Anxiety and

Anxiety
Disorders

1.Anxiety
motivates a
person to take
action, to solve
a problem or
to resolve a
crisis

Concepts Of
Anxiety

2. Is
considered
normal when
it is
appropriate to
the situation.

3. Anxiety
becomes a
disorder
when it is
excessive
and shows
unusual
behaviors.

reason.
Uncontrollable
repetitive
actions.
Unexplainable
or
overwhelming
worry.
Irrational fear
of objects.
Reexperiencing a
traumatic
events.

Examples of
unusual
behavior

Perception

Mild

Moderat Severe
e

Panic

Increased

Selective - Distorted
inattenti
perception Disorganize
- If prolong,
on
d
may
experience
presence of
hallucinatio
ns and
delusions

Physiologic

Mild

Moderate

Severe

Panic

Mild
physiologic
changes

- Perspirati
on
- Moderate
muscle
tension
- Increased
heart &
respirator
y rate
- Gastric
distress
- Headache
- Dry
mouth
- Frequent
urination
- High
pitch
voice

- Severe
headache
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Trembling
- Vertigo
- Pale
- Tachycard
ia
- Chest
pain
- Increased
BP,RR,PR
- Dilated
pupil

- May bolt
and run
- Totally
immobile
and mute
- Dilated
pupils
- Increased
Bp and
Pulse
Rate
- Flight/figh
t or
freeze

Mild

Moderate

- Difficulty
Behavior - Alert
- Energeti
al
in
c
concentra
- Confide
ting
- Easily
nt
- Enhanc
distracted
- Decrease
e
learning
d span of
attention
- Increased
rate in
speech
- Pacing

Severe

Panic

- Difficulty
focusing
even with
assistance
- Ineffective
reasoning
and problem
solving
- Disorientatio
n
- Loud and
rapid speech
- Confused
communicati
on
- Crying
- Inability to
think
abstractly

- Immobilizati
on
- Out of
contact in
the reality
- Hysterical
or mute
- Disorganize
d or
irrational
reasoning
- Desperation
and may
result to
suicide
- Feeling
overwhelme
d and out of
control

Coping
Nursing
interventi
on

1. Helps
1. Redirect
client
the
focus
person to
attentio
topics
n to
because
learn
he/she
and
has
solve
difficulty
problem
concentra
2. Motivate
ting
client to 2. Speak in
make
short,
changes
simple
or
and easy
engage
to
in goal
understan
directed
d
activity
sentence

1. Decrease
the
persons
anxiety
level.
2. Stay with
the person
because
anxiety is
likely to
worsen if
he/ she is
left alone.
3. Talk in low,
calm and
soothing
voice
4. Walk with
the person
while
talking if
he/ she

1. Provide
safety
because
the
person
cannot
perceive
potential
harm.
2. Continuo
usly talk
with the
person in
a
comfortin
g manner
even
though
the client
cannot
process
what you

5.
Relaxation
technique
such as
deep
breathing
exercise.
6. Use
touch
carefully
7.
Administer
medication
for
escalating
anxiety

3. Provide
nonstimulating
environmen
t to
decrease
anxiety.
4. Remain
with the
person until
panic
subsides
(panic can
last from 530 minutes)

 Anxiety disorders is
diagnosed when anxiety
becomes chronic and
impairs individuals major
functions resulting to
maladaptive behavior and
emotional disability.

Anxiety
disorders

 Phobic disorder
Panic attack

Types of
anxiety
disorders

 Characterized by persistent,
irrational fear attached to
an object or situation that
objectively does not pose a
significant fear
A-specific irrational fear

Phobic
disorder

1. Agoraphobia- fear of open

space
2. Social phobia- fear of
being humiliated or
embarrassed so they avoid
social situations.
3. Specific phobia- persistent
irrational fear other than
the above.

Types of
phobic
disorder

Zoophobia animals
Genophobia dirt
Androphobia man
Acrophobia height
Pyrophobia fire
Ailurophobia cats
Belonophobia needles
Hemathophobia blood
Xenophobia fear of
strangers
Mysophobia contamination
or germs
Astraphobia storms,
thunder, & lightning

Other
examples of
phobias

1. Gradually expose client to

the feared object through
SYSTEMIC
DESENSITIZATION.
2. FLOODING abrupt
exposure to the feared
object

Nursing
interventions

3. Help client to describe her

feelings prior to a response
for a phobic object.
4. Help the client identify
alternative coping strategies.
Example: reframing

Nursing
interventions

5. Practice relaxation
technique with the client.
6. Teach client about
medications as part of the
treatment plan.

Nursing
interventions

B. Panic attack

 Occur in a certain situation

such as driving a car
Atleast 1 of the attacks has
been followed by 1 month of
the ff. symptoms
1. persistent concern of
having additional attacks
2. worry about
consequences
Example: going crazy,
losing control, having heart
attack
3. significant changes in
behavior

A: recurrent,
unpredictable
and intense