Week 3 - Anxiety PDF

NURS2039- Mental Health and Wellbeing Week Three WELCOME ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The University of Notre Dame Australia is proud to acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians of this land upon which our University sits. The University acknowledges that the Fremantle Campus is...

NURS2039- Mental Health and Wellbeing Week Three WELCOME ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The University of Notre Dame Australia is proud to acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians of this land upon which our University sits. The University acknowledges that the Fremantle Campus is located on Wadjuk Country, the Broome Campus on Yawuru Country and the Sydney Campus on Cadigal Country.  Learning Objectives Understand the signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Become aware of how anxiety and depression conditions are diagnosed. Become aware of the treatments and nursing interventions used to care for people who experience anxiety and depression. Become aware of the psychotherapeutic skills needed to engage people who experience anxiety and depression.  Anxiety: What is it? Excessive/persistent worry Difficulty controlling the feeling of worry Physical symptoms such as: restlessness, feeling on edge, easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating, poor sleep Hyper alertness and looking out for perceived threats Different types: Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD); Social Anxiety Disorder, specific phobias; OCD  Anxiety: When is it an issue? When it impacts on a person’s daily functioning Could impact work, socialisation, ability to attend school, ability to leave house etc When the person feels as if they have lost control of the anxiety  Anxiety: Statistics Anxiety Disorders were the world’s most common mental disorder in 2019 More women are affected by anxiety disorders than men Symptoms of anxiety often appear in childhood/adolescence Only 1 in 4 people with an anxiety disorder receive treatment  Panic Attacks Sudden, intense episode of fear or anxiety Symptoms: Shortness of breath Heart palpitations Tightness in chest Trembling/Shaking Sweating Nausea Feeling lightheaded  What might in look like in a patient? Generalised Anxiety Disorder Withdrawal from social supports Pacing/fidgeting Increased irritability Sweating Poor sleep (increased or decreased) Difficulty maintaining eye contact Fixation on an event or scenario  What might in look like in a patient? Agoraphobia Clients are anxious about being in a situation from which escape may be difficult or embarrassing Or in which help may not be easily accessible should a panic attack or panic like symptoms occur Often people are house bound due to fear  What might in look like in a patient? Social Anxiety Disorder Withdrawal from social supports Panic around large social events Avoiding crowds (shopping outside of peak times, missing out on concerts etc) Fear or dread of being judged by others Difficulty forming or maintaining relationships  What might in look like in a patient? OCD It is not ‘liking things to be organised’ Repetitive checking or counting Specific rituals or patterns of behaviours Intense fear of bad outcomes if checks are not completed Interrupts a person’s ability to function  Treatments Medications are often used to help manage symptoms Benzodiazepines can be highly addictive Are often not recommended long term Can be used to manage crisis or acute anxiety  Treatments Talking therapies are often used for the long term management of anxiety Helps explore causes of anxiety and begin to resolve these Can help a person gain helpful coping strategies to help manage increased levels of anxiety or triggering situations Support a person in identifying their own warning signs and triggers Require active engagement from the person  Treatments Exposure therapy can be helpful for specific fears (spiders, large crowds) Should be undertaken when a person feels ready and this is often not in an inpatient/acute setting  Nursing Interventions Emotional support - reassurance Provide PRN medications to help a patient manage an increased level of anxiety Participating in a person living with OCD’s checks/ reassuring them they are safe Empower patients to recognise their own triggers