Anxiety

Self-Study Examination

Instructions: After studying the text answer the following true/false or multiple choice questions.  Remember, there's only one answer to each question.

1. How many Americans suffer from chronic anxiety?

a) 1 in 10
b) 1 in 7
c) 1 in 12
d) 1 in 20

2. Most people with unhealthy anxiety suffer from:

a) a form of psychosis
b) metabolic disorders
c) depression
d) a brain chemistry imbalance

3. How is anxiety ranked among American women?

a) anxiety is the second mental health problem among American women
b) anxiety has not been ranked among American women
c) anxiety cannot be ranked because of various forms
d) anxiety is the number one health problem among American women

4. One reason for the "recognition gap" is:

a) symptoms are vague and subjective
b) anxiety is not viewed as a treatable disease
c) people with anxiety are believed to be weak and vulnerable
d) people are ashamed of symptoms and hide their anguish

5. Two major factors that explain the rise in anxiety are:
  1. weakening of a close knit family
  2. not using time off from work to relax
  3. environmental threats
  4. demands placed on people by employers to be more productive

a) 1, 2, and 4
b) 1 and 3
c) 2 and 4
d) all the above

6. Which of the following neurotransmitters are critically involved in anxiety?

a) epinephrine, serotonin,and norepinephrine
b) epinephrine, norepinephrine, and GABA
c) serotonin, norepinephrine, and GABA
d) epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine

7. Trauma, and its memory imprint in the brain, is an emotional and chemical event.

a) True
b) False

8. Two ways to manage anxiety is:

a) take medication and time for yourself
b) keep regular appointments with a physician and attend a support group
c) eat a proper diet, exercise and get plenty of rest
d) rebalance your brain chemistry and perceptions of yourself and your world

9. Healthy anxiety protects us from imminent danger and motivates us to perform at peak levels.

a) True
b) False

10. The physical signs of unhealthy anxiety are:

a) sleeplessness, irritability, excessive sweating and a pounding heart
b) muscle tension, tingling sensations, excessive sweating, hot and cold flashes and a pounding heart
c) irritability, palpitations, sweaty palms and the inability to concentrate
d) ritual behaviors, tics, excessive sleeping and eating, weight gain or loss

11. The first of five levels of healing is to seek out a support group.

a) True
b) False

12. The most important serenity skills are:
  1. muscle relaxation and visualization
  2. introspection and reflection
  3. spirituality and exercise
  4. breathing exercises and mindfulness

a) 1 and 4
b) 1 and 3
c) 2 and 4
d) 3 and 4

13. Lifestyle changes that offer large dividends in managing anxiety are:

a) walking and spending quiet time such as reading
b) develop a hobby and learn a new skill
c) decrease fat and refined sugars and develop a simple exercise program
d) work with the disadvantaged and underprivileged

14. How many forms of anxiety exist?

a) 2
b) 3
c) 4
d) 5

15. Worries about finances, family relationships, job security, romantic rejection, health and the well being of loved ones are common among people with:

a) social anxiety
b) panic
c) general anxiety disorders
d) obsessive compulsive disorders

16. The percent of people who have major depression with anxiety is:

a) 100 percent
b) 40-50 percent
c) 10 percent
d) 20-30 percent

17. What percent of people with GAD have other psychiatric conditions?

a) approximately 10 percent
b) approximately 30 percent
c) approximately 70 percent
d) approximately 90 percent

18. People with GAD who often have hypochondiasis, may best be described as having:

a) low self esteem and lethargy
b) low back pain and lethargy
c) vague symptoms which may be a life-threatening disease
d) definitive physical symptoms that occur in cycles

19. The most prevalent symptom of GAD is:

a) agitation and irritability
b) insomnia
c) profuse sweating and cold clammy hands
d) depression

20. Some studies indicate that people with GAD have the condition how long before seeking treatment?

a) 7 years
b) 2 years
c) 6 months
d) 1 year

21. Social phobia is the most prevalent form of

a) acute anxiety
b) chronic anxiety
c) general anxiety
d) psychosis

22. Dysthmia is best described as:

a) difficulty in regulating hormonal cycles
b) milder form of depression
c) difficulty in meeting new people
d) severe form of depression

23. The most effective drug for social anxiety is:

a) prozac
b) xanax
c) klonopin
d) nardil

24. Which of the following will more likely have a panic attack?

a) twice as many women as men
b) older people are more likely than younger people
c) men are twice as likely as women
d) younger people are twice as likely as older people

25. During panic attacks, nearly all people will experience

a) palpitations and a choking feeling
b) inability to speak for approximately ten minutes
c) the fear of being seen in public
d) the fear of dying in the midst of attacks

26. Fear of open or unprotected spaces commonly associated with panic is called:

a) claustrophobia
b) acrophobia
c) agoraphobia
d) xenophobia

27. The three general symptoms of PTSD are:

a) crying, sleeplessness and nightmares
b) flashbacks, avoidance, and hyperarousal
c) inability to keep a job, problems with interpersonal communications, and spousal abuse
d) labile, shortness of breath and self-destructive behaviors

28. Of all the forms of anxiety, PTSD is the only one that by definition is caused by

a) hereditary factors
b) overreaction to a danger
c) an increase in neurotransmitters
d) stressful life event

29. Some studies suggest that OCD has a greater occurrence among

a) females who were traumatized as children
b) males who were molested by their fathers
c) those with childhood trauma and a genetic role
d) those who suffered head trauma and depression

30. The mainstay for the treatment of anxiety is:

a) support groups for education
b) cognitive behavioral therapy replacing life's negative beliefs
c) medications to regulate serotonin levels
d) a therapist who will individualize treatment

