No abstract available.

OBJECTIVES: Insomnia is significantly influenced by the pre-sleep arousal, self efficacy, sleep hygiene, depression and anxiety. The authors tried to explore how these factors are related with the clinical features of sleep. METHODS: Fifty three patients diagnosed as insomnia by DSM-IV criteria were studied. They filled up the pre-sleep arousal scale(PSAS), sleep efficacy scale(SES), sleep hygiene awareness and practice scale, BDI, and state and trait anxiety scales. RESULTS: 1) The mean values of sleep-related variables were as follows : Sleep latency,136.89 minutes ; frequences of awakening during a night, 2.28 ; minutes to get back to sleep, 42.70 ; total sleep time, 180.19 minutes ; duration of illness, 72.00 months. 2) The mean scores of scales were as follows : PSAS(cognitive), 22.40 ; PSAS (somatic), 17.32 ; SES, 20.16 ; sleep hygiene knowledge, 25.96 ; caffeine knowledge, 59.78 ; sleep hygiene practice, 42.12 ; BDI 18.2 ; state anxiety, 41.24 ; trait anxiety ; 44.50. 3) In the subjects with superimposed depression, the mean frequency of awakening during a night and the mean pre-sleep arousal scale score were higher than in those without depression. 4) Frequency of awakening were correlated positively with a PSAS(a tight tense feeling in your muscle) and sleep hygiene awareness. PSAS(cognitive) were correlated positively with a PSAS(somatic). BDI correlated positively with a PSAS item(a jittery, nervous feeling in your body)and a SES item(not allow a poor night's sleep to interfere with daily activities). Anxiety scales were correlated positively with sleep hygiene practice scale sleep and PSAS were correlated negatively with SES. CONCLUSIONS: The mean scores of PSAS, SES, sleep hygiene awareness and practice scale, BDI, state and trait anxiety scales of insomniacs were correlated either positively or negatively in insomnia patients. These factors seem to contribute to the development and maintenance of insomnia.
Anxiety* ; Arousal* ; Caffeine ; Depression* ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Humans ; Hygiene* ; Self Efficacy* ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders* ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation ; Weights and Measures

No abstract available.

Although generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a common disorder with significant impairments in clinical field, little is known about exact diagnosis and differential diagnosis. The reasons of little information about diagnosis and differential diagnosis of GAD are 1) changing and vagueness of diagnostic criteria of GAD, 2) multiple medical and psychiatric co-morbidity, 3) atypical presentation of clinical symptoms, 4) patterns of treatment seeking, 5) late introduction of effective treatment modalities. However, GAD is a commonly occurring, independent mental disorder in psychiatry. Recently, the epidemiological and clinical studies on GAD is increasing. For the exact evaluation and to resolve remaining uncertainties on diagnosing the patients with generalized anxiety symptoms, the author reviewed the different diagnostic criteria, the results of epidemiological surveys, clinical characteristics, co-morbidity, differential diagnosis for the exact diagnosis of GAD.
Anxiety Disorders* ; Anxiety* ; Diagnosis* ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Humans ; Mental Disorders

Although generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a common disorder with significant impairments in clinical field, little is known about exact diagnosis and differential diagnosis. The reasons of little information about diagnosis and differential diagnosis of GAD are 1) changing and vagueness of diagnostic criteria of GAD, 2) multiple medical and psychiatric co-morbidity, 3) atypical presentation of clinical symptoms, 4) patterns of treatment seeking, 5) late introduction of effective treatment modalities. However, GAD is a commonly occurring, independent mental disorder in psychiatry. Recently, the epidemiological and clinical studies on GAD is increasing. For the exact evaluation and to resolve remaining uncertainties on diagnosing the patients with generalized anxiety symptoms, the author reviewed the different diagnostic criteria, the results of epidemiological surveys, clinical characteristics, co-morbidity, differential diagnosis for the exact diagnosis of GAD.
Anxiety Disorders* ; Anxiety* ; Diagnosis* ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Humans ; Mental Disorders

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between insomnia severity, depression, anxiety, and anxiety sensitivity and to find out the explanatory variables that account for the insomnia severity among depression, anxiety, and anxiety sensitivity in general population. 95 mentally healthy volunteers who visit health promotion center of Kangbuk Samsung hospital for their regular medical examination were requested to complete Athens Insomnia Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Anxiety Sensitivity Index. Association between total scores of Athens Insomnia scale and other variables (total scores of Beck Depression Inventory excluded item 16, total scores of State Anxiety, total scores of Trait Anxiety, and total scores of Anxiety Sensitivity Scale) was assessed individually with partial correlations adjusted by age and then together using multiple regression analysis. The total scores of Athens Insomnia Scale were significantly associated with total scores of Beck Depression Inventory excluded item 16(r = 0.541, p<0.001), total scores of Trait Anxiety(r = 0.642, p<0.001), total scores of State Anxiety(r = 0.267, p<0.05), and total scores of Anxiety Sensitivity Index(r = 0.312, p<0.01). Total scores of trait anxiety showed the highest correlation with the total scores of Athens Insomnia Scale and was the significant predictor to total scores of Athens Insomnia Scale among the other predictor variables (p<0.001). These results show that insomnia severity is positively correlated with depression, anxiety, and anxiety sensitivity. The correlation was strongest with trait anxiety. In addition, our results suggest that trait anxiety is associated with insomnia severity in general populations.
Anxiety* ; Depression* ; Health Promotion ; Healthy Volunteers ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders*

