Generalized Anxiety Disorders: A Case Study

According to DSM-V, “anxiety disorders include disorders that share features of excessive fear and anxiety and related behavioral

Odds are you or someone you know suffers from an anxiety disorder, this comes at no surprise however, because according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America a whopping 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population suffer from these disorders. According to helpguide.org there are six types of anxiety disorders, they consist of generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder, phobias, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Within some of these disorders are different more specific disorders that can be diagnosed as well. For the most part all of these disorders come with their own signs, symptoms, caustations, and treatments, leaving a visit to a mental health professional as the best

Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric disorder in the United States. Between 15 - 19% of the population suffers from this disorder, which impairs the quality of life and functioning (Stuart 218). What is anxiety? Abnormal Psychology describes anxiety as “an adaptive emotion that helps us plan and prepare for a possible theat.” The text book further states, “worrying about many different aspects of life becomes chronic, excessive, and unreasonable.” This is also known as generalized anxiety disorder or GAD (Butcher 201). DSM IV-TR specifies that GAD is a worry that occurs more days then not for at least 6 months, and that it must be experienced as difficult to control (Butcher 201). 25% of those that suffer from this

A wise person once said, "Worrying is like walking around with an umbrella waiting for it to rain. " People may say that you can simply take the umbrella away, others may just convince you to change your mind and just trust there will be no rain. Someone with anxiety cannot simply remove these thoughts quite so easily. Like telling someone to just brush the worry off or just forget about the anxiety, convincing someone that it will not rain is nearly impossible. The anxiety within a person controls their life and the decisions they make.

Anxiety disorders is the most common grouping of psychiatric illnesses which can affect both children and adults. There is an estimated 19 million adult persons in the United States suffering from an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders stem from numerous sources, including genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) categorizes these disorders as General Anxiety Disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder, and phobias. Anxiety disorders are treatable and manageable by psychosocial therapies, medication, or both, though only about one-third of those suffering from

In the study conducted by Borkovec and Roemmer, entitled “Perceived Functions of Worry Among Generalized Anxiety Disorder Subjects: Distraction from More Emotionally Distressing Topics?”, the researchers used a rating scale of six reasons for worry commonly reported by individuals with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The study explored the participants beliefs as to the purpose of their worry. The six reasons often shared by the study’s participants were motivation to complete tasks, problem solving, preparation for the worst, planning to avoid negative events, distraction from more emotional thoughts and superstitious concerns. Data from the participants was collected by using a self-reporting questionnaire. The questionnaire asked the subjects to rate each item by the level or degree to which they experienced each specific reason. The responses that received the highest ratings included, motivation, preparation and avoidance

Most drugs used to treat anxiety are called SSRIs, such as Xanax, Valium, and Librium. These drugs are Central Nervous System depressants (“downers”) and are prescribed in low doses to treat anxiety. These drugs slow down the nervous system, so that one’s anxious thoughts cease to exist until the drug begins to wear off. As a anxious person continues to use SSRIs to relieve their anxiety, their brain begins to become dependent on the drug, this can cause the user to go through withdrawal. Withdrawals can increase the anxiety and tension of a person, which in effect, does the exact opposite of what the user

“Anxiety is the signal of danger which mobilizes the human organism’s resources at all levels of functioning in the interests of conservation, defense, and self- preservation.” (Anxiety 1) If a person suffers from anxiety there is a major loss of control and then an attempt to regain that control because of a fear that they have. Anxiety disorders are one of the most frequently occurring mental disorders in the United States. However, anxiety disorders are not only found in the United States. They are found throughout the world. They just happen to be most predominating in the United States. In this paper, I will be discussing the generalized anxiety disorder and how if effects society today.

Ever since I was little, I never noticed how much I struggled at certain things like keeping calm before a big test or stopping myself from biting my nails while in a social setting. As I got older, the nervousness and worrying got so out of hand that my mother was becoming more concerned of my well-being, so she decided it would be best for me to visit the psychologist. As the doctor kept asking questions, most of which I hardly understood, my heart started to race and the palms of my hands began to sweat. After an hour of constant questioning and examination, I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, which is characterized by excessive or disproportionate anxiety about several aspects of life. The doctor also told me that

     Anxiety disorders are serious medical illnesses that affect approximately 19 million American adults. These disorders fill people's lives

People with agoraphobia typically avoid places and situations that they perceive to be dangerous, such as large crowds or enclosed spaces, for fear that it might trigger a panic attack. There are certain people who are more at risk for developing an anxiety disorder such as panic disorder. McGrandles and Duffy (2012) state that “risk factors include internalizing problems and a more inhibited temperament” and “adults with anxiety often report childhood experiences of anxiety” (p. 5). Panic disorder is a powerful and debilitating psychological issue. We will discuss the diagnoses and treatment of this disorder

According to T. D. Borkovec and Lizabeth Rommer, early theorizing proposed that worry involves attempts at problem- solving in order to prevent the occurrence of negative events or to devise coping strategies in case such events should occur; however, these attempts are largely unsuccessful, and the worrying produces significant

Next let us look at the psychodynamic explanation of generalized anxiety disorder. “Causes of” (2001) states the psychodynamic theory as defining anxiety as an alerting mechanism in response to unconscious motivations clashing with the constraints of the conscious mind. Benavidez (2009) states some children are more prone to generalized anxiety disorder because they are overrun by neurotic and/or moral anxiety.

Anxiety Disorders are characterized by many symptoms and often associated with depressive tendencies. Although the majority are produced in a person based off of their genetic material, other influences exist environmentally that can encourage or discourage the severity of the symptoms and prognosis it has on one’s overall well-being. Early diagnosis and a systematic combination of treatments can help reduce the tensions and encourage a more normal life than what was previously experienced by the person with the disorder.