All ¬anxiety disorders show distinct expressions of behavioural, subjective, and physiological symptoms of anxiety (Andrews, Creamer, Crino, Hunt, Lampe, & Page, 2004; Franklin & Foa, 2002). Research consistently showed that although basic anxiety symptoms are present in most if not all disorders, they are indeed manifesting differently in each (Caprara, Steca, Cervone, & Artistico, 2003). Therefore, the exact nature of feared stimuli cannot be predicted and is generally distinctive from individual to individual. Presenting issue Vivien is a 26-year-old woman referred by her general practitioner due to feelings of dread and discomfort that seem to result from persistent persecutory beliefs, avoidant behaviour related to her social phobic anxiety, and potential depression. She is described as experiencing a wide range of problems including a variety of specific and general anxiety. The avoidant behaviour assists her to manage the stress related to an unfair incident that happened at work. However, when Vivien faces social situations, these are endured with high levels of anxiety or even fear. Stress symptoms experienced include a constant panic sensation, embarrassment, hand tremors, irrational thoughts, tears, and general feelings of discomfort. These symptoms cause her to regularly rely on colleagues to perform tasks involving human interaction, symptoms that are underlying threats for her relationship with Paul too. Her overall mood and affect seemed depressed. There was no indication of a formal thought disorder. Although she seldom feels out of control, Vivien is aware that the feelings are rather irrational yet cannot alleviate the anxiety induced symptoms. Performance seems to be restricted under social environments; no fur... ... middle of paper ... ...scence and sexual abstinence. Vivien’s specific and generalized anxiety disorder can be treated using CBT (i.e. controlled outcome) or pharmacologically (benzodiazepines such as Xanax). Closer attention should be paid if benzodiazepine treatment is recommended due to the high risk of patients becoming dependent on the drug. Regardless of what pharmacological treatment is prescribed, psychological treatment aimed at reducing Vivien’s depression symptoms (sadness, crying, and embarrassment), avoidance behaviour, negative feelings (resentment towards boss and certain co-workers), soothing somatic cues, and reducing the patient’s expectation of future panic episodes. Psychological treatment could be a mixture of supportive and behavioural in nature to ensure that Vivien will initiate contact with threatening and anxiety provoking situations in the social environment.
There is the previously mentioned social anxiety disorder as well as the possibility of general anxiety disorder. These disorders seem to compound or even feed off one another. The combination of major depressive disorder with an anxiety disorder, particularly social anxiety disorder, has led to feelings of profound isolation and sense of personal worthlessness that has had a significantly negative impact on Reznor’s functioning and personal
Mary has suffered with her illness for over 10 years. She has previously been diagnosis with a Cluster B type Personality Disorder. Mary comes across as narcissistic, self-engrossed and can be very demanding at times. Mary suffers from anxiety and is prone to panic attacks in relation to her PD diagnosis. At times Mary has been known to make ...
on some particular symptom, as cardiac or gastric problems; which is related to his fear of his
Department of health (2007) say that there are 3 types of risk assessment:the unstructured clinical approach, the actuarial approach and the structured clinical approach (DOH 2007). Many Mental health Professionals over the past years have used the unstructured clinical approach to risk assess. This is based on your experience and judgement to assess the risk. However this way has been criticized for not being structured and this then leads to inconsistency and to be unreliable (Turner and Tummy 2008). This approach would not be useful for the case with Julie as she is not known to services and every person is different as you may not have seen her symptoms before if you base the risk assessment on experience.
Case conceptualization and treatment planning is used by therapist to assist in determining a client’s diagnosis, goals, and treatment plan that is most effective in determining the issues surrounding the clients diagnosis. It is crucial that the client’s treatment plan is specific to the individual, is relational and appropriate to the needs of the client.
Case conceptualization explains the nature of a client’s problem and how they develop such problem ( Hersen, & Porzelius, p.3, 2002) In counseling, assessment is viewed as a systematic gathering of information to address a client’s presenting concerns effectively. The assessment practice provides diagnostic formulation and counseling plans, and aids to identify assets that could help the client cope better with concern that they are current. Assessment is present as a guide for treatment and support in the “evaluation process. Although many methods can be employed to promote a thorough assessment, no one method should be used by itself” (Erford, 2010, p.269-270). Eventually, it is the counselor's job to gain adequate information concerning the client and the client's presenting concerns to establish an effective treatment strategy. Using a combination of assessment techniques increases the likelihood of positive interventions and promotes successful treatment (Erford, 2010, p.271). A case conceptualization reflects how the professional counselor understands the nature of the presenting problems and includes a diagnostic formulation. Case conceptualization organizes assessment data into meaningful outline, applying research, and theory to make sense of client’s current problem.
