...GAD Generalized Anxiety Disorder Everyone feels anxious from time to time, like when you’re running late or interviewing for a job. Most of us worry to some extent, and sometimes worry can be useful. It helps us plan for the future, make sure that we’re prepared for that test, or double check that we’ve thought of everything before we head home for holidays. However people with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), feel some anxiety or worry almost constantly. They often anticipate disaster or have exaggerated worries about a wide range of issues, from their health to their families to their daily responsibilities. Yet even when they recognize that the worrying is excessive it is very hard to control. Specific anxiety disorders are complicated by panic attacks or other features that are featured that are the focus of the anxiety. In GAD, the focus is, generalized to the events of everyday life. For that reason we consider GAD first. Excessive anxiety and worry (apprehensive expectation), occurring more days than not for at least six months, about a number of events or activities such as work or school performance, further more, it must be very difficult to turn off or control the worry process. This is what distinguishes pathological worrying from the normal kind we all experience from time to time as we get ready for an upcoming event or challenge. Most of us worry for a time but can set the problem aside and go on the other task, even if the upcoming challenge is a big one...
Words: 1503 - Pages: 7
...Depression and Anxiety: Two Prevalent Disorders Steve Davis PSY/203 06/15/2015 Belky Schwartz Depression and Anxiety: Two Prevalent Disorders Of the major categories of mental illness, mood disorders and anxiety disorders seem to be the most prevalent. Mental illnesses, like physical illnesses come in a wide range of severity. Millions of Americans suffer from mental disorders in any given year, however, very few actually seek treatment. The statistic most often quoted states that one in four adults will experience a mental disorder at some point in their lives. Stigma associated with mental disorders is still the leading reason people do not seek or retain treatment. Mental disorders are quite common, they are real and they are treatable. Out of the five major categories of mental illnesses, mood disorders and anxiety disorders are the most common. Of these two categories, I will cover Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), also called Clinical Depression, which is a mood disorder. And from the Anxiety Disorder category, I will cover Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER (MDD) Depression is a normal human condition to an extent, but when do normal feelings of sadness, grief, or feeling “down in the dumps” become an illness? According to the Encyclopedia of Counseling, (Leong, 2008), there are two primary diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD). These two diagnostic criteria are depressed mood and a loss of interest...
Words: 1300 - Pages: 6
...psychological disorders and their causes is very recent, despite the anguish it has brought to people since the beginning of time. One of the most prevalent disorders is Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, as of 2015, “GAD affects 6.8 million adults, or 3.1% of the U.S. population. . .” The causes of this and other anxiety disorders is an ongoing debate between psychologists, known as the nature versus nurture debate. Nature refers to one’s hereditary predisposition, meaning the genes passed down from your parents. Anxiety has been proven to be passed down from parent to child, but some psychologists argue that these genes do not become active until stimulated by some external event, such as the loss of a loved one, or another major life trauma. These external events and how one is raised is referred to as “nurture.” Because of this hand-in-hand relationship, generalized anxiety disorder stems from the coherence of one’s genetic predisposition as well as their environment and traumas they experience in their lifetime. The acceptance of this conclusion between psychologists and physicians will lead to the development of more targeting treatments and will give patients the peace of mind in knowing that their disorder is not because they have done something wrong. Generalized apprehensiveness disorder is characterized by sedulously assiduous, exorbitant, and fictitious worry about everyday things. People with the disorder, which...
Words: 1485 - Pages: 6
...even brought on by a specific event. Over time anxiety can cause things like chest pains or nightmares, sometimes anxiety is so severe that it causes a child to be anxious about everyday things like going to school or even hanging out with friends and possibly spending the night. The unknown becomes more and more scary to the child and they worry more and more about something that does not need to be worried about so much....
Words: 1244 - Pages: 5
...Mental Illness: General Anxiety Disorder Kirsten Wolf HCA/240 November 22, 2015 Toni Parolisi Mental Illness: General Anxiety Disorder Generalized anxiety disorder, also known as GAD, affects 5% of Americans in their lifetime, which is about 18% of American Adults per year. Someone who has GAD, has a chemical imbalance in their brain. The chemicals that are in our brain are called neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters are what communicate information throughout our brain and bodies. The neurotransmitters that are targeted in anxiety are called gamm-aminobietyric acid (GABA), serotonin, dopamine, and epinephrine. The exact cause of generalized anxiety disorder is not completely understood. However, scientists believe that it’s because of genetics and other risk factors. These other risk factors are based on someone’s mood and if they are female. Someone who is constantly negative or avoids anything that might put them in danger or get them in trouble may have anxiety. Being female is a risk factor because more women are diagnosed with GAD more often than men. The symptoms for generalized anxiety disorder vary depending on the person. Someone who has GAD, are constantly worrying about small or large things, throwing them out of proportion. They have a hard time trying to relax because they have the constant feeling of being on edge. They fear of making the wrong decision and find a possible negative outcome in everything. They also experience physical problems, as...
