Explaining Anxiety Disorders and PTSD

Alongside depression, anxiety-related conditions are among the most prevalent psychological disorders. This lesson focuses on two related examples: anxiety disorders such as specific phobias and generalised anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can develop after exposure to a traumatic event. As with depression, biological, cognitive, and sociocultural explanations each contribute, and none is complete on its own.

The biological approach emphasises the brain's threat-detection systems and genetic predisposition. The amygdala, a small structure central to processing fear, is strongly implicated: in anxiety disorders and PTSD it can become overactive, generating strong fear responses to stimuli that are not truly dangerous. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis an