3.2 - Anxiety disorders Flashcards
What is an anxiety disorder ?
When anxiety, which is a normal reaction, becomes excessive and disabling
How can anxiety disorders be qualified ?
- Among the most common psychiatric disorders
- High rate of comorbidity with othe disorders
- result in significant disability and decreased quality of life
According to the DSM-4, what are the disorders in the class of anxiety disorders ?
- Panic disorder
- Social Phobia
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Specific phobia
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Post-traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD)
What is a panic attack ?
Sudden attack of terror with somatic manifestations (rapid heartbeat, sweating, weakness, dizziness, fear of losing control, of dying).
Sense of unreality, lose control of their breathing, fear of dying from lack of air
Short duration, with symptoms peaking within the first ten minutes
What is a panic disorder ?
Repeated panic attacks.
It is common for people with a panic disorder to experience other serious difficulties (depresion, other anxiety disorders such as social phobia, GAD)
What are the consequences of panic disorder ?
Individuals adapt their lives to avoid experiencing high levels of anxiety.
People do not generally consult when attackes occur because :
- worried about the stigma
- attribute the attack to something else, possibly another major physical or mental disorder
In an attempt to cope with fear and anxiety, drug or alcohol abuse is common, making the earliest possible treatment a priority.
What is social phobia ?
Being excessively self-conscious, with a fear of social rejection when observed and judged by others.
Embarrassed by :
- situations where their performance is evaluated (exams, sport competitions)
What are the manifestations of social phobia ?
Activation of the autonomic nervous system, physiological processes associated with the fight/flight response (sweating, increased pulse, shaking…)
People cognitively interpret their professional and personal experiences as distressing and difficult.
Can cause panic attacks.
What is Obsessive Compulsive Disorders ?
- Intrusion of recurring thougths (obsession)
- which lead to repetitive, unnecessary actions (compulsions) that often become rituals, to regulate the anxiety produced by the thoughts
E.g. obsessed with germs, cleaning or grooming compulsions (repeated showers, or hand washing)
What is a specific phobia ?
Acute fear of an object.
People may live a functional life
How many percentage of the population is affected by a specific phobia ?
6-7%
What is the Generalized Anxiety Disorder ?
Expanded state of anxiety that impacts a person’s life totally
What are the main feature of the GAD ?
- excessive worry
- tendency to anticipate a lot of things
- tendency to see verything from a defeatist point of view
What is the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder ?
Disorder caused by a s astressful situation
People relive the trauma in their thoughts, day and night, during flashbacks consisting of powerful emotions, images, etc
Feel very anxious for some months, or years after the event.
How is anxiety generally treated ?
Using both medication and psychotherapy
