Anxiety Disorders Flashcards
Normal Anxiety
Warning from a vague source
- Emotional response
- Promotes person to take necessary steps to prevent threat
Pathological Anxiety
Out of proportion
- Interferes with function
How does pathological anxiety differ from normal? (5)
- Intensity
- Duration
- Trigger
- Emotional response
- Coping
Panic Attack (5)
Abrupt surge of intense fear that reaches peak within minutes
- Irrational response
- Unpredictable
- Feeling of impending doom (fear)
- Physical discomfort
Phobia
Marked intense fear by a specific source
GAD
Unrealistic and excessive CHRONIC free-floating WORRY and anxiety that occurs most days for at least 6 months
Symptoms of GAD (6)
- Irritability
- Muscle tension
- Restless
- Fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating
- Sleep disturbance
Autonomic symptoms of anxiety disorders (8)
- H/A, palpitations, perspiration, restless
- Nausea, stomach upset
- Insomnia
- Tight chest
Behavioral symptoms of anxiety disorders (2)
- Vigilance
- Cautious / avoidant
Cognitive symptoms
changes in cognition
Nursing Interventions for anxiety
- Stay with the client during attack
- Calm, directive, but non-threatening approach
- Reassurance of safety and security
- Lower stimuli
- Simple words with brief messages
- Speak calm and clear
- Medications
- Explore the etiology
- Teach signs and symptoms of increased anxiety and coping mechanism
Panic disorder treatment
CBT
- any SSRI works
- FDA approved: Paroxetine (Paxil)
- Use benzodiazepine until the SSRI is effective, then taper the Benzo slowly over 4-10 weeks
How long should you take to taper the Benzo?
4-10 weeks
GAD treatment
- SSRI (Paxil, Lexapro) are FIRST CHOICE
- CBT
- Supportive
- Insight oriented
- Benzos
First choice of drugs for GAD
SSRI
OCD treatment
- Family
- Behavioral - flooding, densensitization, thought stopping, aversive conditioning
- SSRI
- Group
Behavior therapy for specific phobia
Exposure therapy - systematic desensitivation, flooding
Social Phobia treatment
- SSRI
- Benzodiazepines
- SNRI
- Buspar
- Betablockers and ativan for performance
Treatment for performance anxiety r/t social phobia
Betablockers, Ativan
Signs and Symptoms of PTSD (FADADS)
- Fear based re-experiencing
- Anhedonia
- Dysphoric mood
- Arousal, hyperarousal
- Dissociation
- Startled, reactive behavior
Duration of disturbance in PTSD
At least 1 month
Psychotherapy for PTSD
CBT, EMDR, Prolonged Exposure Therapy
FDA approved for PTSD
Paroxetine (Plaxil)