Words: 1027 - Pages: 5
...Generalized Anxiety Disorder: What it is, how it works, and what treatments are available My mother is the only person who always understands how I’m feeling, and she knows just what to say to ease my suffering. As a kid it seemed like I was just a little more sensitive and cautious than the other kids, but either way I still would tend to feel like I didn’t belong some days. When I was fourteen I visited a psychiatrist who diagnosed me with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD); at the time I had no idea what the words she was saying to me even meant. That was the day that my mother revealed to me that she also suffers from GAD. It is difficult for people without anxiety disorders to understand how constant the anxious feelings really are and that they can escalate to become much more severe than any normal anxiety. I’ve been knowingly living with GAD for four years now and I have many questions about it that have yet to be answered. Considering my mother and I both suffer from this disorder, I want to know if it could possibly be genetic or if I was simple conditioned to it from observing her. I also am curious about what happens in the brain of someone who suffers from generalized anxiety disorder and how it causes the symptoms. Most importantly I want to find information on possible treatments that would not only allow me to deal with my anxiety in a way that will better my life, but also I need to know how I can help my mother because seeing her deal with this disorder and...
Words: 3512 - Pages: 15
...feelings of anxiety from time to time; and sometimes people get so overwhelmed, they go into a state panic. Anxiety is actually a normal human reaction to stress. However, in severe cases, anxiety and panic can become disabling and interfere with everyday living. For an adolescent, life is already stressful enough. How does an adolescent, then, live day to day with one or both of these conditions? This paper will take an in depth look at what anxiety, specifically generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and panic disorder are, signs and symptoms that show severe anxiety and/or panic disorder is present in an adolescent, treatment methods for both GAD and panic disorder, and two websites offering advice and treatment for families with a diagnosed adolescent. While there are several types of anxiety disorders including GAD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), phobias, and panic disorder, this paper will focus on generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and panic disorder in the adolescent population. Before we can discuss any aspects of GAD or panic disorder, we have to understand exactly what these two metal disorders are. Anxiety is the less severe disorder of the two. In general, anxiety is present in every human being. Feeling anxious is a normal circumstance in everyone’s life and, at times, can be beneficial in certain situations. Anxiety refers to the brain’s natural response to danger (Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders). To most people, this is...
Words: 1888 - Pages: 8
...Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a psychological disorder characterized by excessive or disproportionate anxiety about several aspects of life that they face on a daily basic like problems at work, their kids, relationships, money issues and many other things (mayoclinc). Anxiety is a reaction to stressful situations that should be beneficial but when its overwhelming it hinders someone’s life. If we didn’t have anxiety, we may not be motivated to do the things we need to do in life. Almost everyone in their life experiences anxiety about stressful situations, but when a person has daily reoccurring anxiety over little unimportant things is when it becomes an issue. When this anxiety starts to be an...
Words: 917 - Pages: 4
...In the United States, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses affecting over 40 million people.Generalized anxiety is present in 3.1% of the population in any given year. Generalized Anxiety disorder is the uncontrollable state of worry about one's life and certain situations they may be put into and is not a direct response to a specific situation or experience. The worry is not as severe as a panic attack however it lasts much longer. It is excessive and occurs at higher levels than other typical worries. Anxiety disorders may also occur in people who have other mental disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and bipolar disorders. Generalized anxiety disorder occurs because there is an imbalance on natural occurring chemicals in the brain that regulate lifestyle. Serotonin, dopamine, and norephedrine can impact emotional stability and mental well being, these are all neurotransmitters. If one or both of your parents had GAD you could be born with the risk vulnerability to developing the symptoms of the...
Words: 503 - Pages: 3
...of worry surpass “normality”? Generalized anxiety disorder is defined as persistent, unrealistic distress that occurs more days than not, for at least six months (Nutter, Jr, MD, 2014). Children, and more commonly, adolescents, around the world suffer from untreated generalized anxiety disorder. The reason for this is that some of the symptoms of this disorder can be easily confused with “normal” actions that a child or adolescent may part take in daily. A child or adolescent may develop anxiety from pressure to do well in school, or meet parental and societal expectations; the disorder is developed around the desire for perfectionism. According to Child Mind Institute (2017), some of the common symptoms...
