Gender Differences in Anxiety Disorders: Prevalence, Course of Illness, Comorbidity, and Burden of Illness

2011 Article - used to pick out differences from recent studies

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3135672/

Insights

• women have been shown to have a higher prevalence but with less known information about how gender plays a part

• Women are almost twice as likely to develop GAD (6.6% vs. 3.6%)

• At this time, there was little research (and existing research was inconsistently conducted) regarding how race, ethnicity, and gender influence prevalence/presentation of anxiety disorders

• Men are more likely to abuse substances with an anxiety disorder

• Women are likely to experience an eating disorder with an anxiety disorder

• Men are more likely to experience Intermittent Explosive Disorder with an anxiety disorder

• European-American women had a higher prevalence of missing more work days, visit the ER more, and visit specialists during dependence/ dysfunction

• Women with anxiety disorders tend to cope with agoraphobic avoidance(Isolation, avoiding public place

• Over half of medical costs for people with anxiety disorders were nonpsychiatric

• Men are more likely to visit a professional

  • • speculated to men being given more appropriate resources

• Women are more likely to seek treatment but more likely not to receive mental health services

Perceived Anxiety Disorder Stigma: A Predictive Analysis

https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1671&context=jsbhs

Insights

• Covid-19 has led to uncertainty, health concerns (oneself and family), and disruptions of daily life - leading to an increase in general anxiety.

• "allostatic load"- the body's physiological response to chronic stress

• Stigma leads to aversions to reaching out for treatment as well as an increase in intense anxiety symptoms

• Anxiety sufferers may experience restlessness, agitation, aggression, fatigue, sleep distribution, and concentration issues

• Anxiety Stigma also leads to disassociation, depression, and personality disorders

• Negative views from the public and in healthcare lead to poor treatment outcomes

• Mental health stigma hinders treatment in men more often

• Individuals with higher education are less likely to perceive stigma

• Very little research exists regarding clinical populations

• Internalized stigma plays a larger part in avoiding treatment than external stigma

Anxiety Coping Strategies - Cumberland Heights

https://www.cumberlandheights.org/blogs/anxiety-coping-strategies-the-3-3-3-rule-mindfulness-and-more/

Insights 

• 3-3-3 Method - Grounding exercise by engaging the senses and interrupting anxious thought patterns. This method is also accessible and can be done anywhere.

  • • Name 3 things you see.

    • Name 3 things you hear

    • Name 3 parts of your body

• Mindfulness

  • • Breathing exercises - focusing on breathing to draw away from anxious thought patterns

      • • In for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 6

• Body scanning, guided meditation(Calm, headspace)

• Journaling - allow for a shift in mindset and reflection of anxiety triggers/patterns

  • • Gratitude journaling, Anxiety logs, stream-of-consciousness writing(writing anything that comes to mind for a set time) 

• Exercise - increases endorphins(can be light: such as yoga or stretching), relieving stress

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/cognitive-behavioral

Insights

• Based on the core principals of:

  • • psychological problems are based on:

      • • unhelpful ways of thinking

        • learned patterns of unhelpful behavior 

        • better coping methods learned

• Strategies include:

  • • learning to recognize one's warped perceptions and reevaluating them in reality

    • understanding your behavior and the motivations of others

    • using problem-solving skills

    • learning to build one's confidence 

    • Facing, rather than avoiding one's fears

    • using role-playing to prepare for potentially difficult situations 

    • learning to calm oneself and relax

• CBT may use a combination of these strategies, depending on the patient

• CBT teaches patients to be their own therapist, putting them in control 

Adverse Effects of Anti Anxiety Drugs

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6119192/

Insights

• The most common side effect of benzodiazepines is:

  • • Oversedation

      • • more common in juvenile and geriatric patients

        • common during trial period and upping a dosage

• Overall, side effects are rare and are more contributed to overprescription