5) Neurotic Disorders Flashcards
Suggest some somatic symptoms/signs of anxiety.
- Increased respiration
- Muscle tension
Suggest THREE psychological symptoms/signs of anxiety.
- Dread, worrying thoughts
- Apprehension
- Restlesness
- Alertness
- Narrowing of attention (focus)
- Avoidance
Suggest some autonomic symptoms/signs of anxiety.
- Sweating
- Tremor
- Raising heart rate and palpitations
- Urge to urinate/defecate
What are the THREE main features of post-traumatic stress disorder?
- Re-experiencing (nightmares, flashbacks)
- Avoidance
- Hyperarousal (disturbed sleep, hypervigilance)
Describe what is believed to be the underlying pathology of the brain in obsessive-compulsive disorder.
A “short circuit” between the basal ganglia and the frontal lobe.
What do we mean by the term compulsions when talking about obsessive compulsive disorder?
Tasks a person performs to seek relief from the obsessive thoughts that consume them.
What do we mean by the term obsessions when talking about obsessive compulsive disorder?
Ideas that enter a patient’s mind repeatedly without conscious effort and persist despite efforts to ignore or confront them.
Suggest some common compulsions that occur in OCD.
- Counting specific things (footsteps etc.)
- Repeated washing of hands
- Make sure things are in order, in line etc.
Describe the management for panic disorder.
- Biological: \+ Antidepressants (SSRIs, TCAs) \+ Pregabalin - Psychological (CBT) - Social (support groups)
Suggest FOUR physical conditions/disorders that can mimic the presentation of panic disorder.
- Hyperthyroidism
- Mitral valve prolapse
- Adrenal tumours
- Carcinoid syndrome
- Poorly controlled diabetes
Define panic disorder.
Recurrent and unexpected (no real trigger) panic attacks (lasting around an hour) followed by at least one month of continuous worry or concern about having further attacks.
What drug may be used to treat generalised anxiety disorder?
Propanolol (B-blocker)
Define what we mean when we diagnose someone with a pathological anxiety disorder.
An excessive amount of anxiety (fear), which when experienced, impairs function and occurs (and persists) in the absence of any real threat.
Which type of anxiety disorder is agoraphobia commonly linked to?
Panic disorder
Suggest THREE features of generalised anxiety disorder.
Hint: WATCHERS
- Worry
- Anxiety
- Tension in muscles
- Concentration difficulty
- Hyper-arousal (irritability)
- Energy loss
- Restlessness
- Sleep distrubances
