A nurse is providing education to a client diagnosed with a specific phobia. Which medication class should the nurse include in the teaching plan?

Choice A rationale:

Neurochemical imbalances in the brain are more commonly associated with mood disorders like depression and anxiety disorders in general, rather than being a specific cause of the physiological symptoms seen in phobias.

Choice B rationale:

Negative self-beliefs and cognitive distortions are central to anxiety disorders like generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder, but they don't directly explain the acute physiological symptoms like palpitations and sweating seen in phobias.

Choice C rationale:

Traumatic experiences and learned associations are relevant to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other anxiety disorders. However, they are not the primary cause of physiological symptoms in specific phobias.

Choice D rationale:

The correct answer. Specific phobias trigger a "fight or flight" response through the autonomic nervous system, leading to physiological symptoms like palpitations, sweating, and shortness of breath. This response is an evolutionary adaptation designed to prepare the body to respond to threats.

Choice D rationale:

The individual fears or avoids certain situations due to thoughts of difficulty escaping or lack of available help in case of developing incapacitating symptoms (Choice D) is a characteristic of agoraphobia. Individuals with agoraphobia often fear being in situations where escape might be challenging or help might not be readily available if they experience intense anxiety or panic symptoms.

Choice A rationale:

The fear or anxiety is not better explained by another mental disorder (Choice A) is a general criterion for diagnosing anxiety disorders, but it doesn't specifically relate to agoraphobia.

Choice B rationale:

The individual fears or avoids social situations due to the perceived threat of negative evaluation (Choice B) is more indicative of social anxiety disorder, not agoraphobia.

Choice C rationale:

The fear or anxiety is persistent, typically lasting for 6 months or more (Choice C) is a general criterion for diagnosing anxiety disorders, but it doesn't uniquely characterize agoraphobia.