JPTS INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, SCIENCE AND

TECHNOLOGY

PSYCHOLOGY FOR NURSING

Prepared
by
HASSAN MUSTAPHA

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PSYCHOLOGY FOR NURSING HCM (306)

INTRODUCTION
DEFINITION OF PSYCHOLOGY: Psychology is the study of mind and behaviour. It encompasses the
biological influences, social pressures, and environmental factors that affect how people think, act,
and feel.
APPLICATION OF PSYCHOLOGY:

Psychological studies are aimed at establishing body mind relationship and emphasize that sound
body leads to sound mind. Results of these studies are useful in enhancing the physical
performance of the sports person and also the use of physical activities in the therapy.
METHODS OF PSYCHOLOGY:-
➢ OBSERVATION METHOD
➢ EXPERIMENTAL METHOD
➢ PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPERIMENT METHOD
➢ CASE METHOD

OBSERVATION METHOD:
This type of observation is called natural observation or non controlled observation. It means that
the observation was made in natural settings, as and when the behaviour occurred.

EXPERIMENTAL METHOD:

An experiment is a procedure by which certain conditions, events etc. Which occur in nature are
artificially created and reproduced in the laboratory

PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPERIMENT METHOD:

Most layperson and perhaps even beginners in psychology often wonder what a psychological
experiment can be like; they are even baffled that the psychologist claims to be an experimental
scientist.

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CASE METHOD:

The case method is a gift to psychology. Clinical psychology uses this as a main method. Social
psychologists studying certain problems, employ the case method.

PERSPECTIVE OF PSYCHOLOGY:-
➢ Cognitive Perspective
➢ Behavioural Perspective
➢ Humanistic Perspective

COGNITIVE PERSPECTIVE: It focuses on the processing, organising, storing, and retrieving of

information and is concerned with the higher mental processes such as thinking, memory etc. The
word ‘Cognito’ means ‘ I think. It is a mental process in which the information is obtained,
processed, transferred, stored, retrieved and used.

BEHAVIOURAL PERSPECTIVE: It is based on observable behaviour without giving importance to

mental processes such as thinking, emphasizes that learning plays a key roll in controlling and
influencing all behaviours.

HUMANISTIC PERSPECTIVE: It emphasizes the psychological health of human beings, through

psychotherapy, focusing on the individuals free will, values, and goodness of people. This
perspective focuses on freedom in controlling human behaviour.

FREUD’s PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY:

Sigmund Freud emphasized the importance of the unconscious mind, and a primary assumption of
Freudian theory is that the unconscious mind governs behaviour to a greater degree than people
suspect. The goal of psychoanalysis is to make the unconscious conscious.

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ADLERIAN’s PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY:

Adlerian theory purports that humans are social beings and therefore all behaviour is socially
embedded and has social meaning. He emphasized the importance of relationships and being
connected to others, including the larger community in which people reside.

CARL JUNG’s PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY:

His theories includes the acknowledgement of a spiritual presence within each person, as well as
varying organising elements within the psyche.

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT:-

NATURE OF GROWTH: Growth is quantitative. It refers to physical aspects only. Growth is limited to
height and weight.
DEVELOPMENT AND MATURATION: Growth is the physical and quantifiable process in
development.

Maturation is the development of individual and behavioural characteristics through growth.

PRINCIPLES OF GROWTH:

There are three principles of growth. They are

✓CEPHALOCAUDAL PRINCIPAL,

✓PROXIMODISTAL PRINCIPAL,

✓ORTHOGENETIC PRINCIPAL.

CEPHALOCAUDAL PRINCIPAL: It means ‘head to toe’ region’. The development of area near to main
neural region Cephalic means ‘head region’ while Caudal means ‘tail than the area distant from it.

PROXIMODISTAL PRINCIPLE: Proximo means ‘near’ and Distal means ‘far’. It refers to development
that proceeds from the centre of the body and moves towards the extremities.

ORTHOGENETIC PRINCIPAL: It is also known as progressive evolution. The development of simple

skills before complex skills is a type of orthogenetic development.

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STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:

COGNITIVE: This is your child’sability to use logic and problem solving skills, including the skill of
thinking. Cognitive development can include areas like information processing, reasoning, memory,
and language development.

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL: Your child needs to know how to interact with himself and others in a
healthy and manageable way. You need to make sure that he is able to be socially aware and an
active member of the society.

