33 Flashcards
Mental Health
4 types of anxiety disorders
- Phobia
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Panic disorder
- Generalised anxiety disorder
Somatic symptoms of anxiety
Main:
- Sweating
- Palpitations
- Dry mouth
- Tremor
Other:
- Dizziness
- Chest pain
- Breathlessness
- Globus hystericus
Psychological symptoms of anxiety
- Worry
- Apprehension
- Fear of impending disaster
- Catastrophizing
- Poor concentration
- Irritability
Generalised anxiety disorder definition
6 months + of excessive worry about everyday issues disproportionate to any inherent risk causing distress or impairment.
ICD-10
More than 6 months with 4 symptoms - one must be palpitations, tremour, sweating or dry mouth.
Risk factors for generalised anxiety disorder
Family history (4x increased if 1st degree family member)
Aged 33-54
Female
Being divorced, separated, living alone or lone parent
Childhood adversity
Stressors
Social isolation
Somatisation disorder
- Multiple physical SYMPTOMS present for at least 2 years
- Patient refuses to accept reassurance or negative test results
Hypochondrial disorder
- Persistent belief in the presence of an underlying serious DISEASE, e.g. cancer
- Patient again refuses to accept reassurance or negative test results
Malingering
- Fraudulent simulation or exaggeration of symptoms with the intention of financial or other gain
Munchausen’s syndrome
- Also known as factitious disorder
- The intentional production of physical or psychological symptoms
Dissociative disorder
- Dissociation is a process of ‘separating off’ certain memories from normal consciousness
- In contrast to conversion disorder involves psychiatric symptoms e.g. Amnesia, fugue, stupor
- Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is the most severe form of dissociative disorder
Conversion disorder
- Typically involves loss of motor or sensory function
- The patient doesn’t consciously feign the symptoms (factitious disorder) or seek material gain (malingering)
- Patients may be indifferent to their apparent disorder (la belle indifference)
What investigations should be done if anxiety is suspected?
TFTs Urine drug screen 24 hour urine Pulmonary function tests ECG
What screening tool can be used for generalised anxiety disorder?
GAD2 or GAD7
Management of generalised anxiety
- Identification, assessment and education. Treat any alcohol or substance abuse
- Low intensity psychological interventions
- CBT OR drug treatment
- sertraline
- alternative SSRI or venlafaxine
- pregabalin
- benzodiazepine (short term only) - Specialist care
Comprehensive care and drug combinations
Consider propranolol for symptomatic control
Define phobia
Intense fears of specific objects or situations that are triggered upon actual or anticipated exposure to phobic stimuli
Incidence of phobias
- 8% of population
- Average of onset 7-10 years
- 2-3 times more common in women
- Increased in Caucasian
Risk factors for phobia
Female
Anxiety or mood disorders
Substance misuse disorders
Stress and negative life events
Treatment for phobia
- Recognition and diagnosis
2. Graded exposure
Describe graded exposure
Systematic desensitisation - deliberate confrontation of fear until anxiety reduces
Needs to be
- Repeated frequently
- Graded in steps
- Wait in situation until the anxiety reduced (otherwise reinforces)
- Clearly specified and planned
- Prolonged
- No artificial anxiolytic
Define panic disorder
ICD10
Recurrent panic attacks not consistently associated with a specific situation or object. Occur spontaneously.
Moderate = 4 or more attacks in 4 weeks
Severe = 4 or more attacks in 1 week for 4 weeks
Define panic attack
Discrete episode of intense fear or discomfort.
Starts abruptly.
Reaches a crescendo after a few minutes.
4 or more of the following symptoms;
- Palpitations, difficulty breathing, dizzy, hot flushes, sweating, derealisation, cold chills, trembling, chest pain, fear of losing control, numbness, dry mouth, tingling
Risk factors for panic disorder
Female 20-30 First degree relative Caucasian Smoking Major life disorders Asthma Caffeine
Treatment for panic disorder
- Recognition and diagnosis
- CBT or medication
- SSRI (citalopram or paroxetine) - Specialist care
Define obsessions
Unwanted intrusive thoughts, doubts, images or urges that repeatedly enter the mind