Understanding Anxiety Disorders and Their Treatments

Anxiety Disorders

Include Generalized Anxiety, Panic, Agoraphobia, Social Anxiety.

Anxiety

Emotional state with physical tension and apprehension.

Subjective Unease

Personal feeling of discomfort or worry.

Free-Floating Anxiety

Anxiety not linked to a specific trigger.

Maladaptive Anxiety

Excessive anxiety negatively affecting cognitive performance.

Fear

Normal emotion activating flight-or-fight response.

Panic

Abnormal fear response, often leading to panic attacks.

Flight-or-Fight Response

Physiological reaction to perceived threat.

HPA Axis

Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis regulating stress response.

Physiological Changes

Increased heart rate, blood pressure, and metabolism.

Emotional Changes

Feelings of dread, terror, or irritability during stress.

Cognitive Changes

Anticipation of harm and exaggerated danger perception.

Behavioral Changes

Escape, avoidance, aggression, or freezing in response.

Panic Attack

Abrupt intense fear with physical symptoms.

Physical Symptoms of Panic

Heart palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath.

Cognitive Performance

Ability to concentrate and process information.

Moderate Anxiety

Can enhance performance and motivation.

Extreme Anxiety

Can lead to impaired focus and functioning.

Tension Symptoms

Fidgeting and looking worried as anxiety indicators.

Dysregulated Response

Flight-or-fight activated by non-threatening stimuli.

Emergency Response

Panic attacks may mimic heart attacks.

Anticipation of Harm

Cognitive distortion leading to excessive worry.

Anxiety Attack

State of very high anxiety without clinical definition.

Anxiety Disorders

Disorders differentiated by fear-inducing objects or situations.

Co-morbidity

High occurrence of multiple anxiety disorders together.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Chronic anxiety across various situations, not specific.

Uncontrollable Worry

Excessive anxiety about multiple life aspects.

Physiological Symptoms

Physical effects like muscle tension and sleep disturbances.

Chronic Restlessness

Persistent inability to relax or remain still.

DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria

Subset of symptoms required for disorder diagnosis.

Distress or Impairment

Significant disruption in functioning due to symptoms.

Lifetime Prevalence

8.7% of Canadians affected by GAD in 2012.

Yearly Prevalence

2.6% of Canadians affected by GAD in past year.

Chronic Illness

Condition lasting long periods, often symptom-free phases.

Repetitive Negative Thinking

Common feature in mental disorders, including anxiety.

Worry

Chain of negative, uncontrollable thoughts and images.

Rumination

Repetitive focus on distressing thoughts or memories.

Cognitive Function

Mental processes affected by negative repetitive thinking.

Psychological Treatments

Therapies aimed at alleviating anxiety symptoms.

Drug Treatments

Medications used to reduce anxiety symptoms.

Efficacy of Treatments

Effectiveness measured by symptom remission rates.

Placebo Effect

Response to treatment not due to active intervention.

Study Efficacy Example

Drug efficacy 63% vs placebo 38% for GAD.

GAD

Generalized Anxiety Disorder, characterized by excessive worry.

Benzodiazepines

Mild tranquilizers enhancing GABA for anxiety relief.

GABA

Neurotransmitter that inhibits nerve transmission in the brain.

Anxiolytic

Substance that reduces anxiety symptoms.

SSRIs

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, increase serotonin availability.

SNRIs

Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors, affect serotonin and norepinephrine.

Paroxetine

SSRI used to treat GAD, marketed as Paxil.

Venlafaxine

SNRI used to treat GAD, marketed as Effexor.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)

Psychological treatment focusing on cognitive distortions and coping.

Worry Process

Cognitive pattern where patients avoid confronting threats.

Mindfulness Techniques

Meditational practices aimed at increasing present-moment awareness.

Short-term Relief

Immediate anxiety symptom reduction, lasting hours.

Long-term Efficacy

Sustained effectiveness of treatment over extended periods.

Dependence

Condition of relying on a substance for normal function.

Drowsiness

Common side effect of benzodiazepines affecting alertness.

Cognitive Distortions

Faulty thinking patterns contributing to anxiety.

Therapeutic Techniques

Methods used to manage and treat anxiety symptoms.

Placebo Effect

Improvement in symptoms due to belief in treatment.

Ontario Prescription Rates

1 in 18 Ontarians prescribed benzodiazepines in 2019.

Coping Techniques

Strategies to manage anxiety and stress effectively.

Acceptance of Distress

Psychological approach to tolerate uncomfortable thoughts.

Research Evidence

Data supporting the effectiveness of treatment methods.

Panic Disorder

Involves panic attacks and anxiety about future attacks.

Panic Attack

Intense emotional state with physical and psychiatric symptoms.

Expected Panic Attack

Occurs in response to a specific fear situation.

Unexpected Panic Attack

Occurs randomly without a specific trigger.

Agoraphobia

Fear of situations where escape may be difficult.

Panic Disorder Criteria

Requires panic attacks and anxiety over future attacks.

Physical Symptoms

Physiological reactions during a panic attack.

Psychiatric Symptoms

Mental health reactions during a panic attack.

Cognitive Problems

Difficulty concentrating during tests due to anxiety.

Self-Medication

Using substances to cope with panic and anxiety.

Comorbidity

High occurrence of panic disorder with substance abuse.

Distress Definition

Patient's distress defines abnormality, not functionality.

Prevalence in Canada

1.6% 12-month and 3.7% lifetime for panic disorder.

Agoraphobia Prevalence

0.7% 12-month and 1.5% lifetime for agoraphobia.

Panic Attack Consequences

May lead to avoidance of tests and lectures.

Safe Space Preference

Desire to be in safe environments during attacks.

Agoraphobia Independence

Can persist without recent panic attacks.

Avoidance Behavior

Avoiding situations to prevent panic attacks.

Intense Fear

Severe anxiety experienced during panic attacks.

Phobia Origin

Greek: agora (marketplace) + phobia (fear).

Panic Symptoms Unpredictability

Uncertainty leads to prolonged avoidance behavior.

Panic Disorder

Anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent panic attacks.

Agoraphobia

Fear of situations where escape might be difficult.

Prevalence

Frequency of panic disorder in a population.

Lifetime Prevalence

Percentage of individuals affected over their lifetime.

12-Month Prevalence

Percentage of individuals affected in the past year.

Cognitive Problems

Difficulties in thinking due to high anxiety.

Avoidance Behavior

Avoiding situations that trigger anxiety symptoms.

Chronic Disorder

Condition that persists over a long period.

Wax and Wane

Symptoms that fluctuate in intensity over time.

Gender Differences

Panic disorder prevalence is higher in females.

Sociocultural Factors

Influence of race and ethnicity on prevalence rates.

High-Potency Benzodiazepines

Fast-acting drugs like Xanax for anxiety treatment.

SSRIs

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for treating anxiety.

SNRIs

Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors for panic disorder.