Download Anxiety Disorders - Northwest ISD Moodle

Anxiety
Disorders
How to distinguish between
fear & anxiety :
fear – a feeling that arises from a
concrete, real danger.
anxiety – a feeling that arises from an
ambiguous, unspecific cause.
(disproportionate to danger)
FYI:
Anxiety disorders generally develop
during adolescence and/or early
childhood.
Women are more likely than men to
present for treatment.
Panic Attack – not a
disorder in and of itself
sudden spontaneous episodes of
overwhelming panic
panic attack is a symptom of many
anxiety disorders
Signs & Symptoms of Panic Attack:
dyspnea
dizziness or faintness
palpitations
tachycardia
trembling or shaking
sweating
choking
chest pain or pressure in chest
fear of impending death
fear of going crazy
Types of Anxiety
Disorders
Panic Disorder
Differentiation from panic attack
 increased
frequency & redundancy of
attacks
 at
least four panic attack symptoms
develop abruptly, crescendo within 10
minutes & typically last another 10
minutes
cont.
Two Main Subtypes of
Panic Disorder
1. panic disorder without agoraphobia
2. panic disorder with agoraphobia
Agoraphobia
severe &
pervasive anxiety
about being in
situations from
which escape
might be difficult
Agoraphobia cont.
usually (but not always) a secondary
occurrence of unexpected, reoccurring
panic attacks
individuals may begin to avoid places or
situations in anticipation of a dreaded,
spontaneous attack
often require presence of companion in
order to avoid anxiety
Fears typically consistent
with agoraphobia include:
fear of being outside home alone
fear of being in a crowd or standing in
line
fear of being on a bridge or other high
places
fear of traveling on bus, train, air plane,
or in automobile
fears stem from primary fear of being
“trapped” and unable to get back to safe
place
Social Phobia
persistent fear of one or more
social or performance situations
Social phobia cont.
fears he/she will act in way (or show
anxiety) that will be humiliating or
embarrassing, i.e. –
 fear
of fainting, losing control of bowel
or bladder function
 fear
of having one’s mind go blank
when faced with dreaded social
situation
Social phobia cont.
exposure to feared social situation invariable
provokes anxiety, which may take form of
situationally bound panic attack
 children
may express fear by crying or
tantrum-like behavior
 adults
either avoid dreaded social
situation or tolerate it with great
discomfort
Social phobia cont.
typically begins in childhood or adolescence
often associated with traits of shyness &
social inhibition
public humiliation, severe embarrassment
may initiate a social phobia
once established, complete remissions are
uncommon without treatment
Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder
(PTSD)
traumatic experience
triggers recurring
anxiety
PTSD cont.
anxiety & behavioral disturbances that
develop during or shortly following extreme
trauma & lasts more than 1 month
historically identified in soldiers

“shell shock” or “combat fatigue” syndrome
other traumatic events: rape, physical
assault, near-death experience, witnessing
a murder, disasters, etc.
Key Features of PTSD
symptoms of hyperarousal &
generalized anxiety
emotional detachment from people &
activities
avoidance of situations that elicit
memories of trauma
persistent, intrusive recollections of
event via flashbacks, dreams, and/or
thoughts
PTSD cont.
post-traumatic stress symptoms persist
for more than 1 month & are associated
with functional impairment
about 50% of cases remit within 6
months
Acute Stress
Disorder
Acute Stress Disorder cont.
follows traumatic event but
symptoms may last from only 2 days
to one month
psychological trauma initially keeps
individual from pursuing necessary
help (medical or legal assistance)
Generalized
Anxiety Disorder
(GAD)
excessive anxiety
& worry that
occurs more days
than not
GAD cont.
accompanying symptoms: muscle
tension, easy fatigability, poor
concentration, insomnia, irritability, &
restlessness
excessive worries pertain to many areas
(work, relationships, money, potential
misfortunes, etc.)
about 50% of cases begin in childhood
occurs more often in women
ObsessiveCompulsive Disorder
(OCD)
“Out, damned spot.”
Lady Macbeth’s
unshakable conviction that
blood remains on her
hands, even after
extensive cleaning.
OCD cont.
Obsessions – recurrent, intrusive
thoughts, impulses, or images that are
perceived as inappropriate, grotesque,
or forbidden
Compulsions – repetitive behaviors or
mental acts that reduce anxiety that
accompany an obsession
Common Obsessive Themes
germ or body fluid contamination
doubts that important task was
overlooked
worry that unintentional act inflicted
harm on someone
unbending order or symmetry
compulsions play out as rituals that
“neutralize” obsessive thoughts
OCD cont.
disorder equally common among
men & women
typically begins in adolescence to
young adult
course fluctuates
OCD cont.
symptom exacerbations usually
associated with stress
approximately 20% to 30% have tics
familial pattern among 1st degree
relatives
Physiological Responses to
Anxiety
rapid heart beat
elevated blood pressure
increased perspiration
shortness of breath
“butterflies” in stomach, upset stomach
trembling (1st of lips, then extremities)
dizziness
Coping Mechanisms –
Our Defense Against Anxiety
mechanisms against anxiety may be
effective or ineffective
Ineffective Coping:
physical fights
abusing substances
social withdrawal
“acting-out” in inappropriate manner
Effective Coping:
use of physical activity
 walking, jogging, competitive sports,
strenuous work, etc.
stress-reduction techniques
 deep muscle relaxation, biofeedback,
meditation, visualization
expression of emotions
 therapy, talking with family or friends,
engaging in activities that make you
laugh