Question 1

Obsessions are

Accepted Answer

Obsessions are intrusive and unwanted thoughts, images, or impulses that a person experiences repeatedly and persistently, despite attempts to ignore or suppress them. These thoughts can cause a lot of anxiety, distress or interfere with a person's daily functioning.

Question 2

The most common symptoms of ________ are an irregular heartbeat,shortness of breath,and a choking sensation.The person may also sweat,tremble,and feel terrified.

Accepted Answer

The symptoms described are commonly associated with a panic attack, which is characterized by sudden and intense feelings of fear, along with physical symptoms such as an irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, and sweating. Generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and free-floating anxiety may also involve anxiety and physical symptoms, but these symptoms are not specific to these conditions.

Question 3

Mrs.Swift is alarmed by her own intrusive and irrational thoughts that her house is contaminated by germs.Her experience best illustrates the agitating effects of

Accepted Answer

Mrs. Swift's thoughts about her house being contaminated with germs are intrusive and irrational, indicating an obsession. An obsession is a persistent and uncontrollable thought that generates significant distress and anxiety for the individual experiencing it.

Question 4

Cecil is preoccupied with thoughts of jumping out the window of his tenth-floor apartment.To reduce his anxiety,he frequently counts his heartbeats aloud.Cecil would most likely be diagnosed as experiencing

Accepted Answer

The answer of Cecil is preoccupied with thoughts of jumping...

Question 5

Repetitive,intrusive,and unwanted thoughts and repetitive behaviors that the individual feels driven to perform are characteristic of

Accepted Answer

The description provided matches the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder, which is characterized by repetitive, intrusive, and unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions) that the individual feels driven to perform.

Question 6

The often long-lasting disorder that develops in response to being exposed to a severe and life-threatening trauma is

Accepted Answer

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health disorder that may develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event, such as combat, sexual assault, a natural disaster or a life-threatening accident. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety and uncontrollable thoughts about the event. It can last for months or years, and can have a significant impact on a person's ability to function in daily life.

Question 7

Jessica's fear of panic attacks has limited her travel outside her home.Her fears are so intense that she will not venture outside to get her mail or even sit on her porch.For the most part,she is afraid of having another panic attack and not being able to get help.Jessica is suffering from

Accepted Answer

Jessica's fear of leaving her home or even going onto her porch is indicative of agoraphobia, which is the fear of being in situations or places where it might be difficult or embarrassing to escape or get help in case of a panic attack or other anxiety-related symptoms.

Question 8

Omar is so preoccupied by his fear of germs that he always keeps his car and apartment windows sealed tightly,refuses to allow anyone into his apartment,carries his own silverware whenever he eats away from home,and washes his hands every time he touches anything that has been touched by someone else.Omar would most likely be diagnosed with

Accepted Answer

Omar's preoccupation with germ avoidance and his compulsive behaviors suggest a diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), marked by recurrent, unwanted thoughts or impulses (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) performed to suppress the anxiety caused by those obsessions.

Question 9

Every time she goes out,Carrie has to rush home after being overwhelmed by dizzy spells,an irregular heartbeat,and feeling as though she can't breathe.Finally,she decides to go to the emergency room but a thorough examination rules out any medical problem.Nevertheless,Carrie has become increasingly fearful about having more episodes and has restricted her activities to only the most essential outings.Carrie seems to be displaying symptoms of

Accepted Answer

Carrie's symptoms of dizzy spells, irregular heartbeat, and feeling as though she can't breathe are all consistent with panic attacks. Her avoidance of activities and fear of more episodes also suggest that she has panic disorder. Posttraumatic stress disorder involves symptoms related to a traumatic event, generalized anxiety disorder involves excessive worry about many different things, and social anxiety disorder involves fear and avoidance of social situations.

Question 10

Kaylee is so afraid of snakes that she avoids most outdoor activities and even refuses to spend time in her own backyard alone.Kaylee appears to suffer from

Accepted Answer

Kaylee's fear of snakes is an irrational and excessive fear that interferes with her daily life, indicating a specific phobia. Obsessive-compulsive disorder involves persistent and intrusive thoughts or repeated behaviors to alleviate anxiety, while posttraumatic stress disorder involves a response to a traumatic event. Depression may involve avoidance behaviors, but does not necessarily involve a specific fear object.

Question 11

Alan always has been terrified of spiders.He refuses to enter his bedroom at night until it has been thoroughly checked for spiders.Even a picture of a spider makes him extremely uncomfortable.Most likely,Alan is suffering from a psychological disorder called

Accepted Answer

Alan's fear of spiders is a specific and intense fear that interferes with his daily life, suggesting a specific phobia. This is different from social anxiety disorder or posttraumatic stress disorder, which are characterized by a more generalized fear and anxiousness rather than a specific object or situation. Additionally, while Alan's behavior of checking for spiders could be seen as similar to obsessive-compulsive disorder, his fear is not driven by intrusive thoughts or obsessions.

