Anxiety Disorders Flashcards
Describe Separation Anxiety Disorder
At least 3 of the following symptoms present for at least 4 weeks in children, and at least 6 months in adults.
- Recurrent excessive distress when anticipating or experiencing separation
from home or attachment figures. - Persistent and excessive worry about losing major attachment figures or about possible harm to them, such as illness, injury, disasters, or death.
- Persistent and excessive worry about experiencing an untoward event (e.g., lost, kidnapped, accident) that causes separation from attachment figure.
- Persistent reluctance or refusal to go out, away from home, to school, to work, or elsewhere because of fear of separation
- Persistent and excessive fear of or reluctance about being alone or without attachment figures
- Persistent reluctance or refusal to sleep away from home or to go to sleep without being near a major attachment figure.
- Repeated nightmares involving the theme of separation.
- Repeated complaints of physical symptoms (e.g., headaches, stomachaches,
nausea, vomiting) when separation from major attachment figures occurs or is anticipated.
Describe selective mutism
Failure to speak in social situations, while able to speak in other situations (i.e. home)
Interferes with social emotional development and often school.
Duration of at least 1 month
Describe Specific Phobias
Marked fear about a specific object or situation which provokes fear or anxiety.
Object or situation is avoided or endured with extreme fear and anxiety.
Fear and anxiety is out of proportion with the object or situation and to the sociocultural context.
Causes significant distress or impairment
Persistent for 6 months or more.
Describe Social Anxiety Disorder
Fear or anxiety about social situations in which the individual is exposed to possible scrutiny by others.
The individual fears that he or she will act in a way or show anxiety symptoms that will be negatively evaluated.
The social situations almost always provoke fear or anxiety, and are avoided or endured with great fear and anxiety.
Fear and anxiety is out of proportion with the actual threat.
Causes significant impairment
Persistent for 6 months or more.
No obvious precipitating events
1/8 of people develop substance use disorder 1/2 have a psychiatric disorder, such as major depression.
Tends to run in families
Describe Panic Disorder
Recurrent unexplained panic attacks with at least 1 month of persistent concern about having more panic attacks, worries of implications of panic attacks, or maladaptive changes related to the attacks (avoiding places).
At least 4 of 13 panic attack symptoms.
- Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate.
- Sweating.
- Trembling or shaking.
- Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering.
- Feelings of choking.
- Chest pain or discomfort.
- Nausea or abdominal distress.
- Feeling dizzy, unsteady, light-headed, or faint.
- Chills or heat sensations.
- Paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations).
- Derealization (feelings of unreality) or depersonalization (being detached from oneself).
- Fear of losing control or “going crazy.”
- Fear of dying.
8/10 developed before age of 30. May present to medical doctors who cannot find medical reason for symptoms.
Common comorbidity with substance use disorder and major depression.
Commonly hereditary
Describe Agoraphobia
Where an individual fears being unable to get out of a place or situation quickly in the event of a panic attack.
Fear or anxiety of about 2 or more of:
- Using public transportation (e.g., automobiles, buses, trains, ships, planes).
- Being in open spaces (e.g., parking lots, marketplaces, bridges).
- Being in enclosed places (e.g., shops, theaters, cinemas).
- Standing in line or being in a crowd.
- Being outside of the home alone.
Individual avoids and fears situation from concern of having a panic attack. When done, often require a companion.
Persistent for 6 months or more.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Excessive worry about life circumstances, such as family, wealth, social acceptance, job performance, etc.
NOT diagnosed when in the presence of other mental disorders like major depression or schizophrenia or when in the context of another panic disorder.
3 or more of the following symptoms (only 1 needed in children):
- Restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge.
- Being easily fatigued.
- Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank.
- Irritability.
- Muscle tension.
- Sleep disturbance (difficulty falling or staying asleep, or restless, unsatisfying sleep).
Persistent for at least 6 months
