Concept Analysis Of Anxiety
one has a social phobia, then they stop going to social gatherings but may still be able to do basic tasks such as going for shopping or gathering with family members. Also, if a person is suffering from the fear of other panic attacks, then that persons may only attend selected gatherings while skipping most of them.
If a patient has obsessive compulsive disorder, then the middle stages are usually depicted by certain rituals. In this case, the person now progresses from just thinking about the obsession to actually doing something about it. For instance, one may frequently check on the kitchen oven to find out if they had switched it off. Or they may keep washing their hands from time to time.
If a person has post traumatic stress disorder as a form of anxiety, then the middle stages of the conditions are usually characterized by a lack of sleep. In certain scenarios, that person may constantly be jittery or on guard because of fear of the event. For example, if a person was a victim of a burglary, then they may always be keeping vigil or having nightmares about the incident.
For those with general anxiety disorder, the middle stages are depicted by substance abuse such alcohol dependence, severe headaches, trembling, muscle tension and an overall avoidance of situations that can cause the issue as explained by Andrews et al (2003)
Late stages of anxiety disorders also differ depending on the type of anxiety which one suffers from. For those individuals with panic disorders then late stages are usually characterized by behavioral and cognitive traits. At this stage, patients may fear death or may think that they are going crazy. Also, these people may feel out of touch with the rest of the world and may retreat to their own ‘cocoons’. Some physical manifestations at such a point include shortness of breath, a chocking sensation, extreme beating of the heart or symptoms that resemble heart attacks.
Those who have phobias also depict certain peculiar characteristics at the late stage. For instance, one may stop doing any activity at all. Those with social phobias may never leave the house again. Also, those with agoraphobia may then spiral into depression thus being unable to do anything else or go on with their personal responsibilities as asserted by Craske and Barlow (2003).
In cases where an individual registers certain cases of obsessive compulsive disorder, then chances are that at the last stages, that person may increase the number of times which they perform their rituals. For instance, if one was obsessed about personal hygiene, then they may take three hours to prepare for work every day. Also, if someone was obsessed about safety, then they may increase the excessiveness of their security measures. Also in the late stages of the conditions, it is likely that a person will increase their dependence on drugs or substance abuse as a way of relieving their anxiety. (Elfet & Forsyth, 2003)
If a person had been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder, then it is likely that that person may exhibit cases of numbness or may seem detached from his or her surroundings. Consequently, such individuals may not be able to perform their day to day functions and may therefore have spiraled out of control. The late stages of this anxiety disorders can also be characterized by depression where the person feels that they have lost control of their lives.
If a person was suffering from generalized anxiety disorder and has reached their last stages, then that person is likely to spiral into depression. In certain circumstances, that person may begin recording other mental difficulties even when those difficulties had been non –existent before. Also, such a person my appear tired all the time, they may begin depending on drugs to cope with their anxiety and some of them may centre their lives around that thing that they worry about. For instance, if the anxiety is about finances, then everything their family does will be linked to finances and their need to conserve it.
C Consequences
The consequences of anxiety disorder vary from individual to individual and also depend upon what an individual did to cope with the anxiety. If an anxiety disorder is detected during earlier stages, then chances are that the person can deal with it either through pharmacology or psychological and thus curb the problem. However, if the person allows the situation to spiral out of control i.e. to reach its last stages, then anxieties can bring with it other mental health and social problems. For instance, it would cause drug abuse and hence dependence. Also, if a person is in their last stages, then they are likely to register depression.
It should be noted that one form of anxiety disorder can create other forms. For instance, panic attacks can eventually lead to phobias related to the attacks and failure to seek treatment may