Anxiety and Phobias essay

docx

School

Grand Canyon University *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

181L

Subject

Psychology

Date

Feb 20, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by AgentWaterBuffaloPerson935

1 Anxiety and Phobias Essay: Owen Hunt Kassidy Land Grand Canyon University PSY-470: Abnormal Psychology Dr. Sara Bengsch October 1 st , 2023

2 Stress can be described as a relentless storm: whipping through the channels of your mind, invading every fragile cell. It is an overwhelming anchor that causes your mind to drown in turbulent waters. It is the ticking clock that echoes against your brain every second of every day with the weight of countless worries, and an uncertain future. There are various forms of this thing called stress and with it comes numerous challenges. In the television series Grey’s Anatomy , there is a doctor known as Owen Hunt who displayed behaviors associated with a specific stress known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This disorder effectively relates to the characteristics of stress in many ways. For starters, PTSD is defined by its persistence of an unresolved stressor following a traumatic incident. (Harster 2022). Owen Hunt portrayed this through the vivid flashbacks and intrusive thoughts he had that were related to traumatic events from his military service. For example, he has had episodes on multiple occasions where he was reliving intense moments of combat, such as an incident where he attempted to save his peers in a burning helicopter (Grant 2021). It is likely that someone who suffers from PTSD will go to great lengths to avoid anything that reminds them of the traumatic life event. This type of avoidance can have an interference with that person’s day to day life and eventually lead to self- isolation. They also attempt to emotionally numb themselves and begin to detach themselves from others (Harster 2022). Owen Hunt demonstrates this by avoiding any discussion related to his time in the military and goes even further to detach himself from the patients that he takes care of if the patient reminds him of his time in service. He shows minimal emotions when diagnosing and it causes the patients to feel insignificant because of his method of delivery (Grant 2021). There are numerous abnormal beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that are associated with stress and these abnormalities are unique to each individual but stem from a common ground.

3 With PTSD, it is common for alterations in mood and cognition to occur. People with this disorder develop a distorted blame on themselves or others for the traumatic event that took place. This leads to impaired cognitive thinking, making it difficult to concentrate, remember details, or stay focused on tasks (Hiser et al, 2023). Owen Hunt demonstrated this as he carried a heavy burden of guilt for certain outcomes during his military service where his entire unit had been killed in an RPG ambush. Even though the outcome was inevitable, and it was simply a fatal tragedy, Dr. Hunt could not live in peace knowing he was the only one who survived; He simply felt unworthy of living rather than being grateful that he survived (Grant 2021). Furthermore, it is also common for those suffering from PTSD to have a heightened arousal and reactivity to potential threats. They tend to be easily startled and are constantly on guard, almost waiting for something tragic to happen in the environment they dwell in (Hiser et al, 2023). In Grey’s Anatomy , there was a surgery that took place by Dr. Hunt where the patient was impaled with a large pole during a building collapse. Throughout the surgery it was apparent that he was growing increasingly irritable and was hyper aroused due to the traumatic nature of the injuries presented to him. It simply triggered his experiences as an army trauma surgeon (Grant 2021). The behaviors and attitudes demonstrated by Owen Hunt evidently showed signs of PTSD, yet it is still important to utilize DMS or ICD diagnostic codes to understand what a concrete diagnosis of this disorder entails. The DMS-5 defines PTSD through an A, B, C, D, and E criterion method. A represents the “stressor” criterion in which the individual was exposed to a catastrophic event that threatened them emotionally and physically. B represents the “intrusive recollection” criterion where the trauma is lingering and dominates their mental state leading to panic, terror, dread, grief and despair. This criterion is said to be the most distinct in determining whether an individual is truly suffering from PTSD and not another disorder. Nonetheless, C

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

4 represents the “avoidance” criterion. These are classified as the behaviors utilized by PTSD patients in attempt to reduce the likelihood of reliving the traumatic event. D represents “negative cognitions” where self-blame is prevalent. Lastly, E represents the “alterations in arousal or reactivity” criterion and this can easily be confused with generalized anxiety disorders due to the constant paranoia that stems from it (Friedman 2023). Based on these characteristics expressed by DSM, Owen Hunt would likely be diagnosed with PTSD in real life. A psychological model that best explains the cause of PTSD would be the Cognitive- Behavioral model. This model suggests that PTSD results from how a person perceives, interprets, and responds to traumatic events. It places an emphasis on the role of distorted thoughts and beliefs about the event and the aftereffects. The symptoms associated with this disorder can be explained through this model because the intrusive thoughts and memories that recur in the mind cause the individual to develop distorted views on themselves and the world around them. Specifically, they torment themselves by constantly reliving what happened and fail to recognize that things can happen without an explanation sometimes. The Cognitive- Behavioral model would treat such individuals in unique ways compared to other models. The first of which is by means of cognitive restructuring. This technique involves the therapist helping the client recognize distortions in their thinking patterns such as the all or nothing thought process. Once they identify their patterns, the therapist and client work together to reframe these thoughts by creating alternative perspectives that are more balanced and healthy interpretations of what happened during the traumatic event. Another technique is defined as exposure therapy. This method is useful because it systematically and gradually exposes the individual to the stimuli that triggers the traumatic experience. From this the client is able to

