Psychiatry Flashcards
What are the concept of neuroses?
- symptoms are understandable and with which one can emphathise
- insight is maintained
- Different to delusions which are not understandable and cannot be emphasised with
- Neuroses are quantitively but not qualitively different from normal
Epidemiology of anxiety, obsessions and stress reactions
- most prodominantly female
- affects up to 10% of all individuals
- comorbidity with depression, substance misuse and personality disorder common
- if individual presents after age 35-40 yrs more likely due to depressive disorder or organic disease
Associated factors of anxiety, obsessions and stress reactions
lower social class, unemployment, divorced, renting rather than owing, no educational qualfications, urban living aetiology
Genetic factors for anxiety, obsessions and stress reactions
Family history often seen, people with high neuroticism scores
Symptoms of anxiety
psychological: fears, worries, poor concentration, irritabiliy, depersonalisation, derealisation, insomnia, night terrors
motor symptoms: restlessness, fidgeting, feeling on edge
Neuromuscular: tremor, tension, headache, muscle ache, dizziness, tiniitus
GI: dry mouth, cant swallow, nausea, indigestion, butterflies, flatulence, frequent or loose motions,
CVS: chest discomfort, palpitations
Respiratory: difficulty inhaling, tight constricted chest
GI: urinary frequency, erectile dysfunction, amenorrhoea
Features of generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)
ICD-10 criteria
Generalised and persistent ‘free floating’ anxiety symptoms:
- apprehension (worries about future, feeling on edge, difficulty concentrating)
- motor tension (restless fidgeting, tension headaches, trembling, inability to relax)
- autonomic overactivity (light-headedness, sweating, tachycardia, epigastric discomfort, dizziness)
Epidemiology of GAD
1.6% suffering from GAD at any one point
very rarely begins after 35
Clinical features of GAD
Depersonalisation, derealisation
Differentials of GAD
- hyperthyroidism (goitre, tremor, tachycardia, weight loss, arrhythmia, exophthalmos)
- substance misuse (intoxication, amphetamines, withdrawal, benzo, alcohol)
- excess caffeine
- depression
- anxious avoidant personality disorder
- early dementia
- early schizophrenia
- phaeochromocytoma (tumour of adrenal glands)
Management of GAD
- Advice and reasurance
- counselling
- self help materials
- CBT
- anxiety management training, relaxation techniques
- Medications: 1st line SSRI or SNRI
- also Busipirone (5HT1A- agonist) short term management
- Beta blockers effective in pts with somatic asthma symptoms (contra-indication in asthma and heart block)
Features of panic disorder
ICD-10 criteria
- recurrent attacks of severe anxiety not restricted to any particular situation or set of circumstances and therefore unpredictable
- secondary fears of dying, losing control, or going mad
- attacks usually last for minutes, often crescendo of fear and autonomic symptoms
- comparative freedom from anxiety symptoms between attacks
Epidemiology of panic disorder
1-2% general population
2-3x more common in females
bimodal: peaks at 20yo and 50yo
agoraphobia occurs in 30-50%
risk of suicide raised when comorbid depression, alcohol misuse or substance misuse
Clinical features of panic disorder
breathing difficulties
chest discomfort
palpitations
tingling or numbness in hands, feet or around mouth
shaking, sweating, dizziness
depresonalisation, derealisation
can lead to fear of situation
conditioned fear of fear pattern develops
Differentials for panic disorder
other anxiety disorders: GAD, agoraphobia
depression
alcohol or drug withdrawal
organic cause: CVS or resp disease
hypoglycaemia, hyperthyroidism, phaeochromocytoma
psychological management of panic disorder
reassurance
CBT 1st line
initial education about nature of panic attacks and fear of fear cycles
cognitive restructuring, detecting flaws in logic
interoceptive exposure techniques
secondary agoraphobic avoidance: treat by situational exposure and anxiety management techniques
Drug management of panic disorder
SSRIs 1st line
clomipramine (tricyclic with similar action to serotonin)
Features of mixed anxiety and depressive disorder
ICD-10 criteria: symptoms of anxiety and depression are both present but neither clearly predominates
treat with counselling, CBT or psychotherapy, interpersonal therapy
SSRIs medication
Features of specific/isolated phobias
icd-10 criteria: restricted to highly specific situations: proximity to certain animals, heights, thunder, flying, blood etc
often clear in early adulthood
result in avoidance
Features of agoraphobia
ICD-10 criteria: fear not only open spaces but also of related aspects such as presence of crowds, difficulty of immediate easy escape back to a safe place
common in 20s or mid 30s
may be gradual or precipitated by a sudden panic attack
comorbid depression common
higher incidence of sexual problems
Differentials of agoraphobia
Depression
Social phobia
OCD
Schizophrenia
Features of social phobia
most common anxiety disorder
ICD-10 criteria: fear of scrutiny by other people in compartively small groups, leading to avoidance of social situations
may be specific (public speaking) or generalised (any social setting)
physical symptoms: blushing, fear of vomiting
Symptoms: blushing, palpitations, trembling, sweating
can be precipitated by stressful or humiliating siutations: death of parent, seperation, chronic stress
Differentials for phobias
Shyness
agoraphobia
anxious personality disorder
poor social skills/autistic spectrum disorder
benign essential tremor
Investigations of phobias
history and exam
rating scales of anxiety
social and occupational assessments for effect on quality of life
Collateral hx
Management of phobias
Behavioural therapy is treatment of choice
Exposure techniques: flooding, modelling
Agoraphobia and panic disorders: CBT
Social phobia: CBT
Drug management:
- SSRIs and MAOIs (phenelzine) most useful in agoraphobia and social phobia
- tricyclics best for those with depressive component
- Benzodiazepines can be used before a phobic situation
B-blockers useful if somatic symptoms present