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| Anxiety Disorders |
Anxiety Disorders
According to DSM-III-R anxiety disorders are estimated to range from2%to 4%of the general population in the U.S.A. In Egypt a study on psychiatric morbidity among university students showed that anxiety states were diagnosed in 36% of the total sample . In 1993, anxiety states represented about 22.6% of the psychiatric outpatient clinic in a selected Egyptian sample . In 1981, Okasha and Ashour undertook the first attempt to study the sociodemographic aspects of anxiety disorders in Egypt and to apply the Arabic version of the Present State Examination (PSE) in evaluating the profiles of clusters and symptoms of anxiety in a sample of 120 patients with anxiety. The findings revealed that the most common symptoms were worrying (82%), irritability (73%), free-floating anxiety (70%), depressed mood (65%), tiredness (64%), restlessness (63%),
anergia and retardation (61%). The rarest were alcohol abuse (2%) and drug abuse (5%). Suicidal plans were uncommon (9%), delayed sleep (49%) was more common than early waking (22%). Panic attacks were represented in 30%, situational anxiety in 35%, specific phobias in 37% and avoidance in 53%.
Males showed significantly more hypochondriasis and anxiety on meeting people than females(p<0.01). This can be explained by the fact thatmales in our culture tend to somatize their psychological symptoms, as the alternative may lower their prestige and degrade their pride, because the belief is that “real”men should not have psychological symptoms. The man is required to play a superior, confident, dignified role, which may challenge his power of adaptation and accentuate his anxiety about meeting people. Females showed significantly more increased free-floating anxiety, loss of weight and conversion symptoms.
There were highly significant differences between illiterates and high school graduates. Poor concentration, loss of weight, delayed sleep, anergia, retardation, obsessional checking, fugues and amnesia were more common in the educated group, while illiterates more often suffered from depersonalization, dissociative and conversion symptoms. This is in accordance with the familiar clinical observation that hysterical symptoms are more frequent among the uneducated population with average and below average intelligence.
According to DSM-III-R anxiety disorders are estimated to range from2%to 4%of the general population in the U.S.A. In Egypt a study on psychiatric morbidity among university students showed that anxiety states were diagnosed in 36% of the total sample . In 1993, anxiety states represented about 22.6% of the psychiatric outpatient clinic in a selected Egyptian sample . In 1981, Okasha and Ashour undertook the first attempt to study the sociodemographic aspects of anxiety disorders in Egypt and to apply the Arabic version of the Present State Examination (PSE) in evaluating the profiles of clusters and symptoms of anxiety in a sample of 120 patients with anxiety. The findings revealed that the most common symptoms were worrying (82%), irritability (73%), free-floating anxiety (70%), depressed mood (65%), tiredness (64%), restlessness (63%),
anergia and retardation (61%). The rarest were alcohol abuse (2%) and drug abuse (5%). Suicidal plans were uncommon (9%), delayed sleep (49%) was more common than early waking (22%). Panic attacks were represented in 30%, situational anxiety in 35%, specific phobias in 37% and avoidance in 53%.
Males showed significantly more hypochondriasis and anxiety on meeting people than females(p<0.01). This can be explained by the fact thatmales in our culture tend to somatize their psychological symptoms, as the alternative may lower their prestige and degrade their pride, because the belief is that “real”men should not have psychological symptoms. The man is required to play a superior, confident, dignified role, which may challenge his power of adaptation and accentuate his anxiety about meeting people. Females showed significantly more increased free-floating anxiety, loss of weight and conversion symptoms.
There were highly significant differences between illiterates and high school graduates. Poor concentration, loss of weight, delayed sleep, anergia, retardation, obsessional checking, fugues and amnesia were more common in the educated group, while illiterates more often suffered from depersonalization, dissociative and conversion symptoms. This is in accordance with the familiar clinical observation that hysterical symptoms are more frequent among the uneducated population with average and below average intelligence.
