In many cases, anxiety is experienced due to a change of circumstances in one's life; it might be confusing as to whether it is simply an adjustment disorder or an anxiety disorder. It is also common for some patients to have both disorders at the same time. For better mental health, it is crucial to differentiate between the two and to know the treatment of panic disorder which may lead to further problems if not treated, unlike adjustment disorder which may end without treatment.
Symptoms of adjustment disorder include hopelessness, stress, feeling sad, and physical symptoms. Symptoms of adjustment disorder occur because victims find it difficult to cope with existing changes (Stahl, 2017). For people of any age, common triggers and examples include the death of a close family member, domestic problems, general changes in life, moving homes, and financial insecurities. In young adults and teenagers, sexuality problems, school problems, and family problems are the most common causes of stress. Adjustment disorder varies from one patient to another as well as possibilities to cope with the changes causing the stress. Although many patients recover from this disorder with little or no treatment applied, it is crucial to monitor and guide stressed individuals to prevent further mental illnesses.
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On the other hand, panic disorders are series of intense fear or panic attacks that peak within few minutes; according to Quinn and Peters (2017), this disorder is quite severe compared to adjustment disorder. The majority of the people experience panic attacks either once or twice in their entire lives (Quinn & Peters, 2017). Panic disorders are rarer with one in every seventy-five people having the experience. Four or more panic attacks indicate the possibility of a disorder. These attacks last up to 10 or 20 minutes. Panic disorders have more physical symptoms compared to discomfort caused by change. Some of the symptoms include a racing heartbeat, dizziness, shortness of breath, sweating, trembling, chest pains, and fear of dying. even though there are no definite causes of the condition, statistics indicate that women are twice as likely as men to develop the disorder (Stahl, 2017). It is important to seek medical assistance once these symptoms are experienced.
In the diagnosis process, the emergency provider performs several emergency tests to rule out a heart attack and other conditions that might have caused the symptoms (Gabbard, 2014). The patient is referred back to the primary healthcare giver if the symptoms are not based on emergencies. Mental health examinations are then performed to rule out other disorders before a panic disorder is diagnosed (Gabbard, 2014). Therapy and medication are the treatments for panic disorder; these treatments focus on reducing and eliminating the present symptoms. According to Gabbard (2014), fluoxetine, paroxetine, and sertraline are common serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs); these are a type of anti-depressants, used in the treatment of the disorder.
In conclusion, patients can have both disorders, and anxiety disorder can be made worse by changes in the environment. Patients with adjustment discomfort will often witness a significant reduction in their anxiety as they adapt to the changes, whereas panic attacks re continuous for those with panic disorders. Regardless if suffer from panic or adjustment disorders, it is vital to know that treatment is readily available and recovery is possible. Visiting a trained therapist can help patients manage their symptoms and learn coping skills to use during changes. In other instances, the use of both therapy and anti-depressants can help patients regain control of their mental health.
References
Gabbard, G. (2014). Gabbard's Treatments of Psychiatric Disorders, Fifth Edition (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Publishing.
Quinn, B., & Peters, A. (2017). Strategies to Reduce Nursing Student Test Anxiety: A Literature Review. Journal Of Nursing Education, 56(3). https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20170222-05
Stahl, S. (2017). Prescriber’s Guide: Stahl’s Essential Psychopharmacology (6th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
