Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder is diagnosed if symptoms are present in
most days than not for more than six moths.
Generalized
anxiety disorder is one of the common anxiety disorders. Anxiety
disorders are the term covering several different forms of abnormal,
pathological anxiety, fear, phobia and nervous condition, which may
come on all of a sudden or gradually, over a period of several years
and may impair or prevent the pursuing of normal daily routines.
The essential
characteristic of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is excessive
uncontrollable worry about everyday things. This constant worry
affects daily functioning and can cause physical symptoms. GAD is
usually difficult to diagnose for it lacks some of the dramatic
symptoms, like unprovoked panic attacks, that are seen with other
anxiety disorders. To be able to diagnose Generalized Anxiety
Disorder, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms must be present
more days than not for at least 6 months.
The diagnostic
criteria for Generalized Anxiety Disorder symptoms are:
● Excessive
anxiety and worry (apprehension), occurring more days than not for a
period of at least 6 months, about numerous events or
activities.
● The person
with GAD finds it hard to control the worry.
● The anxiety
and worry are associated with three or more of the following six
symptoms, with at least some symptoms are present for more than 6
months in most days than not (at least one is required for
children):
o
restlessness or feeling tense or on the
edge
o
easily fatigued
o
difficulty concentrating or mind going
blank
o
irritability
o
muscle tension and muscle aches
o
difficulty falling or staying asleep,
or restless unsatisfying sleep
o
difficulty swallowing
o
trembling, sweating
o
nausea, light-headedness
o
feeling out of breath
● The focus of
anxiety and worry is not limited to, or the anxiety or worry is not
about having a panic attack, being embarrassed in the public, being
contaminated, gaining weight, having multiple physical complaints,
or having a serious illness, and the anxiety, and worry do not occur
exclusively during post traumatic disorder.
● The anxiety,
worry, or physical symptoms cause clinically significant distress or
impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of
everyday activities.
● The
disturbance is not due to the direct physiological effect of
substance, such as alcohol and drug abuse, or medical condition, and
does not occur exclusively during a mood disorder, a psychotic
disorder, or a pervasive developmental disorder.
When the anxiety
level of people with GAD is mild, they can still function socially
and keep a job. Even if they don’t avoid certain situations as a
result of their disorder, they may have difficulty doing the
simplest daily activities if there anxiety is severe. The disorder
comes on gradually and can begin at any age, but the risk is highest
between childhood and middle age.
Generalized
Anxiety Disorder is commonly treated with medication or
cognitive-behavioral therapy. Several drugs are used to treat
anxiety disorders and these include: benzodiazepines and
antidepressants, and Quetiapine.
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