Generalized Anxiety Disorder
INTRODUCTION:
- Generalized anxiety disorder is an affliction of intense worry and anxiety.
- GAD is characterized by your worrying interfering with your everyday life
ETIOLOGY:
- Genetics
- Abnormal levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in the brain
- Environmental factors
SYMPTOMS:
- Excessive worry or tension
- Restlessness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Muscle tension
- Tiredness
- Need to use the bathroom often
- Trembling
- Easily startled
TREATMENT:
Pharmacological:
- Buspirone
- Benzodiazepines
- Antidepressants (usually won’t help for at least 6 weeks)
Therapies:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapies are the most effective and common way to combat Generalized anxiety disorder.
It uses a 5 step program of self help and therapy:
- Education- distinguish between good and bad worry
- Monitoring- discover what, when, why you worry
- Physical Control Strategies- deep breathing to relax
- Cognitive Control Strategies- evaluate and alter your thinking patterns
- Behavioral Strategies- face your fears head on to eliminate them
Exam Question
- Muscle tension,Irritability,Restlessness but not Fear of impedending doom are seen in general anxiety disorder
- Lithium is not used in treatment of general anxiety disorder
- SSRIs are not effective in treatment of general anxiety disorder
Don’t Forget to Solve all the previous Year Question asked on Generalized Anxiety Disorder