Anxiety Disorders Flashcards by Rachel Wiebe

What is fear?

A cognitive response to a specific source or object that the person can identify or describe. Involves the intellectual or cognitive appraisal of threatening stimuli

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True or false: Fear provokes anxiety

True

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What is fear caused by?

Anxiety caused by consciously recognized and realistic danger.

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What is anxiety?

Integral part of the universal human experience.

A vague, subjective feeling of uneasiness, tension, apprehension or dread.

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What causes anxiety?

Anxiety results from an external threat to one’s integrity

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What is the function of anxiety?

The function of anxiety is to warn individual of impending threat, conflict or danger.

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What are typical physiological changes during mild anxiety?

Vitals normal

Mild muscle tension

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What are typical physiological changes during moderate anxiety?

Vitals slightly elevated

tension, excitement

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What physiological changes occur during severe anxiety?

Fight or flight

ANS stimulated

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What physiological changes occur during panic level of anxiety?

BP drops, pale, ANS increased

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What cognitive/perception changes occur during mild anxiety?

PF broad, aware
Thoughts controlled
Able to learn
Able to problem-solve

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What cognitive/perception changes occur during moderate anxiety?

PF narrows, alert
Can be confused
Able to learn
Able to problem-solve

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What cognitive/perception changes occur during severe anxiety?

PF narrows more
Selective attention
Time distortion
Problem-solving difficult

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What cognitive/perception changes occur during panic level anxiety?

PF scattered/close

No problem solving

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What emotional/behavioural changes occur during mild anxiety?

Feels comfort/safety

Habitual behaviours

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What emotional/behavioural changes occur during moderate anxiety?

Feels ready/challenged
Engaged in competition
Learning new skills

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What emotional/behavioural changes occur during severe anxiety?

Feels threatened, startled
Activity increases or decreases
Shaky, stuttering
Disorganized

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What emotional/behavioural changes occur during panic level anxiety?

Feels helpless/angry/fear

Combative or withdrawn

What are the four types of anxiety?

Signal
Trait
State
Free-floating

What is signal anxiety?

Precipitation identified. There is some kind of environmental cue.

What is trait anxiety?

Function of personality structure.

This is just part of our personality.

What is state anxiety?

Conflicting or stressful situations

What is free-floating anxiety?

Unattached to any idea or event. There is no cue, it just comes on. The person might not know why.

What are the most common psychiatric disorders treated by health care professionals?

Anxiety disorders.

How many canadians are affected by anxiety disorders?

~19 million Canadians are affected

Are anxiety disorders more common in men or women?

Women

What is the typical age of onset for anxiety disorders?

Late adolescence to mid 30's

What is generalized anxiety disorder?

Excessive anxiety and worry occurring more days than not.

What are the diagnostic criteria for generalized anxiety disorder?

At least 6 months of symtpom duration Presence of 3 of the following: Restlessness, edginess, fatigue, poor concentration, irritability, muscle tension, sleep disturbance Anxiety and worry that interfere with normal social and occupational functioning

What is agoraphobia?

Anxiety about being where excape is difficult Situations are avoided or endured with anxiety Not due to the effects of a medical condition, substance or other mental disorder.

What are the diagnostic criteria for panic disorder?

● Individuals with panic disorder meet these 2 criteria: Presence of recurrent or unexpected panic attacks At least one of the attacks has been followed by: 1) persistent concern about having additional attacks_ 2) worry about the implications of the attack 3) a significant change in behaviours as a result

What is a panic attack?

Discrete period of intense fear, discomfort, dread or doom. Develops abruptly, peaks in 10 minutes

What is a specific phobia?

Marked, persistent, excessive fear | Cued by presence/anticipation of specific object or situation

What is agorophobia?

Anxiety about being where escape is difficult Situations are avoided or endured with anxiety Not due to the effects of a medical condition, substance or other mental disorder

Do people with a simple phobia recognize that their fear is excessive or unreasonable?

Yes.

What is social phobia?

Marked, persistent fear of one or more social or performance situations, exposing individual to scrutiny while behaving in embarassing way

What is the treatment for social phobia?

Treated with psychotherapy or SSRIs

What is PTSD? (Post-traumatic stress disorder)

Reaction to traumatic events | Symptoms are present for more than one month and will impair functioning

What is acute stress disorder?

Different from PTSD: ● Experience three symptoms of dissociation: numbing, detachment, dazed, derealization, depersonalization, dissociative amnesia ● The symptoms of dissociation prevent the individual from adaptively coping with the trauma ● Shorter time frame of development and duration of symptoms (2-30 days) ● Not able to pursue a necessary task

What is OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder)?

Obsession cannot be suppressed/ignored and therefore interferes with normal functioning

What are obsessions?

Obsessions: recurrent or persistent unwanted thoughts, impulses or images that cause anxiety

What are compulsions?

Compulsions: repetitive behaviours that the person feels driven to perform in response to the obsession

What is the treatment for OCD?

Treated with behavioural therapy or medications (SSRIs TCAs)

What are four types of medications used to treat anxiety?

● Benzodiazepines Lorazepam, Clonazepam, Diazepam ● SSRIs/SNRIs Fluoxetine, Paroxetine, Sertraline, Venlafaxine ● TCAs Clomipramine ● Other Beta-blockers, Buspirone, Tegretol