Chapter 18

Question 1

Anxiety disorders are very common ; anxiety is a normal response to stress. Anxiety can range from mild anxiety to panic.

normal anxiety response is a realistic intensity and duration for the situation, followed by relief behaviors intended to reduce or preener more anxiety. They respond appropriate to the situation, can be used to help identify which underlying problem has caused the anxiety.

Question 2

what are the 4 degrees of anxiety and describe each to me.

Answer 2

mild - perceptual field is wide and able to observe and understand ; they are aware of their anxiety

moderate - perceptual field narrows, selective attention and has a few less understanding of their anxiety

severe - perceptual field greatly reduced, and they dissociate, and attention or understanding is even smaller

panic - perceptual field is only focused on the detail, doesn’t understand their own anxiety and tends to be worried about, I dont know what is happening to me

Question 3

what are some types of anxiety disorders?

Answer 3

generalized anxiety disorder (gad)
panic disorder
specific phobias
social phobia
separation anxiety
anxiety medication condition
substance induced anxiety

Question 4

what is the biological underpin of anxiety disorders ?

Answer 4

its a disruption of the HPA-Axis (hypothalamus-pituitary- adrenal)

Question 5

what does a panic attack mean ?

Answer 5

sudden, discrete periods of intense fear or discomfort accompanied by significant physical and cognitive symptoms

Question 6

what is the peak and how long can it go up to with panic attacks?

Answer 6

10minutes
30minutes before retuning to normal functioning

Question 7

what are some clinical manifestations of panic attacks?

what else does this sound like ?

Answer 7

palpitations, sweating, sob, feelings of choking, chest pain ,nausea, dizzy

heart attack

Question 8

how do you diagnose someone with a panic disorder?

Answer 8

recurrent, unexpected panic attacks, one month or more of at least
- persistent concern about attack
- worrying about attack
- significant change in behavior

Question 9

what is a phobia?

Answer 9

irrational fear of an object or situation that persists

• associated with panic level anxiety if the object, situation, or activity cannot be avoided

Question 10

what are some defense mechanisms that are used for anxiety and phobias?

Answer 10

repression and displacement

Question 11

notes
panic disorder/ panic attacks

symptoms similar to cardiac emergencies and they should be rule out first.

find out the precipitating event - they dont occur in a vaccum

stay with the patient

provide safe, calm, therapeutic environment

give clear, concise directions

Question 12

what are some therapies we can help aid with panic disorders?

Answer 12

systematic desensitization

implosive therapy

exposure therapy

cognivite behavior therapy

Question 13

what is agoraphobia?

Answer 13

anxiety in places or situations where escape may be difficult or embarrassing

situations/places are avoided or handled with extreme distress or coping skills ( like a companion )

Question 14

what is GAD
- feel like I am going crazy
- excessive worry and anxiety occurring more days than not for at least 6 months

person cannot control consistent worrying

significant impairment in daily personal or social life

Question 15

treatment usually is ssri and bentos
- nursing interventions include helping patient manage a panic attack, promoting healthy diet, exercise and sleep hygiene habits, medication administration and monitoring, psychoeducation and cognitive intervention

first priority is suicide prevention
- pain disorder may be at a higher risk
- assess for depression, loneliness, social isolation