Mental health

Question 1

What is generalised anxiety disorder?

Answer 1

A mental health condition where there is excessive and disproportional worry about a variety of things

Question 2

What are the symptoms of anxiety?

Answer 2

Palpitations
Sweating
Trembling / shaking
Dry mouth
Difficulty breathing / chest pain
Nausea + abdominal upset (butterflies in stomach)
Feeling dizzy / fainting

Question 3

What assessment can be used to help establish the severity of someones anxiety?

Answer 3

GAD-7 anxiety questionnaire

Question 4

How can anxiety be managed?

Answer 4

Advice about self help (e.g. meditation), diet, exercise, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and drugs
Counselling
CBT
Medications - SSRIs such as sertraline

Question 5

Which neural elements are involved in the stress response?

Answer 5

Limbic system
- hippocampus
- amygdala
Pre frontal cortex
Hypothalamus / HPA axis

Question 6

Name some different types of anxiety disorders

Answer 6

Generalised anxiety disorder
Social anxiety
Specific phobias
Panic disorder
OCD
PTSD

Question 7

What is OCD?

Answer 7

A condition characterised by obsessions and compulsions

Question 8

What are obsessions?

Answer 8

Unwanted and uncontrolled thoughts and intrusive images. These are often unpleasant, causing anxiety.
These persist despite the persons awareness that they are entirely without purpose.
These are generally present on a daily basis

Question 9

What are compulsions?

Answer 9

Repetitive actions that the person feels they must do - often linked to obsessions. This may temporarily reduce anxiety

Question 10

How can OCD be managed?

Answer 10

Support groups
CBT
Medications - SSRIs (e.g. sertraline - up to 200mg a day, fluoxetine)

Question 11

What are some of the key side effects of sertraline?

Answer 11

• anxiety
• GI upset
• headache
• sexual dysfunction
• sleep disorders
• suicidal thoughts
  + many more

Question 12

How does sertraline work?

Answer 12

Serotonin (5HT3) re-uptake inhibitor