Anxiety Disorders: Psychiatric Complications

• Published in: European psychiatry Vol. 30; p. 1117
• Main Authors: Smaoui, N, Feki, I, Feki, R, Baati, I, Masmoudi, J, Jaoua, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Masson SAS 28-03-2015
• Subjects: Internal Medicine; Psychiatry
• ISSN: 0924-9338; 1778-3585
• DOI: 10.1016/S0924-9338(15)30882-8

Introduction Complications of anxiety disorders can be serious and even life-threatening in some cases. Objective The aim of our study was to identify the complications related to anxiety disorders. Methods This is a cross-sectional study of 40 patients suffering from anxiety disorders and followed to the outpatient psychiatry Hedi Chaker University Hospital in Sfax Tunisia during the month of August 2014. The subjects who participated in the survey responded to an anonymous questionnaire to collect socio-economic and demographic data, the type of anxiety disorders and the presence of psychiatric complications related disorders. Diagnoses of anxiety disorders were selected according to DSM-IV-TR. Results The rate of each anxiety disorder was as follows in our patients: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) 31.6%, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) 15.8%, Panic Disorder(PD) without agoraphobia 21.1%, PD with agoraphobia 5.3%, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) 13.2%, Acute Stress Disorder(ESD) 10.5%, agoraphobia 2.6%. 55.3% of the patients were female. The mean age was 41.55 years, ranging from 18 to 67 years. 71% of patients were young people between 25 years and 45 years. 55.3% of patients lived in urban areas. 63.1% were married. 50% of the patients had, along the evolutionary course of their illness, psychiatric complications including: depression 57.9%, suicide attempts 31.6%, alcohol abuse 10.5%. Conclusion The findings underline the importance of the proper management of any anxiety disorder to reduce its complications and improve the quality of life of these patients.