Neurotic disorders (anxiety) Flashcards
What is anxiety?
A state consisting of psychological and physical symptoms brought about by a sense of apprehension at a perceived threat.
What are the different types of common anxiety disorders? (5)
- Agoraphobia
- Social anxiety
- Panic disorder
- OCD
- Generalised anxiety disorder
What are the physical symptoms that anxiety can cause? (14)
- Hyperventilation
- Palpitations
- Tachycardia
- Chest discomfort
- Dry mouth
- Nausea/abdominal discomfort
- Frequent/loose motions
- Urinary frequency
- Failure of erection
- Amenorrhoea
- Sweating
- Headache
- Dizziness/faintness
- Feeling of a lump in the throat/forced swallowing (often seen on kids cartoons - gulping sound)
What are the psychological symptoms of anxiety? (8)
- Feelings of fear and impending doom
- Exaggerated startle response
- Poor concentration
- Irritability
- Insomnia
- Night tremors
- Derealisation
- Depersonalisation
What are culture-bound syndromes?
Mental disorders that only occur in certain cultures or ethnic groups and that are not easily accommodated by psychiatric classifications such as ICD-10 or DSM-IV.
Name some examples of culture-bound syndromes?
Amok (like running Amok) - seen in Malaysia - outburst of violent, aggressive and sometimes homicidal acts after a period of brooding or depression. This is followed by deep sleep, amnesia of the episode, and in some cases, suicide.
Brain Fag - seen in West Africa - cognitive difficulties, blurred vision, and head and neck pain. Most commonly affects male students who complain of ‘too much thinking.
Koro - South-West Asia - sudden and intense fear the penis retracting into the body and causing death. Mainly occurs at night and in the context of sexual guilt.
What are the neurochemical abnormalities attributed to anxiety? (3)
Noradrenergic neurons originating in the locus coeruleus and serotonergic neurons originating in the raphe nuclei act on the limbic system to increase anxiety, and an imbalance in these neurotransmitters, and in GABA, may contribute to the symptoms of anxiety disorders.
- Noradrenaline
- Serotonin
- GABA
What is a phobia or phobic anxiety disorder?
A persistent irrational fear that is usually recognised as such and that produces anticipatory anxiety for and avoidance of the feared object, activity or situation.
What are the three types of phobic anxiety?
- Agoraphobia
- Social phobia
- Specific phobias
What does agoraphobia refer to?
A fear of places that are difficult or embarrassing
to escape from, such as places that are crowded or far from home.
What does social phobia normally relate to?
A fear of being embarrassed or humiliated or judged by others, either in most social situations or specific social situations e.g. public speaking or when dining.
What is a generalised anxiety disorder?
It is characterised by long-standing free-floating anxiety that may fluctuate but that is neither situational nor episodic. That is an apprehension about events that is far put of proportion to the actual likelihood or impact of the feared events.
What are the recommended treatments/managements for generalised anxiety disorder (and in fact for all anxiety disorders)? (3)
- Counselling/CBT
- SSRIs/SNRIs/TCAs
- Benzodiazepines (with caution due to addictive nature)
What drugs are prescribed for someone with alcohol withdrawal symptoms?
Chlordiazepoxide & Pabrinex
What is PTSD characterised by?
- Numbing
- Detachment
- Flashbacks
- Nightmares
- Partial or complete amnesia for the event
- Avoidance of/and distress at/reminders of the event
