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CLINICAL SYNTHESIS
Published Online: July 2004

Quick Reference for Anxiety Disorders

The tables in this section are from Hollander E, Simeon D, Concise Guide to Anxiety Disorders, Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Publishing, 2003, and from Stein D, ed, Clinical Manual of Anxiety Disorders, Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Publishing, 2004. Copyright 2003 and 2004, American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc. Reprinted with permission.
Table 1. Differential Diagnosis of Social Phobia
Personality disorder, such as avoidant, schizoid, paranoid
Axis I paranoid disorder, such as paranoid schizophrenia or paranoid delusional disorder
Depression-related social withdrawal secondary to anhedonia or feelings of defectiveness
OCD-related fears exacerbated in social settings (e.g., contamination)
Panic disorder with phobic avoidance not limited to social situations
Deficits or impaired social skills associated with schizophrenia and related disorders
Body dysmorphic disorder with secondary social phobia

OCD=obsessive-compulsive disorder

Table 2. Biological Models of Panic Disorder
Hyperreactivity of the locus coeruleus
Decreased GABA-benzodiazepine receptor complex binding
Dysregulated serotonergic modulation
HPA axis dysregulation
Hypersensitive brain stem carbon dioxide chemoreceptors
Hypersensitive conditioned fear network centered in the amygdala
Moderate genetic component

GABA=gamma-aminobutyric acid, HPA=Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal

Table 3. Cognitive and Behavioral Approaches to Treating Panic Disorder
Interoceptive exposure (to the somatic cues of panic attacks)
Situational exposure (to the settings that are phobically avoided)
Cognitive restructuring
Breathing retraining
Applied relaxation training
Table 4. Cognitive and Behavioral Approaches to Treating Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Exposure
Cognitive restructuring
Breathing retraining
Applied relaxation training
Table 5. Cognitive and Behavioral Approaches to Treating Social Phobia
Cognitive restructuring
Exposure (imaginal and/or in vivo)
Social skills training (modeling, rehearsal, role-playing, practice)
Table 6. Cognitive and Behavioral Approaches to Treating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Graded exposure (imaginal and/or in vivo)
Flooding
Response prevention
Cognitive restructuring
Table 7. DSM-IV-TR Diagnostic Criteria for Specific Phobia
A.
Marked and persistent fear that is excessive or unreasonable, cued by the presence or anticipation of a specific object or situation (e.g., flying, heights, animals, receiving an injection, seeing blood).
B.
Exposure to the phobic stimulus almost invariably provokes an immediate anxiety response, which may take the form of a situationally bound or situationally predisposed panic attack. Note: In children, the anxiety may be expressed by crying, tantrums, freezing, or clinging.
C.
The person recognizes that the fear is excessive or unreasonable. Note: In children, this feature may be absent.
D.
The phobic situation(s) is avoided or else is endured with intense anxiety or distress.
E.
The avoidance, anxious anticipation, or distress in the feared situation(s) interferes significantly with the person’s normal routine, occupational (or academic) functioning, or social activities or relationships, or there is marked distress about having the phobia.
F.
In individuals under age 18 years, the duration is at least 6 months.
G.
The anxiety, panic attacks, or phobic avoidance associated with the specific object or situation are not better accounted for by another mental disorder, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (e.g., fear of dirt in someone with an obsession about contamination), posttraumatic stress disorder (e.g., avoidance of stimuli associated with a severe stressor), separation anxiety disorder (e.g., avoidance of school), social phobia (e.g., avoidance of social situations because of fear of embarrassment), panic disorder with agoraphobia, or agoraphobia without history of panic disorder.
Specify type:
    Animal type
    Natural environment type (e.g., heights, storms, water)
    Blood-injection-injury type
    Situational type (e.g., airplanes, elevators, enclosed spaces)
    Other type (e.g., fear of choking, vomiting, or contracting an illness; in children, fear of loud sounds or costumed characters)
Table 8. General Medical Disorders Associated With Anxiety Symptoms
Anemia
Arrhythmias
Angina
Asthma
Early dementia
Fibromyalgia
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
Hyperparathyroidism
Hyperthryroidism
Hypoglycemia
Irritable bowel syndrome
Mitral valve prolapse
Obstructive lung disease
Parkinson’s disease
Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation
Pheochromocytoma
Pulmonary embolus
Substance abuse/withdrawal (including narcotics, benzodiazepines, and beta-blockers)
Seizure disorders
Supraventricular tachycardia
Vestibular dysfunction
Table 9. Differential Diagnosis of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Axis I
    With obsessive-compulsive features
1.
Major depressive disorder (with “obsessive” rumination)
2.
Delusional disorder (somatic obsessions)
3.
Body dysmorphic disorder
4.
Specific or social phobia
5.
Hypochondriasis
6.
Eating disorders
7.
Schizophrenia
8.
Other disorders with “compulsive” symptomatology (trichotillomania, paraphilias, pathological gambling, substance abuse)
    With anxiety
1.
Panic disorder
2.
Posttraumatic stress disorder
3.
Generalized anxiety disorder
Axis II
1.
Pervasive developmental disorders
2.
Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
Late onset (after 45 years)
Evaluate for neuromedical illness: history (especially family history and exposure to environmental toxins), neuroexamination, basic clinical workup, and neurodiagnostics as indicated
1.
Neurodegenerative (e.g., Huntington’s chorea)
2.
Traumatic (rare anecdotal reports)
3.
Neoplastic and vascular

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Published in print: July 2004
Published online: 24 January 2015

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