Clinical Perspective of Anxiety Disorders

Question 1

What are the treatment options for body dysmorphic disorder?

Answer 1

SSRIs (maximal doses) & CBT

Question 2

How long must symptoms persist for diagnosis of PTSD?

Answer 2

1 month

Question 3

What is the criteria for a panic attack (note, panic attack is not the same as panic disorder)?

Answer 3

At least 4+ symptoms that peak in severity within 10 minutes of onset

Question 4

What is the recommended treatment for social anxiety disorder?

Answer 4

CBT & SSRIs

Question 5

This disorder is an early form of PTSD with symptoms lasting from 3 days to 1 month.

Answer 5

Acute stress disorder

Question 6

This drug is used off-label for the treatment of nightmares associated with PTSD.

Answer 6

Prazosin (alpha agnoist)

Question 7

What SSRI is approved only for the treatment of OCD in the US?

Answer 7

Fluvoxamine

Question 8

What medication is used to treat refractory OCD?

Answer 8

Clomipramine

Question 9

This disorder is characterized by difficulty in discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of actual value or accumulation.

Answer 9

Hoarding Disorder

Question 10

This disorder is characterized by an excessive preoccupation with an imagined physical defect.

Answer 10

Body dysmorphic disorder

Question 11

True/False. If symptoms of Adjustment Disorder persist beyond 6 months, a new psychiatric diagnosis is made.

Answer 11

True - symptoms cannot persist beyond 6 months per DSM-V diagnostic criteria

Question 12

This anxiety disorder is characterized by a fear of being judged by others which impairs normal functioning.

Answer 12

Social Anxiety Disorder

Question 13

True/False. Debriefing is recommended for the treatment of PTSD.

Answer 13

False. Debriefing has been shown to be more harmful to the patient.

Question 14

What is the duration of obsessions or compulsions required for an OCD diagnosis?

Answer 14

At least one hour per day

Question 15

What neurotransmitter is dysfunctional in anxiety disorders?

Answer 15

Serotonin

Question 16

What is the best treatment for specific phobia disorder?

Answer 16

Exposure therapy - systematic desensitization or flooding

Question 17

What is the difference between an obsession and a compulsion?

Answer 17

An obsession is a though, a compulsion is a behavior

Question 18

A 10yo girl refuses to speak or participate in class. When at home, the child has no issues and actively engages with others. You find out from a teacher that the girl was bullied by a peer in the classroom. What is a potential diagnosis?

Answer 18

Selective Mutism - usually triggered by trauma and characterized by a refusal to speak when in a specific environment

Question 19

In this anxiety disorder, symptoms generally resolve with the removal of the stressor.

Answer 19

Adjustment Disorder

Question 20

This anxiety is common in school-aged children and involves fear for a caregiver when not together.

Answer 20

Separation Anxiety Disorder

Question 21

Anxiety disorders are generally more common in (males/females).

Answer 21

Females, with the exception of OCD and body dysmorphic disorder

Question 22

What is the duration of symptoms in acute stress disorder?

Answer 22

3 days to 1 month

Question 23

Adjustment disorder is a diagnosis of exclusion. What are the criteria for diagnosis?

Answer 23

Symptoms must begin within 3 months of the stressor and resolve within 6 months

Question 24

How long must symptoms persist for a diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

Answer 24

6 months

Question 25

True/False. A panic attack lasting longer than 15 minutes is generally associated with a medical (not a psychiatric) cause.

Answer 25

True