Words: 1753 - Pages: 8
...General Anxiety Disorder Andrea Murphy HCA 240 May 6, 2012 Fozia Ferozali General Anxiety Disorder I have decided to write my paper on General Anxiety Disorder because I myself have it, so I am more familiar with it. GAD (general anxiety disorder) is when an individual suffers from a psychological state where they have persisting thoughts of anticipation and fears that are overwhelming their mind and intern it affects the body as well. It is a disorder that is characterized by excessive, exaggerated worry about everyday life with really no reason to worry. There are many types of anxiety disorders which are panic, general anxiety disorder, phobias, and obsessive compulsive (OCD). Every one experiences anxiety at certain times in their lives, it is a normal part of the human emotion. Even though everyone experiences anxiety at one point or another in their lives, the individuals who suffer with an anxiety disorder suffer because the disorder interferes with their daily life. In this paper I will be discussing the history of the illness, the signs and symptoms, how it is diagnosed, the treatments, and how the diagnosis and treatments compare to the diagnosis and treatments of the past. Anxiety disorders is a term that was developed approximately around the end of the 19th century since that was when the psychiatric practice began to become more popular and increased. Even though there is no one cause to GAD, researches in the psychiatric field tend to believe genetics...
Words: 1452 - Pages: 6
... General Anxiety Disorder | | Liza Ziglar | 10/10/2012 | HCA/240 Facilitator: Gioia Scoppa | Generalized anxiety disorder (or GAD) is characterized by excessive, exaggerated anxiety and worry about everyday life events with no obvious reasons for worry. People with symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder tend to always expect disaster and can't stop worrying about health, money, family, work, or school. In people with GAD, the worry is often unrealistic or out of proportion for the situation. Daily life becomes a constant state of worry, fear, and dread. Eventually, the anxiety so dominates the person's thinking that it interferes with daily functioning, including work, school, social activities, and relationships. GAD affects the way a person thinks, but the anxiety can lead to physical symptoms, as well. Symptoms of GAD can include: * Excessive, ongoing worry and tension * An unrealistic view of problems * Restlessness or a feeling of being "edgy" * Irritability * Irritability * Muscle tension * Headaches * Sweating * Difficulty concentrating * Nausea * The need to go to the bathroom frequently * Tiredness * Trouble falling or staying asleep * Trembling * Being easily startled In addition, people with GAD often have...
Words: 716 - Pages: 3
...Anxiety, Mood/Affextive, Dissociative/Somatoform University of Phoenix Online PSY/410 Anxiety, Mood, Dissociative, Somatoform Disorders The DSM-IV-TR offers diagnostic categories and classifications for the use of identifying and diagnosing mental disorders (Hansell & Damour, 2008). In this paper are the sections of anxiety disorders, mood and affective disorders, dissociative disorders, and somatoform disorders. The likely categorizations and signs beneath these groupings will be covered. As well as, one disorder out of all categories—general anxiety disorder, cyclothymic disorder, depersonalization disorder, and body dysmorphic disorder will be analyzed. Anxiety Disorders The primary distinction between fear and anxiety is that fear is directed at a specific stimuli; whereas, anxiety is more a general feeling of apprehension about the future (Hansell & Damour, 2008). The precise disorders that can shoot from too much anxiety are: acute stress disorder, agoraphobia, anxiety disorders due to a medical condition, general anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder with and without agoraphobia, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), specific phobia, social phobia, and substance-induced anxiety disorder (Hansell & Damour, 2008). Panic and anxiety are regular reactions but when these feelings are sensed in the nonexistence of a underlying agent psychological dysfunction can be the ended outcome, for instance...
Words: 1461 - Pages: 6
...Everyone experiences anxiety. Some people have general anxiety that is manageable but never seems to go away. Others suffer from profound anxiety attacks. Others experience anxiety in social situations, or need order and cleanliness in order to relax. Psychologists have created categories for each of the different types of anxiety, and only by knowing what type of anxiety you're experiencing can you hope to find relief. Anxiety is not a simple condition. It manifests itself in hundreds of different ways. Anxiety is not just nervousness. There are both psychological symptoms and physical symptoms. Of course, anxiety is known as a mental health disorder for a reason. Those with anxiety often find themselves with compulsive worrying, irrational...
Words: 796 - Pages: 4
...Generalized Anxiety Disorder is an impairing mental disorder that can take control of a persons life. Not only are there various mental symptoms, such as difficulty in controlling worry, but there are also many physical symptoms, such as irritability, muscle tension, etc (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). For this paper, I interviewed a family friend, who shall remain nameless, but for the point of this paper will be called Nicole. She was clinically diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and has been dealing with this mental illness for all of her life. Nicole has learned to cope with her stress, and is able to live a normal life currently, even though she still experiences some symptoms. Nicole’s experience through GAD...
Words: 1509 - Pages: 7
