Anxiety disorders

Question 1

Name the Anxiety disorders and the duration for which main symptoms must be present before being able to diagnose

Answer 1

• Generalized anxiety disorder (6 months)
• Separation anxiety disorder (4 weeks children, 6 months adults)

-Selective mutism (1 month)

-Specific phobia (6months)

-Social anxiety disorder (6months)

-Panic disorder (1month)

-Agorophobia

Question 2

DSM criteria for Generalised Anxiety Disorder

Answer 2

• Severe feelings of anxiety or worry that happen most days for at least 6 months

-The client cannot control their anxiety or worry

• 3 or more symptoms must be present for most days in the past 6months. In children 1 symptom must be present.

Restlessness
Fatigue
Trouble focusing
Irritability
Muscle Tension
Sleep problems

Anxiety affects ROSE - relational occupational, social and educational functioning

-Anxiety is NOT due to medical or substance use

-Anxiety NOT better explained by another mental disorder.

Question 3

What are assessments for Anxiety disorders?

Answer 3

• GAD-7 (7-item Generalised anxiety disorder Scale)

-Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A): A clinician-administered scale assessing a broader range of anxiety symptoms.

-Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI): A self-report tool focusing on physiological and cognitive aspects of anxiety.

• CGI (Clinical global impressions scale)

Question 4

Differential for Generalised anxiety disorder?

Answer 4

• Social anxiety/phobia. This focuses more on social situations.

-PTSD and ASD. While these share many symptoms with GAD, the key differentiator is exposure to a traumatic event.

-OCD is accompanied by compulsions, obsessions, preoccupations, and unrealistic fears.

-Depressive disorders - these include symptoms that go beyond anxiety both in bredth and severity in occurrence.

-Medication/Substance-induced

Question 5

Common treatment for GAD?

Answer 5

• CBT

-ACT

-DBT

Question 6

What is a specific phobia? When does this become a disorder?

Answer 6

Required

-A marked fear about an object or situation

-The specific object or situation almost always causes immediate fear or anxiety

-Object actively avoided or insured with intense fear/anxiety

-Fear or Anxiety excessive or disproportionate to the threat.

-Duration, 6 months or more.

-Causes impairment or distress in social or occupational functioning

-Not better explained by other mental disorders

Question 7

What treatments are used for specific phobias?

Answer 7

• Exposure therapy

-Systemic desensitisation

-cognitive therapy

-relaxation techniques