Question

Thought patterns that are negative and ongoing that contribute to the anxiety disorders:

a) Are known as phobias.
b) Are the core beliefs in cognitive therapy.
c) Are genetic in nature.
d) Are a symptom of agoraphobia.

Answer 1

Thought patterns that are negative and ongoing, contributing to anxiety disorders, are known as core beliefs in cognitive therapy. These maladaptive core beliefs are a fundamental aspect that cognitive therapy aims to address in treating anxiety disorders like OCD and PTSD.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question relates to patterns of thought that are negative and ongoing, contributing to anxiety disorders. These patterns of thought are the core beliefs in cognitive therapy, which posits that negative thinking affects a person's mood, sense of self, behavior, and even physical state. In cognitive therapy, challenging and changing these core beliefs is essential to managing anxiety disorders. Phobias are a specific type of anxiety disorder focused on particular objects or situations, genetic factors may contribute to the risk of developing an anxiety disorder, and ongoing negative thought patterns could also be a symptom of agoraphobia, but they are primarily conceptualized within cognitive therapy as maladaptive core beliefs.

Furthermore, anxiety disorders are different from the occasional stress-related anxiety that everyone experiences. Disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social phobias, and specific phobias are characterized by persistent and excessive worry or fear. Cognitive theories of generalized anxiety disorder suggest that these patterns of negative thinking are crucial to the continuation and exacerbation of the disorder, and addressing them is a mainstay of therapeutic intervention.