31. The most powerful approach to change fearful beliefs is the four step "Rational Response" exercise which consists of:

a) four questions you ask yourself
b) four suggestions of what to do when you feel stressed
c) four activities to replace a stressor
d) four hotline numbers which allow professionals to offer help and advice

32. When a person can learn to tolerate distress over day-to-day risks and problems, excess anxiety is reduced to manageable levels. This is called

a) resistance
b) anxiety response
c) rational tolerance
d) distress tolerance

33. When you "peel the onion" you

a) perform a crude self assessment
b) find the culprit
c) determine your core negative thoughts
d) do a reality check

34. In a social anxiety disorder, there are three cognitive distortions, the most prevalent being

a) fear, embarrassment and labeling
b) mind reading, overgeneralization, and labeling
c) consequences, anxiety, and self image
d) emotions, labeling and restructuring

35. When you practice exposure therapy, you

a) enlist a support person
b) discuss phobias
c) run from danger
d) seek medical attention

36. Essential guidelines for real-life exposure are:
  1. practice exposure, recovery and repeat
  2. create and exposure hierarchy
  3. develop coping tools
  4. prepare and set goals

a) all but 4
b) all but 2
c) all but 3
d) all the above

37. One of the strongest triggers of a panic attack is

a) a mental picture of what could happen
b) a nightmare
c) a confrontation with another person
d) physical sensations

38. The first of ten guidelines for what to expect from imaginary exposure is

a) tell the story of your trauma
b) relax, close your eyes, and orientate yourself to the past
c) do not discuss details of an event
d) speak in past tense

39. A fight or flight response that is exaggerated, turned on inappropriately or both, is the hallmark of

a) obsessive compulsive disorder
b) post-traumatic stress disorder
c) unhealthy anxiety
d) phobias

40. One way visualization alleviates anxiety is by

a) allowing you to relive the anxiety
b) eliciting your relaxation response
c) decreasing the fight or flight response
d) meditation

41. Serenity skills accomplish two things. They allow you

a) to calm down and take control
b) to deal with physical symptoms of anxiety and stress
c) an opportunity to decrease anger and take control
d) time to reflect and re-energize

42. In some circumstances, an instant stress buster would be

a) a specific time of day to worry
b) staircase imagery
c) progressive relaxation therapy
d) a mini relaxation exercise

43. A body scan meditation differs from progressive muscle relaxation in that

a) in progressive muscle relaxation, you use only your mind
b) in progressive muscle relaxation, you use phrases and imagery
c) in a body scan, you think only in the past
d) in a body scan, you use only your mind

44. In addition to exerting a long-term calming effect, deep breathing also

a) decreases social anxiety
b) interrupts a panic attack
c) stops traumatic memories
d) decreases the mind-body gap

45. The medications Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa, Lexapro, and Luvox

a) are primary serotonin reuptake inhibitor drugs
b) are very specific
c) have sedating side effects
d) cause psychological dependence and abuse

46. The most common side effects of SSRI drugs are

a) dependency, sexual dysfunction, and mood swings
b) sexual dysfunction, loss of sexual interest and nausea
c) lethargy, nausea, and priapism
d) sexual dysfunction, wakefulness, and seizures

47. A non-drug approach, which is slower, but will help balance your brain biochemistry is

a) exercise
b) meditation
c) psychotherapy
d) using the "bridge" concept

48. Benzodiazepines such as Klonopin, Xanax, Valium, and Ativan are very effective at

a) reducing "hangover" effects
b) reducing symptoms of PTSD
c) reducing worry, irritability, and depression
d) reducing the bodily symptoms of chronic anxiety

49. The new agent for Social Anxiety Disorder, chronic pain and seizures is

a) Neurontin
b) Klonopin
c) Effexor XR
d) Luvox

50. A remarkably effective drug for the treatment of panic is

a) Inderal
b) Prozac
c) Zoloft
d) Xanax

51. In December 1999, the FDA approved which drug as the first and only pharmacological agent for PTSD?

a) Prozac
b) Serzone
c) Zoloft
d) Xanax

52. For people with obsessive anxieties and compulsive rituals, this drug has a reasonably good track record.

a) Neurontin
b) Anafranil
c) Haldol
d) Seroquel

53. Healthy fats, namely the essential fatty acids, are also known as

a) omega 3 fats
b) hydrogenated fats
c) polyunsaturated fats
d) partially-hydrogenated fats

54. The symptoms of severe hypoglycemia are not that far removed from those of

a) obsessive, compulsive disorders
b) a manic episode
c) generalized anxiety
d) a panic attack

55. Pain reducing and mood elevating brain chemicals are called

a) neurotransmitters
b) epinephrine and norepinephrine
c) endorphins
d) beta blockers

56. The best advice regarding exercise is:

a) alternate aerobic and anaerobic exercise
b) develop a routine that is truly pleasurable
c) acquire the "no pain, no gain" philosophy
d) elevate your heart rate for 20 minutes

57. The most well-substantiated herbal medicine for people with generalized anxiety is

a) St.-John's-wort
b) Passionflower
c) Valerian
d) Kava

58. When using St.-John's-wort, results should be expected

a) immediately
b) in two weeks
c) in two to four weeks
d) in two to eight weeks

59. Today, Valerian is used primarily as

a) an antidepressant
b) an anti-anxiety agent
c) a mild sedative
d) an agent for obsessive compulsive disorders

60. A scale that uses psychological sources to describe a resilient person consists of

a) nine items, with number one being able to adapt to change
b) twelve items, with number one being able to see humor in the face of difficulty
c) ten items, with number one feeling in control of your life
d) fifteen items, with number one feeling that you become stronger by going through difficulty