INTELLIGENCE AND LEARNING:-

CONCEPTS AND THEORIES OF INTELLIGENT:

The eight types of intelligence are defined as Verbal or linguistic, logical or mathematical, visual or
spatial, musical or and naturalistic.

TWO FACTOR THEORY: According to him intellectual abilities are comprised of two factors, namely

➢The general ability known as G-factor

➢Specific abilities known as S-factors.

MULTI FACTOR THEORY: According to the theory intelligence is said to be constituted of multitude
of separate factors or elements each being a minute element or ability. A Mental act involves a
number of these minute elements operating together.

HIERARCHICAL THEORY: Any theory of intelligence postulating that abilities constituting intelligence
are arranged in a series of levels ranging from general to specific.

MENTAL RETARDATION: Mental retardation is present in about 2 to 3 percent of the population. It

can be defined as cognitive ability that is markedly below average level and a decreased ability to
adapt t one’s environment.

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GIFTEDNESS: Gifted child, any child who is naturally extraordinary ability in a specific sphere of
activity or endowed with a high degree of general mental ability or knowledge.

CAUSES OF MENTAL RETARDATION:Down’s retardation, followed by theFRAGILE X syndrome, which

syndrome is the most common specific cause of mental mainly affects boys.

NATURE OF LEARNING AND MEMORY: Learning and retrieving information in the central nervous
system. memory refers to the processes of acquiring, retaining and Learning is the acquisition of
skill or knowledge while memory is the expression of what you have acquired.

DETEMINANTS OF LEARNING:-

➢PHYSICAL READINESS

➢EMOTIONAL READINESS

➢EXPERIMENTAL READINESS

➢KNOWLEDGE READINESS

CLASSICAL AND OPERANT CONDITIONING:

response and a stimulus, while Operant conditioning is about all working memory components.
Young students with weak numbers from verbal to written form than do students with Classical
conditioning involves associating an involuntary associating a voluntary behaviour and a
consequence.math learning disorders have pervasive weaknesses across

LEARNING DISABILITIES MEMORY: Children with working memory make more errors when
translating strong working memory.

CTREATIVITY AND GIFTEDNESS: High verbal ability children showed significantly higher scores on
verbal creative potential. Giftedness should be conceptualised by specifying the cognitive domain
of ability.

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CONCEPT OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES: Individual one organism from another and that are stable
over time and differences refer to enduring characteristics that distinguish across situations.

MOTIVATION AND EMOTION:-

DEFINITION OF MOTIVATION: “ Motivation is the act of stimulating some one or oneself to get a
desired course of action or to push the right bottom to get a desired reaction.

DEFINITION OF EMOTION: According to the American Psychology Association, emotion is defined

as “ A complex reaction pattern, involving experiential, behavioural and physiological elements.

KINDS OF MOTIVES: Psychologists have divided motives into three types. They are *Biological
motives,

*Social motives

*Personal motives.

THEORIES OF MOTIVE

DRIVE REDUCTION THEORY: It was developed by Clark motivated behaviour is a reduction of a drive
state. It is stemming from a disruption in homeostasis, and that Hull in 1943. A theory of learning in
which the goal of assumed that all motivated behaviour arises from drives, responses that lead to
reduction of those drives tend to be reinforced or strengthened.

AROUSAL THEORY: It was developed by Robert M. physiological and psychological state of being
awoken or of Yerkes and John DillinghamDodson in 1908. Arousal is the sense organs stimulated to
a point of perception.

INCENTIVE THEORY: It was developed by Burrhus environment, both positive or negative, that
motivate our Frederic Skinner. Incentives are those stimuli in the behaviour.

MASLOW’s HIERARCHY OF NEEDS THEORY: It was requirements that are important for an individual
to achieve developed by Abraham Maslow. It is a charted set of human complete development and
self actualization.

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CONFLICTS OF MOTIVES AND FRUSTRATION:

Conflicting motives occurs when a person has goals that are working against one another, must
decide between two bad equally choices, or has to make a decision that is both good and
bad.Basically, when competingchoices results in conflict, it causes frustration.

PERSONALITY:-

NATURE OF PERSONALITY: It is defined as the characteristic sets of behaviours, cognitions, and

emotional patterns that evolve from biological and environmental factors.

DETERMINANTS OF PERSONALITY:

There are 4 major determinants of personality which include the physical environment, heredity,
experiences and culture.

