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Anxiety and Fear Conditioning Experiments Help Researchers Understand Behavior
Animal research into anxiety & fear conditioning has led to an improved understanding of human mental health problems such as panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Behavioral Scientist have gained significant insight into the roles of learning, memory, psychology, and biology as connected with anxiety-based conditions. These are not considered normal reactions to highly stressful and traumatic experiences but rather excessive and pathological responses that can be debilitating.

Behavior scientists view these mental health problems as conditioning as coping mechanisms. Fundamentally, Behavior Experts who has experienced profound unexpected trauma may feel powerless and that life is scary and unpredictable.

PTSD symptoms keep the person hyper-alert and vigilant, always ready to effectively react to threats. Unfortunately, once the person is in a safe environment, those symptoms continue even in the absence of real threats. Generalized anxiety and panic disorder may gradually compel the individual to stay home as much as possible. That's the only place that feels predictable and secure.

During behavioral research with mice, scientists and students investigate how the fear conditioning response develops. The standard experiment involves matching a neutral event with an aversive one. The neutral event might be a sound and the aversive event a mild electrical shock. Soon, the mice exhibit behavior indicating fear when they hear the sound. Often, this behavior is freezing in place.

Behavior scientists have discovered certain intriguing findings as a result of these studies. When the sound and unpleasant sensation are always provided together and then the unpleasant condition is removed, the animal relatively quickly returns to a state of psychological normality. However, if the sound and sensation are provided together randomly, it takes a long time for mice to get over being afraid of that noise. Behavioural Sciences has learned that the electrical shock can happen at any time, even when this has not occurred for days.

This is particularly relevant to people who have endured unpredictable and seemingly random traumatic events. Behavioural Sciences 's why PTSD is so often connected with military troops who have been in active combat situations.

Omnitech Electronics provides tools for scientists, teachers, and students to conduct research and learn about these phenomena. The more information compiled, the better the chances of developing effective therapies for people suffering from anxiety disorders of various types.
Website: https://www.storeboard.com/blogs/health/how-to-use-anxiety-and-fear-conditioning-to-study-mental-illness/5500835