Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Related Disorders

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms related to anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, and related disorders, including definitions of disorders, symptoms, epidemiological factors, treatments, and nursing roles, derived from lecture notes.

Anxiety

A normal response to stress and a common human experience, characterized by feelings of worry, fear, or nervousness, which can be temporary or persistent/excessive, interfering with function.

Anxiety disorders

The most diagnosed psychiatric disorders in the U.S., affecting approximately 30% of adults in their lifetime, where anxiety interferes with function, occurs at inappropriate times/situations, or becomes prolonged and intense.

Stress response

Physiologic reactions (e.g., increased adrenaline, dry mouth, sweating) that are proportionate to a stressor.

Panic (Anxiety Level)

A severe level of anxiety characterized by feelings of terror, exhaustion, and an inability to respond to stimuli.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

A disorder precipitated by anxiety, characterized by persistent unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions) performed to lessen anxiety, which are time-consuming and interfere with daily tasks.

Obsessions

Persistent and recurrent thoughts, urges, or impulses that are unwanted and intrusive, causing marked anxiety or distress in individuals with OCD.

Compulsions

Repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed by an individual with OCD in response to an obsession or according to rigidly applied rules, aimed at preventing or reducing anxiety.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Negative childhood experiences that play a part in the development of anxiety and OCD.

Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs)

Positive childhood experiences that may be protective against the impact of adverse experiences on anxiety and OCD.

Separation anxiety

Developmentally inappropriate and excessive fear or anxiety upon separation from those to whom an individual is attached.

Selective mutism

Consistent failure to speak in specific social situations where speaking is expected, interfering with academic or social achievement.

Phobias

Experiencing marked fear and anxiety upon exposure to a specific object or situation (e.g., animals, heights, blood).

Social anxiety

Marked fear and anxiety upon exposure to social situations, often accompanied by rumination on being embarrassed, humiliated, rejected, or offending others.

Panic attack

Distinct and extreme periods of physiological and psychological hyperarousal, usually unexpected and occurring for no apparent reason, leading to avoidance of potential triggers.

Agoraphobia

Marked fear and anxiety related to specific travel or locations (e.g., closed/open spaces, leaving home alone), resulting in avoidance or requiring others to navigate the situation.

Body dysmorphic disorder

Persistent preoccupation with perceived defects or flaws in one’s appearance, leading to behaviors like mirror checking, excessive grooming, or seeking reassurance.

Hoarding

Persistent difficulty or inability to discard or part with possessions, leading to excess accumulation that clutters and overwhelms living areas.

Trichotillomania

Ritualized behavior defined by serially and intentionally pulling out one’s hair, often triggered by boredom or anxiety, and resulting in tension reduction or gratification.

Excoriation disorder

A pattern of behavior defined by recurrent picking at one’s skin, resulting in lesions, commonly found on hands, face, arms, or multiple body sites.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Characterized by excessive anxiety and worry (apprehensive expectation), occurring more days than not for at least 6 months, about a number of events or activities, often accompanied by restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, or sleep disturbance.

OCD with good or fair insight

An individual with OCD who recognizes that their obsessive-compulsive beliefs are definitely, probably, or may or may not be true.

OCD with poor insight

An individual with OCD who thinks their obsessive-compulsive beliefs are probably true.

OCD with absent insight/delusional beliefs

An individual with OCD who is completely convinced that their obsessive-compulsive beliefs are true.

Psychotherapy

Talk therapy focused on the client’s specific anxiety.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

A psychotherapy directed at how the client thinks, behaves, and reacts to causes and feelings of anxiety.

Cognitive therapy

A psychotherapy focused on identifying the cause of anxiety and eliminating distorted or unhelpful thoughts regarding anxiety or stressors.

Exposure therapy

A therapeutic technique where the client is gradually exposed to the underlying cause of anxiety they are avoiding to become more comfortable.

Complimentary-integrative approaches (for anxiety)

Therapies focusing on relieving anxiety through techniques like relaxation, guided imagery, hypnosis, massage therapy, mindfulness meditation, and music.

Lifestyle management (for anxiety)

Helping clients make better choices, including nutritional strategies, exercise, and avoiding excessive caffeine or substance use, to manage anxiety.

Anxiolytics

Medications used to reduce anxiety, such as benzodiazepines.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRIs)

A class of antidepressant medications commonly used to treat anxiety disorders.

Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRIs)

A class of antidepressant medications used to treat anxiety disorders.

Implicit bias

Unconscious discriminatory attitudes that can trigger negative reactions/fear and lead to disparities in care for various groups.

Mindfulness

A practice of focusing on the present, taking slow deep breaths, and becoming more deliberate in actions to pay attention to feelings and assumptions.

Trauma-informed care

An approach to care that assumes everyone has struggles and involves demonstrating unconditional positive regard.

Therapeutic relationship

A professional relationship between a nurse and client essential for care, where concepts like transference and counter-transference might occur, and the illness is viewed from the client's perspective.

Active listening

A support strategy where the nurse demonstrates, verbally and non-verbally, engagement and genuine interest in the client.

Milieu (therapy) management

The nurse's management of the environment to support the client, for example, moving a client with severe anxiety away from a stimulating area.

Anticipatory guidance

The nurse's education to the client on possible adverse effects of treatment and practical strategies to minimize them.

Anti-stigma messaging

The nurse's earnest and constructive correction of stigmatizing statements about a client’s mental health condition.

Triggers (in anxiety care)

Factors or situations that cause worry and to which the client responds; the nurse assists in identifying these.

Self-management (for anxiety)

Techniques and strategies, such as mindfulness or deep breathing, that a client can use to reduce anxiety and increase relaxation.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7)

A common screening tool used to assess for generalized anxiety disorder.

Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A)

A prominent screening tool used to assess the severity of anxiety symptoms.

Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS)

A widely used screening tool to assess the severity and type of obsessions and compulsions in OCD.

SMART goals

Goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound, used collaboratively in client care to reduce clinical manifestations and improve functioning.

Seclusion and restraints

Interventions requiring a prescription to ensure client safety, detailing the reason, length of time, type, and criteria for removal.