Marty is pacing and complains of racing thoughts. Nurse Lally asks the client if something upsetting happened, and Marty’s response is vague and not focused on the question. Nurse Lally assess Marty’s level of anxiety as:
A. Mild
B. Moderate
C. Severe
D. Panic
Correct Answer: C. Severe
When the client has difficulty focusing and exhibits excessive motor activity, the level of anxiety is severe. Severe anxiety is intensely debilitating, and symptoms of severe anxiety meet key diagnostic criteria for clinically-significant anxiety disorder. People with severe anxiety typically score higher on scales of distress and lower on functioning. Severe anxiety symptoms also frequently co-occur with major depression, which can contribute to greater disability.
Option A: Mild anxiety is characterized by increased alertness and problem-solving ability. Although often described as sub-clinical or clinically non-significant, mild anxiety can impact emotional, social, and professional functioning. Mild anxiety symptoms may present as social anxiety or shyness and can be experienced in early childhood through to adulthood. If left unaddressed, mild anxiety can lead to maladaptive coping strategies or more severe mental conditions.
Option B: Moderate anxiety is characterized by the ability to focus on central concerns but the inability to problem-solve without assistance. People with moderate levels of anxiety have more frequent or persistent symptoms than those with mild anxiety, but still have better daily functioning than someone with severe anxiety or panic disorder. For example, people with moderate anxiety may report experiencing symptoms such as feeling on edge, being unable to control their worrying or being unable to relax several days or the majority of days in a week, but not every day. Although moderate anxiety symptoms are disruptive, people with moderate anxiety may have success in managing their anxiety with the help of a doctor or self-help strategies.
Option D: Panic level of anxiety is characterized by complete inability to focus and reduced perceptions. Panic level anxiety, or panic disorder, is characterized by frequent, recurring and unexpected panic attacks. Panic attacks usually last around 10 minutes. The triggers for panic attacks vary from person to person, and the cause of an attack may be familiar to a person or unknown.