To provide a recent knowledge about pharmacological treatment of anxiety disorders in elderly, the author reviewed the articles and books for the treatment of elderly anxiety patients. Anxiety is the one of the most prevalent psychiatric symptoms in the elderly. Many psychological and physical causes including used drugs can induce the anxiety symptoms in elderly. However, it is often unrecognized and inadequately treated. The pharcokinetics and pharmacodynamic changes, con-comittent illnesses, compliance problems, and increased sensitivity to drugs in elderly have to be considered. Various pharmacological treatments (e.g benzodiazepines, buspirone, antidepressnats, beta-blockers, antihistamines, neuroleptics)were reported as having therapeutic effects for the treatment of geriatric anxiety disorders patients. They have their own advantages and disadvantages. However, anxiety in elderly have received little focus to date. The study results often depend on the studies from adult samples. A comprehensive, flexible, integrated, and specific treatment approaches should be applied to elderly anxious patients. The more systematized studies are needed to broaden the knowledge of the pharmacological treatment of anxiety disorders in the elderly.
Adult ; Aged* ; Anxiety ; Anxiety Disorders ; Benzodiazepines ; Buspirone ; Compliance ; Drug Therapy* ; Histamine Antagonists ; Humans

Anxiety is one of the basic human emotions. From the evolutionary psychology point of view, it is a necessary factor for survival and prosperity of human beings that had been developed throughout time with the history of human survival and development. Anxiety plays the role of protecting one from social or physical threats. In reality, lacking of anxiety showed lots of examples of maladjustments. But the result of over-adjustment, which is overanxious disorder, is definitely disturbing one's survival and growth, and it can lead to anxiety disorder that needs to be treated. Anxiety from the evolutionary psychology point of view, started as a primary adjustment form and it evolves into various types of anxiety disorders that relates to the modern society's characters. Therefore, having the grasp of evolutionary psychology, which can be the base of treating anxiety and anxiety disorders, is very important. So from now on, studies for this aspect would need to be done as integrated and multidisciplinary studies not only by psychiatrists, but by including epidemiologists, psychologists, ecologists, biologists, and neuropsychologists. In this article, the author tried to review and explore the idea of anxiety and anxiety disorders from the evolutionary psychology point of view.
Anxiety Disorders* ; Anxiety* ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Psychiatry ; Psychology

OBJECTIVE: The polymorphism of cytochrome P-450 2D6 (CYP2D6) is responsible for the metabolism of psychotrophics including antidepressants such as paroxetine. In order to maximize the clinical effects and minimize the adverse effects of antidepressants, it is important to analyze the polymorphic alleles of CYP gene. The authors investigated the relationships of polymorphic alleles of cytochrome P-450 2D6 genes and clinical effects and adverse effects of paroxetine in Korean depressive disorders patients. METHODS: Subjects were 50 (26 male, 24 female) who met DSM-IV criterion of major depressive disorder or dysthymic disorder. Fresh blood was taken from peripheral vein of each subject and PCR and RFLP analysis was applied for detecting the polymorphism of CYP 2D6. We compared the clinical effects and the side effects with the polymorphic alleles of CYP 2D6. RESULTS: The authors could find the low mutation frequencies of 2 major loci of CYP 2D6 gene. There were no relationships between polymorphic alleles of CYP 2D6 genes and clinical effects and adverse effects of paroxetine in Korean depressive disorders patients. CONCLUSION: This study, limited by small number of subjects, limited number of loci studied and no use of approved scales, suggested that there were low frequencies of mutation in major loci of CYP 2D6 gene, and no relationships between polymorphic alleles and clinical outcomes in Korean depressive disorders patients.
Alleles ; Antidepressive Agents ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2D6 ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System* ; Cytochromes* ; Depressive Disorder* ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Dysthymic Disorder ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Metabolism ; Mutation Rate ; Paroxetine* ; Phenotype ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Veins ; Weights and Measures

The best and only solution for suicide is prevention. Suicidal behavior can be divided into 3 phases: suicidal ideation, suicidal planning, and suicide attempt. To prevent suicide more effectively, it is better to intervene at an earlier phase of suicidal behavior before suicide attempts occur. It is essential to educate the public, gatekeepers, and mental health professionals about suicide prevention. The authors suggest that the role of the public and the gatekeepers-identifying signs of suicide earlier and referring to professionals-is very important because suicidal behavior is common in Korea. Although many public institutions or private organizations that are working for suicide prevention in Korea have made an effort to educate the public and the gatekeepers, the outcome has not yet been satisfactory due to a lack of structured programs for education. There are several kinds of well-made educational programs for gatekeepers. However, most of these programs were developed in foreign countries which have social and cultural backgrounds different from Korea. It is essential to develop a structured, systemized educational program that reflects the cultural and social characteristics of Korean society for the public and the gatekeepers.
Korea ; Mental Health ; Sociology ; Suicidal Ideation ; Suicide