Unit 4: How Brains Differ

Student Guide Lesson 1: Anxiety

Name:
Class Period:
IMPORTANT NOTE: The video presentation is a combination of the 2020 version with new content
for 2023. This caused some challenges with slide numbers; therefore, some slide #’s may be missing
and in some cases in this worksheet the title of the slide is provided as the reference vs. the slide #.

1. What is anxiety? (Slide 5)

● Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension________, worried thoughts and

physical changes like increased blood______ pressure

2. (Slide 6) A natural________ response_________ that everyone experiences from time to time in

response to different kinds of events and situations
- Examples: before a big ttest______, big performance or decision

3. Are stress and anxiety the same? (Slide 7)

● No, they are not the same; they are not interchangeable________________ terms

● There is an overlap__________ in two – both are related to __emotional

reactions____________ _______________

● Stress = external___________ pressures

● Anxiety = worries or fear about things (especially things that we interpret) could

threaten___________ us

4. Gut-Brain Connection (this is the title of the slide – there is no slide #)

● The _gut_________ has a _direct_________ effect on the _brain_________ and

___mood_______A person's stomach or intestinal distress can be the

__cause________ __or__ the _result_________ of anxiety, stress, or depression

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 ● This is because the brain and the gastrointestinal (GI) system are _closely

connected_________ __________

5. What is the difference between normal anxiety experiences and an anxiety disorder? (Slide 9)
Normal Anxiety Experiences Experiencing an Anxiety Disorder

● Related to a specific_______ ● Occurs

situation or problem unexpectedly______________

● Lasts only_____ as long as the ● Anxiety feeling lasts a long_____

situation or problem time_____, even when situation or

problem has resolved
● Is proportional________________ to

the situation or problem ● Anxiety response to situation or

problem is much larger_________

● Is a reasonable________ response to
than expected___________
problem or situation
● Unrealistic_____________

experience of anxiety – fear of a

situation that likely will never
happen

● Anxiety may feel impossible to

control________ or manage

6. (Slide 10) According to the American Psychological Association, people experiencing anxiety
disorders usually have rrecurring____________ intrussive___________ thoughts or concerns
Avoid______ certain situations___________ out of worry
May have physical symptoms such as:

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 - Sweating
- Trembling___________
- Dizziness
- Rapid heartbeat____________
-
7. Why do anxiety disorders occur? (Slide 12)

● Many variables are possible such as:

- Hereditary____________ (genetic)
- Environmental___________ factors_________ (living environment, drugs/alcohol use,
life events)

● Scientists believe that anxiety disorders occur when there are changes_______ in the

signaling of the limbic_________ system__________

8. Recall the responsibilities of the limbic system and frontal cortex. (Slide 13)

● Limbic system circuit believed to handle most of our emotional___________

pprocessing____________

● Prefrontal cortex is responsible for integrating emotional____________

information______________ into our decision making

9. (Slide 15) Scientists have found that people that experience anxiety disorders have more changes
than normal in the _limbic_________ _system_________.

10. (Slide 16) Most anxiety disorders include a _fight_________ __flight________ response to
threat.

11. List the types of anxiety disorders? (Slide 17)

Generalized____________ Anxiety Disorder
- Characterized by chronic_______ anxiety

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 Social_________ Anxiety Disorder
- Anxiety in social or performance______________ situations
Post- Tramatic___________ Stress Disorder
- Experiencing severe anxiety after a traumatic_________ event
Obsessive_____________ Compulsive Disorder
- A person has intursive____________ thoughts that produce feelings of
unease_____________ by repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing anxiety
Panic______ disorder
- An acute_______ feeling of catastrophic fear
Phobia_____
- An extreme irrational fear____

12. What is the brain-based reason for anxiety? (Slide 18)

● Fear and anxiety both play key roles across the anxiety disorder__________

spectrum__________

● Changes in amygdala____________ and hippocampus_________________ are apparent

across all anxiety disorders by multiple studies

● Majority of studies reporting heightened_____________ amygdala responses to threat across

anxiety disorders

13. What are some important statistics to note about anxiety? (Slide 22)

● Anxiety disorders are the most common mental________ health_______ concern in the