THEORIES OF PERSONALITY:

Robert Mc Crae and Paul Costa, introduced the big five theory, which identifies five Neuroticism,
Openness to experience, Conscientiousness, key dimensions of personality. They are Extraversion,
and Agreeableness.

PAIN

“Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience, associated with, or resembling that
associated with, actual or potential tissue damage” (IASP 2020)

Types of pain can be either acute or chronicTrusted Source.

ACUTE PAIN

This type of pain is generally intense and short-lived. It is how the body alerts a person to an injury
or localized tissue damage. Treating the underlying injury usually resolves acute pain. Acute pain
triggers the body’s fight-or-flight response, often resulting in faster heartbeats and breathing rates.

There are different types of acute pain:

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SOMATIC PAIN: A person feels this superficial pain on the skin or the soft tissues just below the skin.

Visceral pain: This pain originates in the internal organs and the linings of cavities in the body.

Referred pain: A person experiences visceral pain at a location other than the source of tissue
damage. For example, people often experience shoulder pain during a heart attack.

CHRONIC PAIN

This type of pain lasts far longer than acute pain, and there is often no cure. Chronic pain can be
mild or severe. It can also be continuous, such as in arthritis, or intermittent, as with a migraine
episode. Intermittent pain occurs on repeated occasions but stops between flares.

The fight-or-flight reactions eventually stop in people with chronic pain, as the sympathetic nervous
system that triggers these reactions adapts to the pain stimulus. If enough cases of acute pain occur,
they can create a buildup of electrical signals in the central system (CNS) that overstimulate the
nerve fibers.

This effect is known as “windup,” which compares the buildup of electrical signals to a wind-up toy.
Winding a toy with more intensity leads to the toy running faster for longer. Chronic pain works in
the same way, which is why a person may feel pain long after the event that first caused it.

DESCRIBING PAIN

There are other, more specialized ways of describing pain.

These include:

Neuropathic pain: This pain occurs following injury to the peripheral nerves that connect the brain
and spinal cord to the rest of the body. It can feel like electric shocks or cause tenderness,
numbness, tingling, or discomfort.

Phantom pain: Phantom pain occurs after the amputation of a limb. It refers to painful sensations
that feel as though they are coming from the missing limb.

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Central pain: This type of pain often occurs due to infarction, abscesses, tumors, degeneration, or
bleeding in the brain and spinal cord. Central pain is ongoing, ranging from mild to extremely
severe. People with central pain report burning, aching, and pressing sensations.

TYPES OF PAIN
Medically speaking, pain is generally an uncomfortable or unpleasant sensation in the body that
often signals an illness or injury. While there are many different types of pain, we’ll only discuss the
four most common types of pain in this article.

ACUTE PAIN
Acute pain lasts for less than six months (i.e., minutes, hours, a few days, or months) and is often
caused by a specific injury or event, such as:

*Surgery

*Broken bones

*Cuts or burns
*Dental work
*Labor and childbirth

*Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is pain that has lasted for over six months and is frequently felt. It can also persist

for years and ranges from mild to severe on any particular day. Chronic pain is often a result of

health conditions such as diabetes, cancer, fibromyalgia, circulation problems, back pain, and

headache. Without proper medication, chronic pain can affect one’s quality of life, at times even
leading to depression or anxiety.

SOME COMMON CAUSES

Cancer
Alcoholism

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Stroke

Limb amputation
Chemotherapy drugs

Radiation

Diabetes
Nociceptive Pain

Nociceptive pain is pain due to damage of body tissues. People usually describe it as a headache
toothache

sore throat
stomach ache or cramps

muscle cramps or strains

cuts, burns, or bruises

bone fractures

Many illnesses or disorders, such as the flu, arthritis, endometriosis, and fibromyalgia, can cause
pain. Depending on the underlying cause, you may develop other symptoms as well. For example,
these may include fatigue, swelling, nausea, vomiting, or mood changes.

STRESS

Stress is a normal reaction the body has when changes occur, resulting in physical, emotional and
intellectual responses. Stress management training can help you deal with changes in a healthier
way.

STRESS

Stress is a normal human reaction that happens to everyone. In fact, the human body is designed to
experience stress and react to it. When you experience changes or challenges (stressors), your body
produces physical and mental responses. That’s stress.

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Stress responses help your body adjust to new situations. Stress can be positive, keeping us alert,
motivated and ready to avoid danger. For example, if you have an important test coming up, a
stress response might help your body work harder and stay awake longer. But stress becomes a
problem when stressors continue without relief or periods of relaxation.

