9.1 Introduction
Learning Objectives
- Apply the nursing process to patients with anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Describe nursing assessments related to anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Identify common nursing problems/diagnoses related to anxiety disorders
- Establish a safe environment
- Apply evidence-based practice when planning and implementing nursing care
- Describe common treatments for anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Identify appropriate referrals to community resources
- Evaluate the effectiveness of interventions
- Provide education to patients and their family members
Anxiety is a part of everyday life and can be experienced to varying degrees from helpful to harmful. Anxiety is a response to stress, whether the stressor is experienced as a positive or negative. Positive stressors might be anticipating visits from family and friends whereas negative stressors can be an argument with a loved one. For example, mild anxiety can provide energy and concentration needed to complete important tasks or provide motivation to make healthy behavioral changes. However, excessive anxiety can cause distress and impair an individual’s functioning in social, educational, occupational, or other areas of functioning.
This chapter will describe levels of anxiety and common anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and phobias. It will also describe how anxiety is related to obsessive-compulsive disorder and some medical conditions. The nursing process will be applied to caring for individuals experiencing anxiety as a prominent symptom.
