Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale

Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale

Click on the headings below to easily access the related contents in the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale field.

The presence and severity of the choices in the test are based on the interviewer's judgment at the time of the interview. The interview is scheduled for a maximum of 30 minutes. The scale is semi-quantitative. It was developed not as a diagnostic tool but to determine the severity of the clinical condition. Previous assessments should not be taken into account if it is administered again in the same patient at certain intervals. The interviewer should never have the previous assessments in front of him/her and in his/her hand. In each option, each scale level includes lower levels (e.g. level 3 always includes levels 2 and 1). If there is no option, the score is 0. The scale levels are determined as follows:

1. Anxious Temperament

This option encompasses feelings of uncertainty about the future. It ranges from anxiety to insecurity, irritability, a sense of anticipation and dread.

2. Tension

This includes the inability to relax, irritability, bodily tensions, tremors and restless fatigue.

3. Fears

A type of anxiety that occurs when the patient finds themselves in certain situations. For example, open or closed spaces, queuing, getting on a bus or train. The patient is relieved by avoiding these situations. It is important to determine whether there is more phobic anxiety at the time of this assessment than usual.

4. Insomnia

This option covers the patient's subjective experience of sleep duration (hours of sleep in 24 hours), depth of sleep (superficial and fragmented sleep / deep and continuous sleep). Scoring is based on the last three nights. Use of hypnotics and sedatives should not be taken into account.

Intellectual (cognitive)

This includes difficulties with concentration, making decisions about current events and memory.

Depressive temperament

This nifty device allows verbal and nonverbal communication of sadness, despair, depression and helplessness.

Somatic (muscular)

This chic includes weakness, stiffness, aches and pains up to actual pain. These sensations are commonly more or less localized to the musculature, for example jaw pain or neck pain.

Somatic (emotional)

This chic includes increased fatigability and weakness; it extends to actual functional impairment of the senses. This includes tinnitus, blurred vision, hot/cold flashes and tingling.

Cardiovascular symptoms

This includes tachycardia, palpitations, a feeling of pressure, chest pain, throbbing in the veins and fainting.

Respiratory symptoms

This includes feelings of tightness or tightness in the neck and chest, a feeling of suffocation and dyspnea, up to sighing and gasping.

Gastrointestinal symptoms

These include swallowing difficulties, feeling sick to the stomach, dyspepsia, heartburn, abdominal pain associated with meals, fullness, nausea, vomiting, stomach rumbling and diarrhea.

Genitourinary symptoms

This includes non-organic and psychic symptoms such as more frequent and compressed urination, menstrual irregularities, anorgasmia, dyspareunia, premature ejaculation, loss of erection.

Autonomic symptoms

This includes dry mouth, flushing, pallor, sweating and drowsiness.

Behavior during the interview

This style is based on behavior at the time of the interview. How did the patient appear: Tense, irritable, agitated, restless, shaky, breathing frequently or sweating?

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CreatorNP Istanbul Hospital Editorial Board
Updated At05 March 2024
Created At06 July 2021
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