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[Artigo] Anxiety Skill COVID-19 toolkit

Anxiety skill COVID-19 toolkit

ALERT

Patients with severe anxiety may experience panic, depersonalization or derealization, or become irrational.

OVERVIEW

Anxiety is different than fear. The two conditions share some similarities but have many differences. Fear is a natural emotional reaction to an impending threat. It has a direct cause and promotes safety. Anxiety is the expectation of an imagined or potential threat. It tends to be vague and unfocused. Fear is commonly combined with an acute arousal of the autonomic system needed for fight or flight and thoughts and behaviors associated with immediate danger and escape. Anxiety can affect emotions, thought processes, bodily sensations, and behaviors. With anxiety, vigilance, preparation for future threats, caution, and avoidant behaviors are more common.

Anxiety is a physiologic response that can result from genetic vulnerabilities and psychosocial stressors. It can cause feelings of dread, apprehension, and worry in response to a perceived fear or stressor. Experiencing anxiety can affect how a patient functions on a daily basis and responds to care.

A patient’s memories, experiences, and social situations play intricate roles in the experience of stress and the development of anxiety. The patient may experience vague stress stemming from past pain and suffering or fear.13 Because these experiences are unique to each person, understanding the patient’s stress and anxiety may be difficult.

  • Anxiety is characterized by: Physical complaints (e.g., chest tightness, dizziness, nausea, headache); although these symptoms are typical of anxiety disorders, they may also indicate a significant medical issue, therefore a thorough physical assessment is required
  •  Cognitive symptoms (e.g., impaired judgment, confusion, inability to make decisions)
  • Behavioral issues (e.g., avoidance, impulsiveness, isolation)
  • Emotional symptoms (e.g., worry, irritability, sense of dread, a feeling of being overwhelmed, frustration)

An anxiety disorder often occurs concomitantly with physical, emotional, or mental illnesses or substance abuse. These other issues can hide or aggravate anxiety symptoms. Assessment for an anxiety disorder must be part of a comprehensive examination that includes a detailed history, physical assessment, review of symptoms, and assessments of associated functional impairments, current psychosocial issues, and other contributing factors.

Patients may experience different levels of anxiety, which have different effects on daily functioning. Mild anxiety promotes productivity and problem solving because of increased mental focus. With moderate and severe anxiety, the ability to focus becomes increasingly difficult, and the anxiety symptoms become more intense and significantly impair the ability to function. During panic, the patient loses mental focus, and personality disorganization occurs, potentially to the point of experiencing depersonalization or derealization, or disruptions in consciousness or amnesia.

Leia na íntegra: https://www.epimedsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Anxiety-Skill-COVID-19-toolkit.pdf