In modern times, anxiety is an inevitable part of life. Situations often arise in daily life where it is reasonable to feel a certain amount of anxiety. If one did not experience any anxiety in any situation that might be dangerous or lead to failure, something would be seriously wrong (Tuma & Maser, 2019). At the same time, anxiety often becomes an anxiety disorder if it begins to disrupt daily life and requires treatment. The last patient I had, anxiety disorder differed from normal, normal anxiety in that the accompanying anxiety was intense. Moreover, the anxiety grew steadily; it lasted for many months and did not subside after the stressful situation was passed (Tuma & Maser, 2019). Additionally, at work and home, the patient felt constant, chronic anxiety and a sense of tension all the time. It lasted at least six months but was not accompanied by panic attacks, phobias, or obsessions.
It is important to note that the patient’s condition was aggravated by financial problems. Thus, there were several tasks at work, which the person was not able to complete on time and did not receive bonuses and full salary. Then, my patient evaluated his expenses and current income and realized that he could not control his anxiety. Thus, his condition worsened, and he got sleep disorders and irritability. At the same time, every day at work, the patient attempted to complete all tasks on time and efficiently, which further increased his anxiety. Therefore, the man began to have panic attacks, episodes of panic and discomfort, accompanied by fear of death and physical manifestations: heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and dizziness (Tuma & Maser, 2019). After that, the individual went to the hospital for diagnosis and proper treatment.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of anxiety disorder is difficult because of the presence of specific biomarkers. To detect anxiety symptoms, I interviewed a patient and special psychological testing using the Beck Anxiety Scale, the Zung Self-Assessment Anxiety Scale, and the Taylor Anxiety Scale (Ströhle, et al., 2018). The criteria for the diagnosis are the following persistent signs that haunt the patient over a long period. These include social awkwardness, self-depreciation, internal tension, and limitation of social interaction for fear of criticism and disapproval.
Moreover, anxiety sometimes occurs along with depression, having the same symptoms. Furthermore, I asked the question whether the patient’s parents did not suffer from depression, because it often occurs in people whose relatives have also been diagnosed with it. It is also when making the diagnosis, I first of all excluded medical pathology with similar symptoms, as well as endocrine diseases and metabolic dysfunction. Moreover, I verified that the patient is not deficient in vitamin D and folic acid, blood and heart disease, dementia, sclerosis, and other brain diseases (Ströhle, et al., 2018). Only after that, I could diagnose such a condition as a disease of anxiety.
It is significant to emphasize that it can be challenging to diagnose a disorder because of concomitant somatic diseases. This includes digestive disorders and headaches. Often, general practitioners, not finding somatic pathology, diagnose vegetovascular dystonia, which completely deprives the patient of the opportunity to visit a psychotherapist or psychiatrist because the disorder is psychiatric. According to statistics, only 1/3 of patients reach these doctors, while the rest are treated for somatic manifestations of anxiety disorder (Silverberg et al., 2018). This is why it is crucial to contact a specialized clinic with highly specialized doctors who can make an accurate diagnosis.
References
Silverberg, J. I., Gelfand, J. M., Margolis, D. J., Boguniewicz, M., Fonacier, L., Grayson, M. H., & Simpson, E. L. (2019). Symptoms and diagnosis of anxiety and depression in atopic dermatitis in US adults. British Journal of Dermatology, 181(3), 554-565.
Ströhle, A., Gensichen, J., & Domschke, K. (2018). The diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorders. Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, 115(37), 611.
Tuma, A. H., & Maser, J. D. (2019). Anxiety and anxiety disorders. Routledge.