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psych units 6
Anxiety
32
Nursing
Undergraduate 1
10/20/2011

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Cards

Term
What is Anxiety
Definition

Uncomfortable feeling of dread, in response to prolonged periods of stress.

Term

Anxiety

Four levels

Definition
Mild, Moderate, Severe, Panic
Term

Why is Normal anxiety considered good 

Definition
because it is necessary for survival
Term
What is Fear?
Definition
is a reaction to a specific danger
Term
What level of anxiety occurs in the normal experience of everyday living, allows an individual to perceive reality in sharp focus.
Definition
Mild anxiety
Term
What happens as anxiety increases to Moderate Anxiety?
Definition

the perceptual field narrows, and some details are excluded from observation.

They may see, hear, and grasp less information

 may demonstrate selective inattention,

Term
What is selective inattention
Definition
only certain things in the environment are seen or heard unless they are pointed out.
Term
How is the perceptual field of a person experiencing severe anxiety?
Definition

it is greatly reduced.

 may focus on one particular detail or many scattered details and have difficulty noticing what is going on in the environment, even when it is pointed out by another.

Term
Why is trying to teach a pt in a Severe Anxiety state not a good idea?
Definition
Learning and problem solving are not possible at this level, and the person maybe dazed and confused.
Term

T/F

A person with severe anxiety may have somatic symptoms

Definition

TRUE

(headache, nausea, dizziness, insomnia)

Term
_______ is the most extreme level of anxiety and results in markedly disturbed behavior.
Definition
Panic
Term
Someone in a state of panic is unable to process what?
Definition
unable to process what is going on in the envi¬ ronment and may lose touch with reality.
Term

How might the behavior be of

someone in a state of panic

Definition

shouting, screaming, or withdrawal. Hallucinations, or false sensory perceptions  

behavior may become erratic, uncoordinated, and impulsive.

Term
What are the Precipitating Stressors of anxity
Definition
Threats to physical integrity
Threats to self-system (job, identiy)
Term
What coping resoureses might the nurse assess for in a pt?
Definition
Economic assets,  Problem-solving skills,  
Social supports,  Cultural beliefs
Term
What are Defense mechanisms?
Definition
are automatic coping styles that protect people from anxiety and maintain self-image by blocking feelings, conflicts, and memories.
Term
What are the adaptive use of defense mechanisms
Definition
helps people lower anxiety to achieve goals in acceptable ways.
Term
What is Maladaptive use of defense mechanisms
Definition
When one or several are used in excess, particularly in the overuse of immature defenses.
Term

Defense Mechanism 

Compensation

Definition
is used to make up for perceived deficiencies and cover up shortcomings related to these deficiencies to protect the conscious mind from recognizing them.
Term

Defense Mechanism 

Conversion

Definition
is the unconscious transformation of anxiety into a physical symptom with no organic cause. Often the symptom functions to gain attention or as an excuse.
Term

Defense Mechanism

Denial

Definition
involves escaping unpleasant, anxiety-causing thoughts, feelings, wishes, or needs by ignoring their existence.
Term

Defense Mechanism

Displacement

Definition
is the transference of emotions associated with a particular person, object, or situation to another nonthreatening person, object, or situation.
Term

Defense Mechanism

Dissociation

Definition
is a disruption in the usually integrated functions of consciousness, memory, identity, or perception of the environment. It may result in a separation between feeling and thought. This can also manifest itself in compartmentalizing uncomfortable or unpleasant aspects of oneself.
Term

Defense Mechanism

Identification

Definition
is attributing to oneself the characteristics of another person or group. This may be done consciously or unconsciously.
Term

Defense Mechanism

Intellectualization

Definition
is a process in which events are analyzed based on remote, cold facts and without passion, rather than incorporating feeling and emotion into the processing.
Term

Defense Mechanism

Introjection

Definition
is the process by which the outside world is incorporated or absorbed into a person's view of the self.
Term

Defense Mechanism

Projection

Definition
refers to the unconscious rejection of emotionally unacceptable features and attributing them to other people, objects, or situations. You can remember this defense through the childhood retort of "What you say is what you are."
Term

Defense Mechanism

Reaction formation

Definition
is when unacceptable feelings or behaviors are controlled and kept out of awareness by developing the opposite behavior or emotion.
Term

Defense Mechanism

Sublimation

Definition
is an unconscious process of substituting mature, constructive, and socially acceptable activity for immature, destructive, and unacceptable impulses. Often these impulses are sexual or aggressive.
Term

Defense Mechanism

Undoing

Definition

 

is most commonly seen in children. It is when a person makes up for an act or communication.

Term

What is

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Definition
}Anxiety that is persistent, overwhelming and out of proportion (Lasts for 6 months or longer)
}Emerges slowly; chronic; mild-severe
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