Week 7 Chapter 6 Anxiety Disorders Revision (CF)

Question 1

Anxiety disorders as a group are the most common type of psychiatric diagnosis. How common are they and what types are there?

Answer 1

28% of adults in America have reported symptoms at some point during their life that have met the DSM-IV-TR criteria for a diagnosis of an Anxiety Disorder

• Specific Phobias
• Social Anxiety Disorder
• Panic Disorder
• Agoraphobia
• Generalised Anxiety Disorder

Question 2

In what ways are anxiety disorders very costly to society, and to the people with the disorder?

Answer 2

Anxiety disorders are associated with:

• twice the average rate of medical costs
• higher risk of cardiovascular disease & other medical conditions
• difficulties in employment
• serious interpersonal concerns

All of the anxiety disorders, are associated with substantial decrements in the quality of life

Question 3

There is a lot of overlap in the way various anxiety disorders are defined. What are the characteristics common to all?
&
What are the DSM criteria common to all, and, essential for diagnosis?

Answer 3

All share excessively high or frequent anxiety.

With the exception of Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) the anxiety disorders also involve tendencies to experience intense fear

• Symptoms must interfere with important areas of functioning or cause marked distress
• Symptoms are not caused by a drug or a medical condition
• The fears and anxieties are distinct from the symptoms of another anxiety disorder

Question 4

What is the comorbidity of Anxiety Disorders with other anxiety disorders?

Answer 4

More than 50% of people with 1 anxiety disorder meet the criteria for another during their lifetime.

• More than 80% of people with GAD will develop another anxiety disorder compared to rates in the general population
• It is also common for people with 1 anxiety disorder to have subthreshold symptoms for another disorder as the symptoms often overlap, & some etiological factors (neurobiological or personality characteristics) may increase risk for more than 1 anxiety disorder

Question 5

What is the comorbidity of Anxiety Disorders with other psychological disorders?

Answer 5

*75% of people with an anxiety disorder meet the criteria for at least 1 other psychological disorder
*about 60% meet the criteria for major depression
*other conditions include substance abuse
Also comorbid with other medical disorders, such as coronary heart disease

Question 6

What is a “Specific Phobia”?

Answer 6

A specific phobia is a disproportionate fear caused by a specific object or situation, such as fear of flying, fear of heights, fear of snakes
The person recognises the fear is excessive, but still goes to great lengths to avoid the feared object or situation

Question 7

What is “Social Anxiety Disorder”?

Answer 7

• Social Anxiety Disorder is a persistent, unrealistically intense fear of social situations that might involve being scrutinised by, or even just exposed to, unfamiliar people.
• People with social anxiety disorder try to avoid situations in which they might evaluated, show signs of anxiety, or behave in embarrassing ways.
• The most common fears include public speaking, speaking in meetings or classes, meeting new people, talking with authority figures.

Question 8

What is “Panic Disorder”?
&
What are the 2 types of Panic Attack?

Answer 8

Panic Disorder is characterised by frequent panic attacks that are unrelated to specific situations & by worry about having more panic attacks.

• Uncued attacks - these occur unexpectedly
• Cued Panic Attacks - these are cued by a specific situation (e.g. seeing a snake)

Question 9

What is “Agoraphobia”?

Answer 9

Agoraphobia is defined by anxiety about situations in which it would be embarrassing or difficult to escape if anxiety symptoms occurred.

• Commonly feared situations include crowds, & crowded places
• Many people with Agoraphobia are unable to leave their homes
• Less is known about agoraphobia because it was only seen as a subtype of panic disorder.

Question 10

What is “Generalised Anxiety Disorder”?

Answer 10

The central feature of Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is worry.

• People with GAD worry persistently and often worry about minor issues
• Worry is the cognitive tendency to chew on a problem, unable to let it go. Worry can continue because a person cannot settle on a solution.
• Worry for people with GAD is excessive, uncontrollable, & long-lasting
• GAD typically begins in adolescence but some people report a tendency to worry all their lives
• GAD is often chronic lasting more than 5 years in about 50% of people studied