United States

● Over _40___ million________ adults in the U.S have an anxiety disorder

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 ● Approximately _7__% of children aged 3-17 experience issues with anxiety each year

● Most people develop symptoms before________ age _21___

● According to the N_ational__________ Alliance__________ on Mental Health, mental health

conditions are common among young teens and young adults

● 50% of all lifetime__________ mental illnesses develop by age _14___ and 75% develop by

age 24

14. What are the treatments for anxiety disorders? (Slide 25)

● Cognitive___________ Behavior Therapy

● Medications_____________

● A combination____________ of both

15. Important to Note (Slide 26)

● In Unit 3, you learned about how __reabsorbiing__________ drugs work in the brain

● It is important to note that _prescripton medications___________ ____________work in the

_brain___________ too
● The difference is that a prescription drug has gone through rogprpis testomg____________
____________and had been _fda___________-__aproved__________ for use with
___specific conditions_________ ____________, etc.
● A prescription has undergone ___clinical trials_________ ____________to determine its
____effectivnes________ in use.

16. List examples of prescription medicine known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
that are prescribed to treat anxiety and depression. (Slide 28)
- Prozac_______

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 - Celexa
- Lexapro_______
- Zoloft
- Paxil
- Luvx______

17. What do SSRI’s do? (Slide 29)

● Block neurons from reabsorbing_____________ serotonin___________ through the reuptake

transporter

● Leave________ serotonin in the synapse________ where it can repeatedly stimulate the

receiving neuron

● This rraises________ the serotonin levels

18. What are SNRI’s? (Slide 30)

● SNRI = Serotonin___________ Norepinephrine Reputake_________ Inhibitors

● SNRI’s are like SSRI’s but instead of only blocking__________ reabsorption______________

of serotonin – SNRI’s block_____ neurons_________ from reabsorbing both serotonin and

norepinephrine

● Norepinephrine is the neurotransmitter responsible for a____________ and a__________

19. What are Benzodiazepines also known as “Benzos”? (Slide 31)

● Work differently____________ than SSRI’s and SNRI’s

● Benzodiazepines are need for acute______ crisis_______ such as panic attacks

- Fast_____ acting medication

- Have sedative___________ effects__________ and can act as muscle relaxer

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 - Considered addictive because of the immediate relaxing effect and can be
easily_______ abused_______

● Prescription_____________ medicine

- Xanex_______, Valium
20. What are some tips for teens to use to help reduce anxiety? (Slide 33)

● Lean on a S_trong______ Support__________ Group

● Be sure to get solid amounts of:

- Exersise___________
- Proper Nutrition___________
- Ssleep_______

● Consider Realistic_____________ Techniques

● Prepare for the “big___ events______” in advance

● Set realistic_________ goals

21. Tips for Seeking Help (title of the slide – there is no slide #)

● A mental health condition isn't _your_______ fault or your __family______ fault — these
conditions develop for __complex__________ reasons that _we______ are only just
starting to understand
● Whether you reach out to a parent, coach, teacher or religious leader, a ___trusted
adult_________ ____________can __help__________ you figure out what’s next
● Mental health services and supports are available and the earlier you access them, the
better
● NAMI Helpline is available M-F 10 am – 10 pm, ET.

● Connect by phone ___1_________-___800_________-

____950________ or text "___helpline_________" to 62640

22. What is the summary? (No slide #)

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 ● Anxiety is our internal___________ warnings___________ system__________, alerts us to

danger or other threats and prepares out bodies to fight back or get out of a dangerous
situation

● An anxiety disorder is quite different than anxiety that occurs to warn us of a genuine

dangerous or threatening______________ situation

● People experiencing anxiety disorders usually have recurring____________

intrusve____________ thoughts or concerns, avoid certain situations out of worry, and may
experience physical symptoms as a result

● Scientist_____________ believe that anxiety disorders occur when there are changes in the

signaling of the limbic_______ system_________

● Anxiety disorders are the most comono_________ mental health concern in the U.S

● Cognitive__________ Behavioral__________ Therapy________ and prescription

medications such as SSRI’s, SNRI’s and Benzodiazepines and a combination of both therapy
and medication are the most common treatments

● Mental health services_____________ and support___________ are available and the

earlier a person accesses them, the better the result

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