Transcript Anxiety disorders

2007
ANXIETY DISORDERS
Definition
 GAD syndrome of ongoing
anxiety about events or
thoughts that the patient
recognises as excessive and
inappropriate
Diagnostic criteria
 Xs anxiety/worry occurring more days than not
about a number of events and activities for >
6/12
 Difficult to control worry
 Associated with 3 or more of
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Restlessness
Easily fatigued
Poor concentration
Irritability
Sleep disturbance
Muscle tension
Autonomic arousal symptoms
 Palpitations
 Sweating
 Trembling
 Dry mouth
Symptoms involving chest and
abdomen
 Breathing difficulty
 Feeling of choking
 Chest pain
 Nausea or abdominal
distress
Symptoms involving mental state
 Dizziness
 Unsteady, faint, light headedness
 Feeling that objects are unreal
(derealisation)
 Feeling of loss of control
 Fear of dying
General symptoms
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Hot flushes of cold chills
Numbness or tingling sensations
Muscle tension aches and pains
Restlessness inability to relax
Lump in throat difficulty swallowing
Exclusions
 Panic disorder
 Phobic anxiety disorder
 OCD
 Hypochondriacal disorder
Useful treatments
 Psychological
 CBT
 Anxiety management training
 Self help books and CD’s
 Pharmacological
 SSRI’s
 TAD’s
 Avoid benzodiazepaines