Psychiatry - Anxiety (Mind Maps)

Question 1

Anxiety

What is Anxiety?

Answer 1

Anxiety is a normal emotion

When it inteferes with daily functioning - pathological

Yerkes-Dodson law

Can be classified into many sub-groups:

• Organic causes:
  
  • Hyperthyroidism
  • Hypoglycaemia
  • Phaeochromocytoma
  • Cerebral trauma
  • Temporal lobe epilepsy
• Psychiatric causes (anxiety disorders):
  
  • Phobic disorders (eg agrophobia)
  • Non-situational disorders (GAD)
  • Reaction to stressful events (PTSD)
  • OCD
• Secondary to depression or psychosis
• Secondary to a medical condition
• 2ndary to substance abuse/withdrawal

Question 2

Anxiety

Symptoms

Answer 2

These may be generalised or paroxysmal (PANICS):

P - Palpitations, pins/needles

A - Abdominal discomfort

N - Nausea and vomiting

I - Intense fear of dying (angor animus)

C - Chest pain, choking

S - Sweating, swallowing difficulties (globus hystericus), SOB

Question 3

Anxiety

Causes

Answer 3

Genetic/biological model:

• Inherited disorder - many patients have a 1st degree relative with the disorder
• Abnormal receptors in the 5-HT, noradrenaline,GABA

The social/psychosocial model:

• Response to stressful life events
• A psychologically susceptible