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our
mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy What happens to the
body during stress, The body’s autonomic nervous system controls your heart rate, breathing,
vision changes and more. Its built-in stress response, the “fight-or-flight response,” helps the body
face stressful situations.

When a person has long-term (chronic) stress, continued activation of the stress response causes
wear and tear on the body. Physical, emotional and behavioral symptoms develop.

Physical symptoms of stress include:

 Aches and pains.

 Chest pain or a feeling like your heart is racing.

 Exhaustion or trouble sleeping.

 Headaches, dizziness or shaking.

 High blood pressure.

 Muscle tension or jaw clenching.

 Stomach or digestive problems.

 Trouble having sex.

 Weak immune system.

 Stress can lead to emotional and mental symptoms like:

 Anxiety or irritability.

 Depression.
 Panic attacks.

 Sadness.

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Often, people with chronic stress try to manage it with unhealthy behaviors, including:

 Drinking alcohol too much or too often.

 Gambling.
 Overeating or developing an eating disorder.

 Participating compulsively in sex, shopping or internet browsing.

 Smoking.
 Using drugs.
How is stress diagnosed?

Stress is subjective — not measurable with tests. Only the person experiencing it can determine

whether it's present and how severe it feels. A healthcare provider may use questionnaires to
understand your stress and how it affects your life. If you have chronic stress, your healthcare
provider can evaluate symptoms that result from stress. For example, high blood pressure can be
diagnosed and treated.

What are some strategies for stress relief?

You can’t avoid stress, but you can stop it from becoming overwhelming by practicing some daily
strategies:

Exercise when you feel symptoms of stress coming on. Even a short walk can boost your mood. At
the end of each day, take a moment to think about what you’ve accomplished — not what you
didn’t get done.Set goals for your day, week and month. Narrowing your view will help you feel
more in control of the moment and long-term tasks. Consider talking to a therapist or your
healthcare provider about your worries.

What are some ways to prevent stress?

Many daily strategies can help you keep stress at bay:

Try relaxation activities, such as meditation, yoga, tai chi, breathing exercises and muscle relaxation.
Programs are available online, in smartphone apps, and at many gyms and community centers.

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Take good care of your body each day. Eating right, exercising and getting enough sleep help your
body handle stress much better.Stay positive and practice gratitude, acknowledging the good parts
of your day or life. Accept that you can’t control everything. Find ways to let go of worry about
situations you cannot change. Learn to say “no” to additional responsibilities when you are too
busy or stressed.

Stay connected with people who keep you calm, make you happy, provide emotional support and
help you with practical things. A friend, family member or neighbor can become a good listener or
share responsibilities so that stress doesn’t become overwhelming.

How long does stress last?

Stress can be a short-term issue or a long-term problem, depending on what changes in your life.
Regularly using stress management techniques can help you avoid most physical, emotional and
behavioral symptoms of stress.

GENERAL NURSING MANAGEMENT OF THE PATIENTS:

Nurse management is the process of directing teams and nursing departments to maintain best
practices and organization when providing care to patients. Here are seven skills that are valuable
for those in nurse manager positions:

Conflict resolution. Nurse managers oversee a team of nurses and may sometimes help individuals
resolve conflicts with others or with patients.

*Mentoring.

*Decision-making.
*Professionalism.

*Time management.
*Adaptability.

*Dedication.

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NURSING INTERVENTIONS – Implementing Your Patient Care Plans.

To provide quality patient care over a period of time, nurses need a roadmap that guides their
actions and quantifies desired outcomes. As a registered nurse, you will be responsible for creating
a plan of care based on each patient’s needs and health goals. A nursing care plan is a formal
process that includes six components: assessment, diagnosis, expected outcomes, interventions,
rationale, and evaluation.1 Documenting these steps ensures effective communication between
doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals over multiple shifts.

Interventions are a key element of the nursing care plan. This guide explores nursing interventions
and their role in patient care.

What Are Nursing Interventions?

Nursing interventions are actions a nurse takes to implement their patient care plan, including any
treatments, procedures, or teaching moments intended to improve the patient’s comfort and
health.

These actions can be as simple as adjusting the patient’s bed and resting position—or as involved as
psychotherapy and crisis counseling. While some nursing interventions are doctors’ orders, nurse
practitioners can also develop orders using principles of evidence-based practice. Common nursing
interventions include:

* Bedside care and assistance

* Administration of medication

* Postpartum support
* Feeding assistance

* Monitoring of vitals and recovery progress.

