1. Mental Health Nursing-NUR 413 Lecture 8
July 2007
Mental Health Nursing-NUR 413 Lecture 8
Anxiety Disorders
Dr. Basil Amarneh

2. Outline What is Anxiety?
What are the different types of anxiety disorders?
What are the causes?
What are the treatments?

3. Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension or fear. The source of this uneasiness is not always known or recognized.
Anxiety disorders are a group of psychiatric conditions that involve excessive anxiety.
Anxiety may be differentiated from fear in that the former is an emotional process, whereas fear is cognitive.
More common in women than men
Also occurs in children

4. Anxiety Disorders (cont.)
Anxiety disorders most common type of all psychiatric illnesses
Anxiety provides the motivation for achievement, a necessary force for survival.
May be considered abnormal if
Anxiety is out of proportion to the situation that is creating it
Anxiety interferes with social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning

5. Types of Anxiety Disorders
Generalized anxiety disorder
Panic Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Social Phobias
Specific Phobias

6. Generalized anxiety disorder
Feelings of constant apprehension and a general tendency to be worried about any areas of life (for example, health, work, and finances).
This constant worry affects daily functioning and can cause physical symptoms.

7. Panic disorder
Characterized by recurrent panic attacks, onset of which are unpredictable,
Symptoms: sweating, palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, feeling light-headed, abdominal pains and a fear of losing control or dying.

8. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Recurrent obsessions (thoughts) or compulsions (actions) that are severe enough to be time-consuming or to cause marked distress or significant impairment
Examples:
Cleaning. Repeatedly washing their hands, showering, or constantly cleaning their home
Checking. Individuals may check several or even hundreds of times to make sure that doors are locked

9. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
A reaction to a serious traumatic event (such as a car accident, natural disaster, physical abuse or sexual abuse) in which the person was extremely afraid or seriously injured.

10. Social Phobias
Excessive fear of situations in which the person might do something embarrassing or be evaluated negatively by others
Examples:
public speaking
attending and participating in class
meeting new people
eating, drinking, or writing in public
using public bathrooms
shopping

11. Specific Phobias
Marked, persistent, and excessive or unreasonable fear when in the presence of, or when anticipating, an encounter with a specific object or situation
Examples:
Animal type. ex: fear of spiders
Natural environment type. ex: fear of water
Blood injection, injury type. ex: fear of blood

12. Causes of anxiety disorders
Caused by a combination of biological, psychological and social factors.
May develop as a result of a major stressor such as the death of a loved one, divorce and loss of a job
There also appears to be a major genetic component

13. Treatment Modalities Individual psychotherapy Cognitive therapy
Group/family therapy
Psychopharmacology
Antidepressants
Anxiolytics
Antihypertensive
Others