the patient fears something awful will happen to them
-they are in a state of intense apprehension, uneasiness, uncertainty, or fear
Phobias
-a person experiences sudden episodes of intense dread
-must be an irrational fear; it must be blown out of proportion from the real danger present
-a common phobia is agoraphobia in which a person is afraid of being among crowds of people.
Here's a long but very interesting video on the top 10 phobias (found out I have cynophobia):
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
-an anxiety disorder in which a person is continuously tense, apprehensive and in a state of autonomic nervous system arousal
-The patient is constantly tense and worried, feels inadequate, is oversensitive, can't concentrate and suffer from insomnia
Treatment: Symptoms may be be treated through the prescription of minor tranquilizers followed by psychological therapy to uncover and eliminate the source of anxiety.
Panic Disorder
-an anxiety disorder marked by an episode of intense dread (usually lasting a couple of minutes) in which a person experiences terror and accompanying chest pain, choking and other frightening sensations
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
-persistent unwanted thoughts (obsessions) that cause someone to feel the need (compulsion) to engage in a particular action.
-Ex: Obsession about dirt and germs may lead to compulsive hand washing
Treatment: Certain drugs and behavior modification techniques have been used to treat the disorder.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
-flashbacks or nightmares following a person's involvement in or observation of an extremely stressful event
Memories of the event cause anxiety
-Ex: military combat, being caught in an earthquake, plane crash, etc.
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