Nursing Interventions – Implementing Your Patient Care Plans

nurse providing care for young patient

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To provide quality patient care over a period of time, nurses need a roadmap that guides their
actions and quantifies desired outcomes. As a registered nurse, you will be responsible for creating
a plan of care based on each patient’s needs and health goals. A nursing care plan is a formal
process that includes six components: assessment, diagnosis, expected outcomes, interventions,
rationale, and evaluation. Documenting these steps ensures effective communication between
doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals over multiple shifts.

Interventions are a key element of the nursing care plan. This guide explores nursing interventions
and their role in patient care.

What Are Nursing Interventions?

Nursing interventions are actions a nurse takes to implement their patient care plan, including any
treatments, procedures, or teaching moments intended to improve the patient’s comfort and
health.

These actions can be as simple as adjusting the patient’s bed and resting position—or as involved as
psychotherapy and crisis counseling. While some nursing interventions are doctors’ orders, nurse
practitioners can also develop orders using principles of evidence-based practice. Common nursing
interventions include:

• Bedside care and assistance

• Administration of medication

• Postpartum support

• Feeding assistance
• Monitoring of vitals and recovery progress

Examples of nursing interventions

NURSING INTERVENTIONS CATEGORIES

Nursing interventions are grouped into three categories according to the role of the healthcare
professional involved in the patient’s care:

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Independent: A nurse can perform independent interventions on their own without assistance from
other medical personnel; e.g., routine nursing tasks such as checking vital signs.

Dependent: Some actions require instructions or input from a doctor, such as prescribing new
medication. A nurse cannot initiate dependent interventions alone.

Interdependent: Collaborative, or interdependent, interventions involve team members across

disciplines. In certain cases, such as post-surgery, the patient’s recovery plan may require a
prescription medication from a doctor, feeding assistance from a nurse, and treatment by a
physical therapist or occupational therapist.

THE ROLE OF ASSESSMENTS

The nursing assessment is the first step in the nursing care plan. During the assessment process,
both physicians and nurses might ask questions and perform tests to gain information about a
patient’s health and state of being. Professionals gather information from the patient’s:

✓Vital signs

✓Physical complaints or concerns

✓External body conditions

✓Medical history

✓Current neurological functioning

After gathering all essential information during the assessment process, the nurse can use clinical
judgment to formulate a nursing diagnosis list. Based on the assessment and diagnosis, the nurse
can develop a care plan that outlines which interventions to include.4 For example, the nursing
diagnosis list may conclude the patient has a lack of appetite due to post-surgery pain. From this
medical diagnosis, the nurse can set goals to resolve the patient’s pain through actions such as
administering pain-relief medication and assessing the patient’s pain levels every few hours.

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NURSING INTERVENTIONS CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM

There are several types of nursing interventions aimed at meeting the variety of medical needs and
conditions of patients. The Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) system categorizes a wide
range of possible treatments that a nurse may perform. The book Nursing Interventions
Classification (NIC), 7th ed. evaluates this system, defining over 550 nursing interventions from
which a nurse can choose.

NIC categorizes nursing interventions across seven domains:5

1. Family Nursing Interventions

Family nursing interventions are those that address not only the patient, but other family members
as well. They could entail education of family members about caring for the patient; or, in the case
of new mothers, interventions could consist of instruction and assistance with breastfeeding and
other forms of infant care.

2. Behavioral Nursing Interventions

This category includes actions a nurse takes to help their patient change an unhealthful behavior or
habit; for example, suggesting physical and emotional coping methods for a patient who wants to
quit smoking.

3. Physiological Nursing Interventions (Basic)

Basic interventions concerning the patient’s physical health include hands-on procedures ranging
from feeding to hygiene assistance.

4. Physiological Nursing Interventions (Complex)

Some physiological nursing interventions are more complex, such as the insertion of an IV line to
administer fluids to a dehydrated patient.

5. Community Nursing Interventions

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Some hospitals and clinics focus on public health initiatives to educate patients, their families, and
local communities. These community nursing interventions are organized efforts that encourage
general health and wellness. For example, many clinics and pharmacies are currently administering
the COVID-19 vaccine, or a hospital may offer a free education program about diabetes or organize
a fun run to raise money for breast cancer research.

