited/common to the most complex/disabling: 1. III: Specific Phobias (narrow focus). 2. I: Social Phobias (interpersonal focus). 3. II: Agoraphobia (generalized environmental focus).

• Statement I correctly describes Social Anxiety as the fear of being embarrassed or scrutinized by others. Statement II is false because the fear of enclosed spaces is a Specific Phobia (Claustrophobia) and has nothing to do with the \"Social\" dimension of anxiety.

• While this is a type of Social Phobia, the specific term used for fear of doing something (like speaking or playing an instrument) in front of others is performance anxiety. The individual fears that their \"performance\" will be judged poorly, leading to embarrassment.

• Option C is incorrect because it describes a Specific Phobia. Agoraphobia is characterized by a generalized fear of situations or places (unfamiliar environments, crowds) where escape might be difficult, not a fear of animals.

• Deb\'s \"rapid heartbeats and fear\" describe a panic attack. His subsequent behavior—remaining indoors and refusing to leave—is the definition of Agoraphobia. In clinical practice, these often occur together: the person avoids public places because they fear having a panic attack where they cannot get help or escape.

• Every child has some separation anxiety, but SAD is characterized by fear that is developmentally inappropriate. This means the level of anxiety is much higher than what is expected for a child of that age. The focus of the anxiety is the attachment figure (usually a parent).

• 1-b: \"Shadowing\" (following around) is a form of clinging behavior. 2-a: Suicidal gestures represent the most extreme emotional reactions to threatened separation. 3-c: Refusing school is a way of avoiding the separation situation. 4-d: Separation-themed nightmares are how anxiety is expressed through dreams.

• The psychological buildup of an obsession: 1. III: First, there is a preoccupation with a specific idea (e.g., \"My hands are dirty\"). 2. I: This evolves into the inability to stop thinking about it, even when trying. 3. II: Finally, because the thoughts are repetitive and irrational, the person feels they are unpleasant and shameful.

• The process of a compulsion as per the passage: 1. II: It starts with the inability to prevent oneself from the urge. 2. I: This results in the physical need to perform the behavior over and over. 3. III: Eventually, the time taken by these rituals means that normal activities are affected.

• 1-A: PTSD is uniquely defined by recurrent dreams and flashbacks. 2-B: Trauma- and Stressor-related disorders are a group triggered by identifiable stressors. 3-C: Adjustment disorder is specifically about emotional symptoms following life changes. 4-D: Acute Stress Reaction is the immediate, short-term response to a trauma.

• Physical symptoms of anxiety escalate in intensity:

1.I: Initial activation of the sympathetic nervous system causes mild gastrointestinal distress (butterflies) and sweating (clammy hands).

2.II: Intensification leads to rapid heart rate and shortness of breath.

3.III: Peak arousal or a sudden drop in blood pressure results in fainting and dizziness.