Anxiety + OCD Flashcards

Question 1

Q

What symptoms mentally present with anxiety?

Answer

A

Feeling of fear or dread

Question 2

Q

What are some physical symptoms of anxiety?

Answer

A

Palpitations
Sweating
Dry mouth
Splanchnic vasoconstriction (butterflies) 
Tremor
Paraesthesia (pins & needles)
Depersonalisation
Syncope

Question 3

Q

What can anxiety be classified as?

Answer

A

Generalised anxiety disorder 
Panic disorder
Agoraphobia
Simple phobia
Social phobia
Obsessive Compulsive disorder 
Post traumatic stress disorder

Question 4

Q

What is the incidence + prevalence of anxiety disorders?

Answer

A

→ Very prevalent
→ 10% of adult population
→ increasing in prevalence

Question 5

Q

What is the impact in terms of morbidity for anxiety disorders?

Answer

A

→ Very substantial.
→ People with high anxiety are often unhappy and report low wellbeing scores.
→ Loneliness, unemployment and financial difficulties are common.
→ can be the beginning of a trajectory associated with
eating disorders and self-harm – both of which are strongly associated with parasuicide and suicide.

Question 6

Q

What is the impact in terms of mortality for anxiety disorders?

Answer

A

→ Difficult to quantify, no consistent pattern between low-level anxiety disorders + mortality has been observed.
→ Any association appears weaker than that of depression + mortality.

Question 7

Q

Why is it difficult to quantify the burden of anxiety?

Answer

A

varying diagnostic criteria + cultural contexts

Question 8

Q

What are anxiety disorder inequalities in the UK?

Answer

A

→ Diagnosed more commonly among women than men.
→ 60% of LGBT community report anxiety in last 12 months.
→ Slightly higher prevalence among ethnic minorities in UK.
→ Prevalence of mixed anxiety and depression as high as 60%
among social care users

Question 9

Q

What are 2 main symptoms of OCD?

Answer

A

Obsessions

* Compulsions

Question 10

Q

What are characteristics of “obsessions”?

Answer

A

Ego-dystonic thoughts
Repetitive, circular ruminations
May be bizarre and sound delusional
Insight maintained
Unbidden and resisted
Resistance leads to anxiety

Question 11

Q

What are characteristics of “compulsions”?

Answer

A

• Motor response to obsessional thoughts
• Often ritualistic, stereotyped, precise
• Examples:
   → Handwashing
   → Counting
   → Arranging + symmetry 
   → Checking door locks
• Start again if interrupted or doubt

Question 12

Q

How can anxiety + OCD be treated?

Answer

A

→ CBT (eg escape conditioning for phobias)

→ Clomipramine (ancient antidepressant, good for OCD)

Question 13

Q