Anxiety

What is generalized anxiety disorder?
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) results in chronic and excessive worry and tension that seems to have no objective cause. Persons with generalized anxiety disorder often worry incessantly about family, health, work, or money, and continually fear the worst.

Impairment is usually mild from GAD, although it may be accompanied by depression, substance abuse, or another anxiety disorder. Persons with this disorder are generally function at a fairly high level in social and work situations, and usually do not avoid the obligations and responsibilities of daily living.

Statistics related to GAD
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH):

• Approximately 19.1 million American adults ages 18 to 54 - or about 13.3 percent of people in this age group - in a given year, have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders include panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and phobias (social phobia, agoraphobia, and specific phobia).
• Many anxiety disorders are accompanied by substance abuse, eating disorders, and depression.
• Many people experience more than one anxiety disorder at one time.

#1: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) results in chronic and excessive worry and tension
#2: Anxiety disorders include panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and phobias (social phobia, agoraphobia, and specific phobia).

What are the Symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder? People with this disorder usually realize that their anxiety is more intense than the situation warrants, but cannot rid themselves of these irrational concerns. The following are the most common symptoms of GAD. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:

• trouble falling or staying asleep
• trembling
• twitching
• muscle tension
• headaches
• irritability
• sweating
• hot flashes
• lightheadedness and/or difficulty breathing
• nausea
• frequent urination
• feeling as though there is a lump in the throat
• fatigue
• lack of concentration
• being easily startled
• prone to irritable bowel syndrome
• inability to relax

The symptoms of GAD may resemble other psychiatric conditions, and you should always consult your physician for a diagnosis.
#1: IF YOU HAVE ANY OF THE SYMPTOMS MENTIONED, PLEASE CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR.

What are the Risk Factors?
GAD typically begins gradually, usually in childhood or adolescence, but can begin in adulthood, too. It is more commonly seen in women and often occurs in relatives of affected persons. Each year, 2.8 percent of persons ages 18 and older are affected by GAD.

How is generalized anxiety disorder diagnosed?
GAD is diagnosed when someone reports at least six months of continuous, excessive worry about a number of everyday problems.

Treatment for generalized anxiety disorder
Treatments may include:

• medication
• psychological treatment
• relaxation techniques, biofeedback (to control muscle tension)
  

Specific treatment for GAD will be determined by your physician based on your:

• age, overall health, and medical history
• extent of the disease
• tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
• expectations for the course of the disease
• opinion or preference

Medicines that may be used to treat generalized anxiety disorder include: alprazolam (Xanax), chlordiazepoxide, clonazepam (Klonopin), clorazepate, diazepam (Valium), flurazepam, lorazepam (Ativan), oxazepam, and prazepam .Also, certain antidepressants are occasionally used in patients with GAD, including venlafaxine (Effexor), paroxetine, sertraline (Zoloft), citalopram (Celexa) imipramine, and trazodone.

#1: TREATMENT INCLUDES: medication, psychological treatment, relaxation techniques, biofeedback (to control muscle tension).

References:
1. Fricchione, G. Clinical practice. Generalized anxiety disorder. N Engl J Med 2004; 351:675.
2. Harman, JS, Rollman, BL, Hanusa, BH, et al. Physician office visits of adults for anxiety disorders in the United States, 1985-1998. J Gen Intern Med 2002; 17:165.
3. Spitzer, RL, Kroenke, K, Williams, JB, Lowe, B. A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: the GAD-7. Arch Intern Med 2006; 166:1092.
4. Kapczinski, F, Lima, MS, Souza, JS, Schmitt, R. Antidepressants for generalized anxiety disorder. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2003; :CD003592.
5. Gelenberg, AJ, Lydiard, RB, Rudolph, RL, et al. Efficacy of venlafaxine extended-release capsules in nondepressed outpatients with generalized anxiety disorder: A 6-month randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2000; 283:3082.

Copyright 2007, MD Kiosk