Anxiety and Related Disorders

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

In this course, we will explore in depth the anxiety, trauma-and-stressor-related, and obsessive-compulsive disorders as defined in the DSM-5. Up-to-date research into diagnostic criteria, etiology, and treatment will be examined for each disorder, with a particular focus on their psychological, biological, and sociocultural aspects. We will continually aim for a deeper understanding of the human experience of these disorders, examining personal accounts through case studies, class exercises, and media representations. In addition to gaining insight into the disorders, we will engage in a continuing discussion about the nature of stress and anxiety, including their growing prevalence and how they are understood and expressed across cultures, and how new research into genetics, the gut microbiome, mindfulness, and personality reveal new answers (and questions!) about what makes one person suffer from anxiety and another person unburdened by it. (Prerequisites: PSYC 151)