Client A is a 22 year old college student experiencing intense fear and worry of social situations (e.g. parties, dating, sporting events, group activities) or situations where she will be the center of attention (e.g. birthday party, public speaking, answering in class). Client A describes racing thoughts, intense upset stomach, rapid heartbeat, trembling, and sweating when she considers being part of the above stressful situations and ultimately often avoids these situations. She stated she became a homebody during high school when she began feeling uneasy around others and worrying about what they would say about her or something bad will happen. Client A desires to be more involved with friends, activities, and clubs; she believes her intense fear and anxiety are affecting her academic and occupational goals. Her good friend recently teased her about rarely leaving the dorm room which encouraged Stacy to seek help.
Anxiety disorders are very common and the causes vary. Symptoms of anxiety disorders can be disabling for some but in most cases people who suffer with it can still carry on social relationships and job functions. There are medical outlets a patient can seek to help cope and treat anxiety through biological treatment and psychotherapy. The authors of “Anxiety Reactivity and Anxiety Perseveration Represent Dissociable Dimensions of Trait Anxiety” focused on anxiety vulnerability by testing and measuring reactivity and preservation in regard to anxiety. (Rudaizky, page, MacLeod 2012).
Along with being the most widespread mental health disorder, women are more likely to be affected by most anxiety disorders than men. Anxiety disorders are often characterized by feelings of worry, uncertainty, anxiety, or fear, which can be so intense, it can interfere with a person’s daily activities. Therefore, it is likely for a person struggling with an anxiety disorder will find themselves unemployed, financially dependent on others and even have poor quality social relationships as well. As an anxiety disorder may affect other functional impairments, it is also important to be aware of its development considering an anxiety response affects various populations and individuals differently.
(198)First, we need to understand what fear and anxiety is. Fear is when the nervous system responds to a threat to ones well being. Anxiety is when there is a vague sense of danger. Both of these term help the body determine when action needs to be taken like “Fight” or “Flight”. When they both come clinically significant is when people can’t not live there normal lives without one or there other or both interfering. “Their discomfort is so server or to frequent, last too long, or is trigger to easily, (Comer, 2013, pp.114)”. Then they are termed with having an anxiety disorder or some other disorder. Most psychologist use the DSM-5 check list when diagnosing a patient with anxiety disorder. They look for these signs that the DSM-5 list:
Weston is social anxiety disorder. Criterion A and B list that the individual has marked fear or anxiety about one or more social situations where the person is exposed to possible scrutiny by others, and in return, he/she will act in a way or show anxiety symptoms that may be negatively evaluated. For both of these criteria, I listed him as not meeting them due to there not being significant evidence in his vignette that implies he is particularly fearful of what others think of him. Criterion C and D list that the social situations almost always provoke fear or anxiety and are avoided or endured with intense fear or anxiety. He stated many times that he experiences fear and anxiety in certain social situations. Criterion E and F state that the fear/anxiety is out of proportion to the actual threat posed, and it is persistent, lasting for six months or longer. These criterion are listed in both generalized anxiety disorder and agoraphobia, both of which I also listed as convergent evidence. Criterion G and H are also convergent evidence, and they state that the fear/anxiety causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, and other important areas of functioning. Also, none of this is attributable to substance abuse or another medical condition. This is also stated in the criterion of the previously discussed mental illnesses, both of which were proven accurate by the symptoms listed in his vignette. The last two criterion are convergent evidence; criterion I states that the fear, anxiety, or avoidance isn’t better explained by the symptoms of another mental disorder, and criterion J states that if another medical condition is present, the symptoms are exacerbated. I believe that agoraphobia provides a better explanation for his symptoms, and there is not another medical condition interacting with his symptoms to make his fear/anxiety more
Beck, A. T., & Steer, R. (1993). Beck Anxiety Inventory 1993 Edition. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Currently, the patient doesn’t seem to be able to break out of the cycle of worry/fear that she is in. It becomes more intense in some situations, but doesn’t seem to let up or she’s able to let it go
It has been claimed that attentional bias causes anxiety. Attentional bias is when attention is automatically captured by certain stimuli. In terms of anxiety, this can be for example, the fear of spiders. Individuals who suffer from the phobia could, for example be reading a newspaper and related stimuli such as the word ‘web’ would capture their attention. Attentional bias has been found among many anxiety disorders including social phobia, OCD, trait anxiety, social phobia and generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). I will review evidence for the presence of attentional bias among anxiety disorders and try to determine whether attentional bias causes anxiety. I will review evidence from Macleod and Mathews (2002), Koster, Crombez, Verschuere, Damme and Wiersema (2006), and Bradley and Mogg (1999).
National Institute of Mental Health. (2009). Studying anxiety disorders. NIH Medline plus, 5, 13-15. Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/anxiety-disorders/complete-index.shtml