Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders

Overview

Anxiety disorders are characterized by excessive fear or worry that impairs social or occupational functioning. These include generalized anxiety, panic disorder, phobias, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The nurse's role is to help the patient lower their anxiety level to a point where they can learn new coping strategies and engage in therapy.

Key nursing concepts

• Anxiety is a normal response to stress that becomes a disorder when it interferes with life.
• Panic disorder involves recurrent, unexpected episodes of intense fear.
• OCD consists of intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive acts (compulsions).
• PTSD occurs after exposure to a traumatic event, leading to re-experiencing.
• Benzodiazepines provide rapid relief, while SSRIs are used for long-term control.
• Nursing care intensity increases as the level of anxiety progresses toward panic.

Important nursing considerations

• Stay with a patient experiencing a panic attack to provide calm support.
• Use short, simple sentences when communicating with a highly anxious patient.
• Encourage the use of relaxation techniques such as deep breathing.
• Monitor for physical signs of anxiety, such as tachycardia and tachypnea.
• Allow the patient to perform compulsive rituals initially to reduce anxiety.
• Administer benzodiazepines for acute anxiety but monitor for sedation.

Patient teaching

• Teach the patient to identify early triggers of anxiety.
• Instruct on the proper use of PRN (as needed) anti-anxiety medications.
• Encourage the patient to gradually face feared situations in a controlled way.

Related practice questions

Real questions from the NursGuru bank, each with the answer and rationale.

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Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders flashcards

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