6 Anxiety disorder

Anxiety Disorders Prevalence

Anxiety disorders represent the most common category of psychiatric conditions in general medical settings.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder Definition

Generalized Anxiety Disorder involves chronic and excessive worry about multiple life events lasting at least six months.

Panic Attack

A panic attack is a sudden surge of intense fear that reaches a peak within ten minutes.

Panic Disorder Diagnosis

Panic disorder requires recurrent unexpected panic attacks followed by at least one month of persistent concern about additional attacks.

Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is marked fear or anxiety about being in situations where escape might be difficult if panic symptoms occur.

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social anxiety disorder is characterized by persistent fear of social or performance situations involving potential scrutiny by others.

Specific Phobia

A specific phobia is an irrational and persistent fear triggered by a specific object or situation.

Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety

Adjustment disorder with anxiety involves emotional or behavioral symptoms developing within three months of an identifiable stressor.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder involves persistent intrusive symptoms and avoidance behaviors lasting more than one month following trauma exposure.

Amygdala Function in Anxiety

processing threats and modulating fear responses

First Line Pharmacotherapy for Anxiety

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors

First Line Non Pharmacological Treatment

Cognitive behavioral therapy

GAD 7 Scale

7 item self report questionnaire used to screen for and measure the severity of generalized anxiety disorder.

PTSD Criterion A

direct exposure witnessing or learning of actual or threatened death serious injury or sexual violence.

Somatic Anxiety Symptoms

muscle tension tachycardia dizziness sweating and insomnia