Practicum Manual Acknowledgment
The Practicum Manual describes the structure and timing of the classroom-based and practicum experiences and the policies students must follow to be successful in the nurse practitioner (NP) specialties.
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Anxiety disorders can be challenging and disabling. It becomes even more complex when children and adolescents are involved, as children may not be in a position to adequately understand or express their behaviors and feelings (Creswell et al.,2020). In addition, the parents may not fully understand the symptoms and signs. Therefore, it is important for a PMHNP to have enough skills and knowledge to appropriately commence a medication management process and therapy sessions and also offer appropriate education to the patients and their families. Alongside pharmacological management of mental health conditions such as anxiety disorders, patient education also plays a significant role when it comes to helping the patient adhere to or comply with the treatment process and the medication regimen (Creswell et al.,2020). Therefore, this blog explores the signs and symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, pharmacological treatments, non-pharmacological treatments, and appropriate community resources and referrals.
Symptoms
Generalized anxiety disorder is one of the anxiety disorders. A patient with the condition may have various symptoms, including experiences of sleep complications such as easily distracted sleep or difficulty in falling asleep, a problem with controlling worries, unexplained pains, stomachaches, muscle aches, headaches, and irritability (Price et al.,2019). In addition, the patient can have difficulty concentrating, getting fatigued easily, and having feelings of restlessness.
Pharmacological Treatments
As earlier indicated, mental health conditions need appropriate management strategies to help the patient have desirable outcomes. Following diagnostic strategies such as physical examination, blood, and urine test, use of psychological questionnaire, and the use of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, various medications can be used. Among them is the use of antidepressants such as paroxetine, using Buspirone, and the use of Benzodiazepines, which are used in reliving acute symptoms on a short-term basis (Strawn et al.,2018).
Non-pharmacological Treatments
In addition to the pharmacological treatment approaches, generalized anxiety disorders can be managed through non-pharmacological approaches. The most common approach is psychotherapy, where an individual works with a therapist to fight the symptoms related to anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy has particularly been proven to be effective in managing generalized anxiety disorder (Otte, 2022). The goals of cognitive behavioral therapy are to teach an individual some particular skills that can be used in directly managing worries and help an individual engage in activities that they had stopped due to anxiety.
Community Resources and Referrals
Successful management of generalized anxiety disorder may require that a person accesses various community resources and also obtain referrals. Fortunately, there are several community resources available for such patients. They include the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Mental Health which offers valuable information, and the National Institute of Mental health, which has support groups, information, and other resources (Terlizzi & Villarroel). The other resources include the Anxiety and Depression Association of America and the National Alliance on Mental illness. When an individual has been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, the diagnosing professional may decide to refer the patient, depending on the severity of the symptoms. For example, a patient may be referred to a counselor or psychologist for a cognitive behavioral therapy session or to commence a pharmacological management process.
References
Creswell, C., Waite, P., & Hudson, J. (2020). Practitioner Review: Anxiety disorders in children and young people–assessment and treatment. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61(6), 628–643. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13186
Otte, C. (2022). Cognitive behavioral therapy in anxiety disorders: current state of the evidence. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience. Order this paper