Managing Anxiety

Managing Anxiety
- Describe the continuum of responses to anxiety.
- Identify three types of coping mechanisms used to decrease anxiety.
- Explain how anxiety is experienced through each stage of the life cycle.
- Compare the difference between normal anxiety and an anxiety disorder.
- Discuss the difference between phobic and obsessive-compulsive behaviors.
- Examine three features of posttraumatic stress disorder.
- List two therapeutic interventions for the client with rape-trauma syndrome.
- Explain the importance of monitoring medication use for clients with high levels of anxiety.
- Examine three methods for recognizing and preventing anxiety.

Definition: A feeling of uneasiness, uncertainty, and helplessness.
Normal emotional response to a real or imagined threat or stressor.
Purpose of anxiety:
- Warning of impending danger.
- Mild anxiety can enhance concentration and learning.
- Uncontrolled anxiety leads to ineffective behaviors.
- Part of survival and growth.

Behavioral Responses: Occur along a continuum from mild to panic.
- Positive anxiety: Helps adapt, learn, and grow.
- Maladaptive responses: Ineffective coping attempts.
Levels of Anxiety:
1. Signal Anxiety: Learned response to anticipated events.
2. Anxiety State: Overwhelmed coping abilities; loss of emotional control.
3. Anxiety Trait: Learned aspect of personality.
Physical Symptoms of Anxiety:
- Muscle tension, fidgeting, headaches, sleep problems, fight-or-flight response.
Coping Methods:
- Physical realm: Directly facing the problem.
- Intellectual coping: Changing perceptions about the threat.
Defense Mechanisms:
- Psychological strategies to lessen anxiety.
- Aim to reduce negative emotions.
Crisis Management:
- Overwhelmed coping abilities require new strategies to resolve issues.
Self-Awareness:
- Anxiety can be contagious; caregivers should manage their own anxieties.

Childhood:
- Anxiety related to developmental levels includes issues like separation anxiety and phobias.
Adolescence:
- Ineffective coping can lead to inappropriate expressions; initial symptoms of psychosis may begin.
Adulthood:
- Adults tend to reuse established coping mechanisms; stressors include career and family establishment.
Older Adulthood:
- Many deny anxiety due to cultural norms; assessment can be improved by openly discussing anxious feelings.

Diagnosis: Based on behavioral expressions of distress.
Types of Anxiety Disorders:
- Separation Anxiety Disorder
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder:
- Chronic worry and anxiety.
- Panic Disorders: Two types: with or without agoraphobia.
- Phobic Disorders: Characterized by obsessive internal fear reactions.
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Compulsive behaviors to reduce anxiety.
Other Specific Disorders:
- Body dysmorphic disorder, hoarding disorder, hair-pulling, skin-picking, and behavioral addictions.

Follows a predictable pattern: fear and anguish leading to recovery and adaptation.
Therapeutic interventions focus on emotional support and advocacy.

Preventative Approaches: Most effective coping mechanism.
- Mental health therapies and medications are common treatments.
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Helps patients understand and replace ineffective coping behaviors.
- Systematic desensitization: Coping with one anxiety-provoking stimulus at a time.
- Additional methods: Meditation, therapy animals.
Medications:
- Benzodiazepines, Antidepressants, Antihistamines, Propranolol, Anxiolytics.
- All come with possible severe side effects.

Conduct thorough nursing histories and physical exams.
Develop client goals and therapeutic interventions in a trusting relationship.
Protect clients from self-harm and injury to others using problem-solving and relaxation techniques.