Question 12

Incapacitating efforts to avoid specific anxiety-producing situations is most indicative of

Accepted Answer

Incapacitating efforts to avoid specific anxiety-producing situations is a characteristic of phobias, which involve intense and irrational fears of specific objects or situations that interfere with daily life. Depression may involve avoidance and withdrawal, but it is not typically focused on a specific trigger. Compulsions and obsessions are features of obsessive-compulsive disorder, which may involve avoidance behaviors, but not necessarily of specific situations.

Question 13

Which of the following disorders is characterized by the most sudden and unpredictable episodes of distress?

Accepted Answer

Panic disorder is characterized by sudden and unexpected panic attacks, which can be debilitating and unpredictable. Social anxiety disorder involves fear and avoidance of social situations, but the distress tends to be more chronic and less sudden. Obsessions and compulsions are characteristic of obsessive-compulsive disorder and involve repetitive thoughts or behaviors, but the distress is not necessarily sudden or unpredictable.

Question 14

The billionaire aviator Howard Hughes insisted that his assistants carry out elaborate hand-washing rituals and wear white gloves when handling any document he would later touch.His behavior best illustrated the symptoms of

Accepted Answer

Howard Hughes' behavior of insisting on elaborate hand-washing rituals and having his assistants wear white gloves when handling documents is consistent with the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder, which is characterized by recurring unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions) that are difficult to control and interfere with daily life.

Question 15

Sadie is so fearful of being overwhelmed by anxiety that she rarely steps outside her apartment.The thought of going shopping and getting lost in a crowd terrifies her,so she has her groceries delivered.Because of her fear,she earns her living as a freelance writer,working at home.Sadie's behavior is most characteristic of

Accepted Answer

Sadie's fear of being in public places and avoiding specific situations that might cause panic or embarrassment is characteristic of agoraphobia.

Question 16

Frequent,intrusive recollections of a traumatic event,social withdrawal,nightmares,and the increased physical arousal associated with anxiety are the major symptoms associated with

Accepted Answer

The symptoms described are commonly associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is a psychiatric disorder that can develop in individuals who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event. PTSD is characterized by intrusive thoughts and memories of the traumatic event, avoidance of triggers associated with the event, negative changes in mood and cognition, and increased arousal and reactivity. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts or behaviors that are distressing and time-consuming, while generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessive and uncontrollable worry about everyday events and activities. Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is characterized by a persistent fear of social situations and scrutiny by others.

Question 17

Repeatedly thinking about your own death is to ________ as repeatedly washing your hands is to ________.

Accepted Answer

The first behavior is an obsession, as it involves persistent and intrusive thoughts about death. The second behavior is a compulsion, as it involves repeated actions to alleviate anxiety or prevent harm. Therefore, the best choice is D, which pairs obsession with compulsion.

Question 18

Anxiety about having a panic attack in places or situations from which escape might be difficult indicates

Accepted Answer

The fear of having a panic attack in places or situations from which escape might be difficult is a hallmark symptom of agoraphobia. It can also be a symptom of panic disorder, but the focus of the question is specifically about the fear of escape being difficult. Obsessive-compulsive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder do not typically involve fears related to escape, and social anxiety disorder involves fears related to social situations rather than physical locations.

Question 19

For the third time in two months,Amber's husband rushed her to the hospital emergency room because she thought she was having a heart attack.Her symptoms included an irregular heartbeat,weakness,feeling faint,and feeling as if she were unable to breathe.Although her doctor says she is physically healthy,Amber lives in fear of another attack.Amber is most likely suffering from which psychological disorder?

Accepted Answer

Amber's symptoms are consistent with those of a panic disorder, which involves sudden and recurring panic attacks characterized by physical symptoms such as a racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, and dizziness. Additionally, the fact that Amber lives in fear of another attack suggests that she may be experiencing anticipatory anxiety, which is common in individuals with panic disorder. The other disorders listed are less likely to be implicated given the specific symptoms provided.

Question 20

An immediate and irrational anxiety response to the mere sight of blood is indicative of

Accepted Answer

Specific phobia is characterized by an intense and irrational fear of a specific object or situation, such as blood. This fear can lead to avoidance of the object or situation and can interfere with daily life. Obsessions and compulsions are symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which is characterized by intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors that the individual feels compelled to perform. Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive and persistent worry and anxiety about a variety of everyday events and activities. None of these disorders specifically involve a fear of blood.

Quiz 13: Psychological Disorders