5 reduce their avoidance behaviors and develop more controlled emotional responses to the trauma (Comer & Comer 2021). Stress is something everyone experiences on numerous occasions throughout their lifetime. It is an important part of life that in doses can be healthy. However, there are people that suffer the longevity of stress because of disorders they have developed from past experiences. It is important to recognize the impact prolonged stress has on an individual because only then can people learn to navigate through these turbulent waters.

6 References Friedman, M. (2023 ). Pstd: national center for ptsd . U.S department of veteran affairs. https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/essentials/history_ptsd.asp#:~:text=DSM %2DIV%20Diagnostic%20criteria%20for,%2C%20and%20hyper%2Darousal %20symptoms. Grant, A. E. (2021). Living in the after: examining how “grey’s anatomy” portrays post- traumatic stress disorder. Pell scholars and senior theses, 137. https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1138&context=pell_theses Harster, K. (2022). Distressed but not helpless. Philosophy, psychiatry, & psychology, 29(3), 165-168. Hiser, J., Heilicher, M., Botsford, C., Crombie, K., Bellani, J., Azar, A., Fonzo, G>, Nacewicz, B. M., Cisler, J. M. (2023). Decision-making for concurrent reward and treat is differentially modulated by trauma exposure and ptsd symptom severity. Behaviour research and therapy, 167, 1-10.

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

Related Documents

5.1 215 PSY.docx

Discussion Board.docx

Practice Exam 3 .pdf

An Nguyen - Assignment 3_ A Field Trip to the Freud Museum _Version 3_.docx

studyguide.pdf

GERO Lab 8_ music and the brain.pdf

Growth Mindset Lesson 1 Template-1.docx

M.Baker_ABA622_Week4_Discussion.docx

Brain_Structures_EC_Kent.docx

ABA630_Pre-Test.pdf

ENC 2-2.docx

PSY 215 Project One Template (2) (1).docx

Recommended textbooks for you

Ciccarelli: Psychology_5 (5th Edition)

Psychology

ISBN:9780134477961

Author:Saundra K. Ciccarelli, J. Noland White

Publisher:PEARSON

Cognitive Psychology

Psychology

ISBN:9781337408271

Author:Goldstein, E. Bruce.

Publisher:Cengage Learning,

Introduction to Psychology: Gateways to Mind and ...

Psychology

ISBN:9781337565691

Author:Dennis Coon, John O. Mitterer, Tanya S. Martini

Publisher:Cengage Learning

Psychology in Your Life (Second Edition)

Psychology

ISBN:9780393265156

Author:Sarah Grison, Michael Gazzaniga

Publisher:W. W. Norton & Company

Cognitive Psychology: Connecting Mind, Research a...

Psychology

ISBN:9781285763880

Author:E. Bruce Goldstein

Publisher:Cengage Learning

Theories of Personality (MindTap Course List)

Psychology

ISBN:9781305652958

Author:Duane P. Schultz, Sydney Ellen Schultz

Publisher:Cengage Learning

SEE MORE TEXTBOOKS

Recommended textbooks for you

Ciccarelli: Psychology_5 (5th Edition)
Psychology
ISBN:9780134477961
Author:Saundra K. Ciccarelli, J. Noland White
Publisher:PEARSON
Cognitive Psychology
Psychology
ISBN:9781337408271
Author:Goldstein, E. Bruce.
Publisher:Cengage Learning,
Introduction to Psychology: Gateways to Mind and ...
Psychology
ISBN:9781337565691
Author:Dennis Coon, John O. Mitterer, Tanya S. Martini
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Psychology in Your Life (Second Edition)
Psychology
ISBN:9780393265156
Author:Sarah Grison, Michael Gazzaniga
Publisher:W. W. Norton & Company
Cognitive Psychology: Connecting Mind, Research a...
Psychology
ISBN:9781285763880
Author:E. Bruce Goldstein
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Theories of Personality (MindTap Course List)
Psychology
ISBN:9781305652958
Author:Duane P. Schultz, Sydney Ellen Schultz
Publisher:Cengage Learning