Kap 7: Anxieties Flashcards
What is Anxiety?
Excessive, unwanted, innapropriate emotional fear response
With avoidance behavior
Towards something that is not a threat
What is the difference between Anxiety and Fear?
Both are emotional responses
Fear is towards a situation one is in
Anxiety is towards future situations
Prevalences of anxiety
Life time: 28,8%
12-Month: 18,1%
What is the comorbidity of Anxiety?
~50% with mainly Depression
What are the types of Anxieties?
- Phobias
- Social anxiety
- PTSD
- GAD
- Panic Disorder
- OCD
(7. Hypochondria)
How to diagnose Anxieties?
Semi structured interviews
-> Anxiety development
-> Health record
Self-report questionnaires for intensity
What are the common child anxieties?
Seperation Anxiety
Phobias
Social anxiety
Phobia 12 month prevalence + Gender differences?
8,7%, more common with women
Difference between Blood/Needle phobia and other phobias?
Blood/Needle lowers blood pressure and heart rate, other phobias increase blood pressure and heart rate
What is a classic phobia treatment?
Exposure therapy
What are the most common phobias?
Snakes, Airplanes, Heights, Spiders
Definition of a phobia
Irrational fear of an object or situation that impairs functioning
Coping of a phobia
Avoiding the object/situation as much as possible
What is the 12- month prevalence of social anxiety and are there gender differences?
6,8% and no gender differences
What is the definition of social anxiety?
Difficulties when others are around and could see or evaluate ones behavior negatively
What is social anxiety connected to?
It is connected to low self esteem
Is social anxiety directed towards specific situations?
No it is directed to the most social situations, only public speaking for example doesn’t count
What is normal coping of social anxiety?
Avoiding social situations, or using alcohol or medication
When does social anxiety often start?
In puberty
What is the definition of GAD?
Having many worries at the same time about differing topics, not being focused on one specific topic!
It usually includes catastrophizing
What is the 12 month prevalence of GAD and are there gender differences?
3,1% women are more affected
What are common topics to worry about with GAD?
Family, close people, work, other commitments, social relations
What are coping strategies of GAD?
Massive planning ahead
Getting reassurance by others
Avoidance of unknown situations
What is needed for diagnosing GAD?
Worrying most of the time
Sense of loosing control
For at least 6 months
What is the 12 month prevalence of PTSD and gendered lifetime prevalences?
3,5%
Women: 10-12%
Men: 5-6%
PTSD Diagnosis
At least one month has to pass before it can be diagnosed
PTSD main traits
Anxiety after (multiple) traumatic event(s)
Re-experiencing, nightmares, sleep problems, flashbacks
Depression, dissociation
Anhedonia, social distancing, survivor guilt
Children might play out situations
Coping strategies of PTSD
Avoidance of objects that trigger memories
General vigilance
Normal situations triggering PTSD
War
Car crashes/Accidents
Rape
Terror attacks
Natural disaster
Factors influencing whether one develops PTSD or not after an event
Closeness to the person
Seriousness
Length of the situation
Social support afterwards
How personal the situation was
What is the definition of OCD?
Uncomfortable compulsive thoughts that get controlled by compulsive behavior
What are coping mechanisms with OCD?
Washing
Double checking
Mental rituals
When are OCD compulsions enough?
When others say so
When it feels right
When a certain number is reached
What are people with OCD afraid of?
Contracting disease
Bad events
Things are out of order
What is the 12 month prevalence of OCD and are there gender differences?
1% no gender differences
Which other conditions are related to OCD?
Hoarding (no diagnosis)
Body dismorphia (compulsive thoughts about the body)
Hypochondria (health anxiety)
What is the definition of panic disorder?
Experiencing a sudden panick attack and then developing a fear of having more in the future
Often connected to the fear of dying
How is panic disorder diagnosed?
Patient has had at least one panic attack
Patient has to be afraid of getting them again
Panic attacks in the context of another anxiety do not count as panic disorder
What is the 12 month prevalence of panic disorder and are there gender differences?
2,7% and women are more affected
What is agoraphobia?
The fear of a place and not being able to escape.
Together with panic disorder the person is afraid of getting the panic attack in a public space without being able to get help
-> it can be understood as a coping mechanism
How can panic disorder sustain itsself?
By focusing and interpreting bodyily symptoms one can increase the anxiety which creates a spiral.
How is panic disorder treated?
By doing behavioral experiments, because the person misinterprets their bodily signals
What does PANDAS stand for?
And why should it be checked for?
Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections
Because it can trigger OCD rapidly, when contracted in childhood. It might lead to damaged basal ganglia
How does OCD differ from a psychosis?
The patient has insight into their problem and knows that it is a compulsion
What is the anxiety called, that appears often together with Panic disorder?
Agoraphobia
What is always important in anxieties?
Sustaining factors
Safety behaviours
What is one way that OCD is mainly treated?
ERP:
Exposure Response Prevention
