Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety

A vague feeling of dread or apprehension in response to external or internal stimuli, characterized by behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and physical symptoms.

Fear

Feeling afraid or threatened by a clearly identifiable external stimulus that represents danger to the person, distinguished from anxiety.

Anxiety disorders

A group of conditions characterized by excessive anxiety and accompanying behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and physiological responses, causing significant distress and impairment in daily routines, social lives, and occupational functioning.

General adaptation syndrome

The physiological response to stress identified by Hans Selye, consisting of three stages:alarm reaction, resistance stage, and exhaustion stage.

Autonomic nervous system

The part of the nervous system responsible for involuntary activities involved in self-preservation, including the sympathetic and parasympathetic responses to fear and anxiety.

Levels of Anxiety

Mild, moderate, severe, and panic levels of anxiety, each causing physiological and emotional changes in the person.

Mild anxiety

A sensation that something is different and warrants special attention, motivating individuals to make changes or engage in goal-directed activity.

Moderate anxiety

A disturbing feeling that something is definitely wrong, causing nervousness or agitation, but still allowing individuals to process information, solve problems, and learn with assistance.

Severe anxiety

A state where more primitive survival skills take over, cognitive skills decrease significantly, and defensive responses ensue, resulting in muscle tension, increased vital signs, restlessness, irritability, and anger.

Panic-level anxiety

The highest level of anxiety where the emotional-psychomotor realm predominates, accompanied by fight, flight, or freeze responses, greatly increased vital signs, and a focus solely on defense.

Anxiolytic medications

Medications, such as benzodiazepines, used to treat short-term anxiety by relieving symptoms and allowing individuals to cope more effectively with stressors.

Stress-related illness

A spectrum of illnesses resulting from chronic, long-term, or unresolved stress, including eating disorders, somatic symptom disorders, exacerbation of medical illnesses, and chronic or recurrent anxiety.

Anxiety disorders

Diagnosed when anxiety becomes chronic and permeates major portions of a person's life, resulting in maladaptive behaviors and emotional disability, including agoraphobia, panic disorder, specific phobia, social anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder.

Incidence

Anxiety disorders have the highest prevalence rates of all mental disorders in the United States, affecting nearly one in four adults and a similar magnitude in young people, with higher prevalence in women, younger individuals, divorced or separated individuals, and those of lower socioeconomic status.

Onset and clinical course

The onset and clinical course of anxiety disorders vary depending on the specific disorder, with further discussion provided within the context of each disorder.

Selective mutism

A disorder diagnosed in children who fail to speak in social situations despite being able to speak, often associated with high levels of social anxiety.

Anxiety disorder due to another medical condition

Diagnosed when anxiety symptoms are caused by or related to another medical condition.

Anxiety disorder

A mental health disorder characterized by excessive and persistent worry, fear, and anxiety.

Panic attacks

Episodes of intense anxiety accompanied by physical symptoms such as palpitations, sweating, and shortness of breath.

Substance/medication-induced anxiety disorder

Anxiety directly caused by drug abuse, medication, or exposure to a toxin.

Anxiety management techniques

Strategies and skills used to cope with and reduce anxiety symptoms.

Separation anxiety disorder

Excessive anxiety concerning separation from home or from persons to whom the client is attached, occurring before 18 years of age.

Genetic heritability

The proportion of a disorder that can be attributed to genetic factors.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)

An inhibitory neurotransmitter believed to be dysfunctional in anxiety disorders.

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter that plays a role in anxiety, mood, and other mental health disorders.

Defense mechanisms

Unconscious cognitive distortions used to reduce anxiety and maintain a sense of control in a situation.

Interpersonal theory

The view that anxiety arises from problems in interpersonal relationships.

Behavioral theory

The belief that anxiety is learned through experiences and can be modified through new experiences.

Cultural considerations

The recognition that different cultures have different ways of expressing and dealing with anxiety.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)

A therapeutic approach that combines cognitive restructuring and behavioral techniques to treat anxiety disorders.

Late-life anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders that start for the first time in late life and are often associated with other conditions such as depression or physical illness.

Community-based care

Treatment and support for anxiety disorders that occur in community settings, such as mental health clinics or physician offices.

Mental health promotion

Strategies and techniques for managing stress and anxiety in daily life to promote overall well-being.

Panic disorder

A mental health disorder characterized by recurrent panic attacks and persistent worry or behavioral changes related to the attacks.

Panic disorder

A mental disorder characterized by recurring panic attacks and the fear of experiencing more attacks.

Agoraphobia

The fear and avoidance of situations or places that might cause panic attacks or make them difficult to escape from.

Suicidality

The increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in individuals with panic disorder.

Primary gain

The relief of anxiety achieved by performing anxiety-driven behaviors, such as avoiding certain situations.

Secondary gain

The attention and support received from others as a result of anxiety-driven behaviors.

CBTs

Cognitive-behavioral therapies, a type of psychotherapy used to treat panic disorder.

Benzodiazepines

Medications used to treat panic disorder by reducing anxiety and promoting relaxation.

SSRI antidepressants

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, a class of antidepressant medications used to treat panic disorder.

Tricyclic antidepressants

Another class of antidepressant medications used to treat panic disorder.

Antihypertensives

Medications used to treat high blood pressure, such as clonidine and propranolol, which can also be effective in reducing anxiety symptoms.

Phobia

An illogical, intense, and persistent fear of a specific object or situation that causes extreme distress and interferes with normal functioning.

Anticipatory anxiety

Anxiety experienced in anticipation of encountering the feared object or situation.

Avoidance behavior

Behavior aimed at avoiding the feared object or situation, often leading to severe limitations in daily life.

Natural environmental phobias

Phobias related to specific natural phenomena, such as storms, water, or heights.

Blood-injection phobias

Phobias related to seeing blood, traumatic injury, or medical procedures involving injections.

Situational phobias

Phobias related to specific situations, such as being on a bridge, in a tunnel, or in an elevator.

Animal phobia

Phobias related to specific animals or insects.

Social anxiety or phobia

Anxiety provoked by certain social or performance situations, such as public speaking or interacting with strangers.

Generalized social phobia

Social anxiety disorder characterized by severe anxiety in various social situations.

Specific phobic disorder

A diagnosis given when phobic behavior significantly interferes with a person's life and causes marked distress or difficulty in functioning.

Specific phobias

Intense fears of specific objects or situations that can occur in childhood or adolescence.

Lifelong persistence

Specific phobias that continue into adulthood 80% of the time.

Social phobia

Fear of social situations that typically emerges in middle adolescence and may become less severe in adulthood.

Behavioral therapy

Treatment approach that focuses on teaching anxiety management techniques and gradually exposing the client to phobic situations.

Systematic desensitization

Behavioral therapy technique that gradually exposes the client to the feared object or situation until anxiety decreases.

Flooding

Rapid desensitization technique where the client is confronted with the phobic object until anxiety is eliminated.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Chronic disorder characterized by excessive worry and anxiety for at least 6 months, often accompanied by symptoms such as irritability and muscle tension.

Effective treatments for GAD

Buspirone and SSRI or SNRI antidepressants.

Self-awareness issues

Challenges faced by nurses when working with clients with anxiety disorders, including frustration, helplessness, and the need to understand anxiety behaviors.

Points to consider when working with clients with anxiety and anxiety disorders

Recognizing that everyone experiences stress and anxiety, avoiding the urge to "fix" the client's problems, seeking support from experienced nurses, and practicing stress management techniques.