6. Safety Nursing Interventions

After undergoing surgery, patients need education on safety procedures and protocols to prevent
injury. These safety interventions may include instructions for using a walker or a cane or how to
take a shower safely.

7. Health System Interventions

During their shift, nurses take the initiative to ensure that the patient’s environment is safe and
comfortable, such as repositioning them to avoid pressure ulcers in bed. These routine procedures
classify as health system interventions.

While a nurse may not use every type of intervention every day, each is an essential form of care
needed to maintain the patient’s physical, emotional, and mental well-being and reach the desired
outcome.

Key Nursing Interventions to Perform Each Shift

On-duty nurses routinely perform certain nursing interventions as part of their daily tasks. In
addition to educating the patient on their care and recovery progression, nurses will typically
perform the following each shift:

Pain control: Ensuring that the patient is comfortable and monitoring their intake of pain
medication, if applicable

Position changes: Promoting a change of the patient’s resting position to prevent bedsores

Active listening: Listening to the patient and repeating back information so they feel heard

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Cluster care: Informing other nurses and care team members of the patient’s needs each shift to
help consolidate trips and avoid frequent traffic in the patient’s room

Fall prevention: Educating the patient, generally someone who is elderly or recovering post-surgery,
of instructions to avoid the risk of fall and injury

Adequate oral intake: Promoting fluid consumption by mouth for patients currently receiving fluid
through IVs as a means to decrease and discontinue IV use

Creating a safe environment, promoting good health practices, and listening closely to patients are
daily nursing interventions you will perform and perfect throughout your career as a nurse. If you
aspire to a nurse leadership role, such as a nurse practitioner, nurse manager or executive, you may
eventually oversee and strategize care plans for hundreds of patients. With an advanced career in
nursing, you can lead initiatives to improve the quality of care and make lasting, positive impacts on
patient lives.

WHAT IS AN ANXIETY DISORDER?

An anxiety disorder is a type of mental health condition. If you have an anxiety disorder, you may
respond to certain things and situations with fear and dread. You may also experience physical
signs of anxiety, such as a pounding heart and sweating.

It’s normal to have some anxiety. You may feel anxious or nervous if you have to tackle a problem
at work, go to an interview, take a test or make an important decision. And anxiety can even be
beneficial. For example, anxiety helps us notice dangerous situations and focuses our attention, so
we stay safe.

But an anxiety disorder goes beyond the regular nervousness and slight fear you may feel from time
to time. An anxiety disorder happens when:

Anxiety interferes with your ability to function.

You often overreact when something triggers your emotions.

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You can’t control your responses to situations.

Anxiety disorders can make it difficult to get through the day. Fortunately, there are several
effective treatments for anxiety disorders.

Who is at risk for anxiety disorders?

* A mix of genetic and environmental factors can raise a person’s risk for developing anxiety
disorders. You may be at higher risk if you have or had:

* Certain personality traits, such as shyness or behavioral inhibition — feeling uncomfortable with,
and avoiding, unfamiliar people, situations or environments.

* Stressful or traumatic events in early childhood or adulthood.

* Family history of anxiety or other mental health conditions.

* Certain physical conditions, including thyroid problems and heart arrhythmias (unusual heart
rhythms).

Anxiety disorders occur more often in women. Researchers are still studying why that happens. It
may come from women’s hormones, especially those that fluctuate throughout the month. The
hormone testosterone may play a role, too — men have more, and it may ease anxiety. It’s also
possible that women are less likely to seek treatment, so the anxiety worsens.

WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF ANXIETY DISORDERS?

There are several types of anxiety disorders, including:

*Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

*Panic disorder.

*Phobias.
*Separation anxiety.

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Other mental health conditions share features with anxiety disorders. These include post-traumatic
stress disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

What is generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?

With GAD, you may feel extreme and unrealistic worry and tension — even if there’s nothing to
trigger these feelings. Most days, you may worry a lot about various topics, including health, work,
school and relationships. You may feel that the worry continues from one thing to the next.

Physical symptoms of GAD can include restlessness, difficulty concentrating and sleeping problems.

What is a panic disorder?

If you have a panic disorder, you get intense, sudden panic attacks. These attacks often feature
stronger, more intense feelings than other types of anxiety disorders.

The feelings of terror may start suddenly and unexpectedly or they may come from a trigger, like
facing a situation you dread. Panic attacks can resemble heart attacks. If there’s any chance you’re
experiencing a heart attack, go to the emergency room. It’s better to err on the side of caution and
have a healthcare professional check you.

