Anxiety

Paper Summary:

This paper takes a look at the issue of anxiety. According to the paper, ongoing high levels of stress can be a major contributing factor to chronic anxiety. The paper discusses how stress hormones, cortisol and corticotripin-releasing hormone which normally react against stress, helping the the human body to cope, can increase anxiety and mood disorders if they remain in the body for long periods of time.

From the Paper:

"The researchers charted stressful life events as the children grew up - from ages 21 to 26 - such as employment, financial, housing, health, and relationship problems. Among their problems were debt, homelessness, disabling injury, and abuse. There was no difference in the number of stressful life events between the groups that had the different genes. At age 26, 17% had developed major depression and 3% had either attempted or thought about suicide. Ten percent with the short gene - and who experienced four or more life stresses - accounted for nearly 25% of the 133 cases of depression. The finding could lead to new therapies or diagnostic tests for vulnerability to depression, says Caspi (2003). "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Barrett, S., and Heubeck, B.G. (2000). Relationships between school hassles and uplifts and anxiety and conduct problems in grades 3 and 4. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 21, 537-554.
• Bieling, Peter J., & Antony, Martin M. (2003)Ending the Depression Cycle: a Step-by-Step Guide for Preventing Relapse. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.
• Bieling, Peter J., Antony, Martin M. (1998). The Stait/Trait Anxiety Inventory, Trait version: Structure and content re-examined. Behaviour Research and Therapy. Vol. 36(7-8) Jul-Aug 1998, 777-788.
• Caspi, Avshalom, MD. (2003) Gene Doubles Risk of Depression in Some: People With Certain Gene Variation More Vulnerable to Depression. Science, 92, 310-330.
• Davis, J.L., Review of studies by Andrea Fagiolini, MD and Charles Goodstein, MD: Is it really depression? WebMD Medical News. Feb. 3, 2006, 1. Retrieved August 30, 2006, from http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/118/112867.htm?pagenumber=1

More papers on Anxiety:

• Research Paper # 104940 : "Tenuous Connections: Anxiety Disorders and Substance Abuse"
• Analytical Essay # 144272 : "Existential Anxiety"
• Research Proposal # 85673 : "Anxiety Relief in Students"
• Term Paper # 74521 : "Workplace Anxiety"

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