3. Anxiety Disorders Flashcards
What are the treatments for social anxiety disorder?
Self help
Psychological therapy - individual CBT (first line)
Medication - SSRI such as sertraline or escitalopram
What are the 2 types of PTSD?
- Simple PTSD - response to single traumatic event
- Complex PTSD - response to being exposed to repeated or multiple traumatic events over life e.g. slavery, genocide, DV, repeated childhood sexual/physical abuse.
What are the risk factors for PTSD?
- refugees/asylum
- first responders
- Military (increased length service, lower rank)
- prev psych disorder
- female
- chronic disease
- postnatal
- over avoidance of risk
what are the symptoms of PTSD?
* re-experiencing
- Flashbacks - as if event happening again
- nightmares
- reminders of the event provoke distress
* hyperarousal or emotional numbing (spectrum)
- hypervigilance
- exaggerated startle response
- irritable, difficulty concentrating
- sleep difficulty
- difficulty feeling emotion, detached from others
- giving up hobbies
- amnesia of main events
- negative self perception
* avoidance or rumination behaviour
-avoid people or situations that remind of event
- suppress memories
- why me?
What is the stepwise management for PTSD?
- 1st month - watchful waiting, unless severe symptoms then specialist referral
- treat PTSD before other co-morbid conditions e.g depression, alcoholism
- assess suicide/self harm risk
- if symptoms continue after 1 month of event - refer to specialist
Under specialist:
* trauma focussed CBT 1st line if within 3 months (CBT main focus in children)
* EMDR 1st line if >3 months from event
* Treatment can be effective at anytime after the event.
* Drug treatment 2nd line: venlafaxine or SSRI (sertraline, paroxetine)
* Short term benzo for insomnia
immediate debriefing is ineffective, can be harmful
depression will usually lift as the PTSD is treated.
When to diagnose GAD?
- excessive worry about several aspects of everyday life, or general worry about no particular circumstance
- with symptoms of physiological arousal:
- muscle tension/restlessness, headaches, back pain
- sympathetic overactivity - GI disturbance, palps, trembling,dry mouth, irritability
- difficulty concentrating
- sleep - difficulty falling or staying asleep
- symptoms persist several months
- distress or impairment of social life/work/education.
Can use GAD-7
What is Step 1 in the management of GAD?
- educate on diagnosis
- active monitoring
- manage comorbid conditions e.g depression/physical
What is step 2 in the management of GAD?
if symptoms not improved with education and active monitoring
Offer a low intensity psychological intervention:
* Individual self help (based on CBT principles) - written/electronic for person to work through over 6 weeks.
* Individual guided self-help -as above but telephone therapist led
* Psychoeducational groups - CBT principles with therapist.
What is Step 3 in the management of GAD?
or if severe impairment
if not improved with step 2
Offer either:
* Individual high intensity psychological intervention - CBT or applied relaxation (12 weeks) (1st line if pregnant)
* Drug treatment - sertraline 1st line. If sertraline not effective, alternative SSRI - paroxetine or escitalopram, Or SNRI - duloxetine or venlofaxine.
* Pregabalin if cannot tolerate SSRI or SNRI
* Do not offer benzo unless short term in a crisis
What is step 4 in the management of GAD?
complex, treatment failed, very marked impairment
or high risk self harm
- specialist referral
What are the options for a pregnant woman taking SSRI/SNRI/pregabalin for GAD?
- discuss risk benefits - relapse vs fetal risks
- currently no data that pregabalin causes malformations/ miscarriage/ fetal growth changes. There are risks with SSRI/SNRI (PPHN, withdrawal, unknown if teratogenic)
- option to switch to psych intervention
- lowest effective dose
- perinatal mental health specialist referral if uncertain/changing medication/starting medication
How soon should I review someone under the age of 30 receiving an SSRI/SNRI?
within 1 week
How soon should I review someone with GAD?
after 4-6 weeks of treatment.
(Unless under 30 and started SSRI/SNRI. Or they are High Risk)
How long should someone with GAD continue medication for if it is effective?
at least a year to reduce the risk of relapse
What are the features of social anxiety disorder?
- excessive fear of humiliation or embarrassment
- physical autonomic symptoms - palps, sweating, dry mouth, nausea, shaking
- Fear is followed by avoidance