During a panic attack, you may experience:

Sweating.
Heart palpitations (feeling like your heart is pounding).
Chest pain.

Feeling of choking, which can make you think you’re having a heart attack or “going crazy.”

Panic attacks are very upsetting. People with panic disorder often spend a lot of time worrying
about the next panic attack. They also try to avoid situations that might trigger an attack.

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WHAT ARE PHOBIAS?

Phobias are an intense fear of certain situations or objects. Some of these fears may make sense,
such as a fear of snakes. But often, the level of fear doesn’t match the situation.

Like with other anxiety disorders, you may spend a lot of time trying to avoid situations that may
trigger the phobia.

A specific phobia, or a simple phobia, is an intense fear of a particular object or situation. It may
cause you to avoid everyday situations. Some specific phobias include fear of:

Animals, such as spiders, dogs or snakes.

Blood.

Flying.

Heights.

Injections (shots).

SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER

Healthcare providers used to call this condition social phobia. You may have overwhelming worry
and self-consciousness with daily social situations. You may worry about others judging you or you
may be anxious that you’ll embarrass yourself or open yourself up to ridicule. People with social
anxiety disorder may avoid social situations entirely.

AGORAPHOBIA

If you have agoraphobia, you may have an intense fear of being overwhelmed or unable to get help.
Usually, you have a fear of two or more of these environments:

Enclosed spaces.

Lines or crowds.

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Open spaces.

Places outside your house.

Public transportation.

In severe situations, a person with agoraphobia may not leave the house at all. They’re so terrified
of having a panic attack in public that they prefer to stay inside.

WHAT IS SEPARATION ANXIETY DISORDER?

This condition mostly happens to children or teens, who may worry about being away from their
parents. Children with separation anxiety disorder may fear that their parents will be hurt in some
way or not come back as promised. It happens a lot in preschoolers. But older children and adults
who experience a stressful event may have separation anxiety disorder as well.

✓How common are anxiety disorders?

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health conditions in the U.S. They affect about 40
million Americans. They happen to nearly 30% of adults at some point. Anxiety disorders most
often begin in childhood, adolescence or early adulthood.

✓How do anxiety disorders affect children?

It’s normal for children to feel some amount of anxiety, worry or fear at certain points. For example,
a child may feel scared of a thunderstorm or barking dog. A teenager might get anxious about an
upcoming test or school dance.

But sometimes, children approach these situations with overwhelming dread or they can’t stop
thinking about all the fears tied to one of these events. It may seem that none of your comforts
help. These children often get “stuck” on their worries. They have a hard time doing their daily
activities, like going to school, playing and falling asleep. They’re extremely reluctant to try
something new.

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When thinking about your child’s anxiety levels, “getting stuck” is key. It separates the regular
worries of childhood from an anxiety disorder that needs professional help. If the anxiety or worry
interferes with your child’s ability to function, it may be time to seek help

SYMPTOMS AND CAUSES

✓What causes anxiety disorders?

Anxiety disorders are like other forms of mental illness. They don’t come from personal weakness,
character flaws or problems with upbringing. But researchers don’t know exactly what causes
anxiety disorders. They suspect a combination of factors plays a role:

Chemical imbalance: Severe or long-lasting stress can change the chemical balance that controls
your mood. Experiencing a lot of stress over a long period can lead to an anxiety disorder.

Environmental factors: Experiencing a trauma might trigger an anxiety disorder, especially in

someone who has inherited a higher risk to start.

Heredity: Anxiety disorders tend to run in families. You may inherit them from one or both parents,
like eye color.

✓What are the symptoms of an anxiety disorder?

Symptoms vary depending on the type of anxiety disorder you have. General symptoms of an
anxiety disorder include:

*Physical symptoms:

*Cold or sweaty hands.

*Dry mouth.

*Heart palpitations.

*Nausea.

*Numbness or tingling in hands or feet.

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*Muscle tension.

*Shortness of breath.

*Mental symptoms:

*Feeling panic, fear and uneasiness.

*Nightmares.

*Repeated thoughts or flashbacks of traumatic experiences.

*Uncontrollable, obsessive thoughts.

*Behavioral symptoms:

*Inability to be still and calm.

*Ritualistic behaviors, such as washing hands repeatedly.

Trouble sleeping.

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