DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria
A. Excessive anxiety and worry (apprehensive anticipation), occurring for more days than you have been absent for at least six months, in relation to various events or activities (such as work or school).
B. It is difficult for the individual to control worry.
C. Anxiety and worry are associated with three (or more) of the following six symptoms (and at least some symptoms have been present for more days than they have been absent during the last six months):
Note: In children, only one item is required.
1. Restlessness or feeling of being trapped or on edge.
2. Easily fatigued.
3. Difficulty concentrating or going blank.
4. Irritability.
5. Muscle tension.
6. Sleep problems (difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, or restless and unsatisfactory sleep).
D. Anxiety, worry, or physical symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
E. The disturbance cannot be attributed to the physiological effects of a substance (e.g., drug, medication) or another medical condition (e.g., hyperthyroidism).
F. The disturbance is not better explained by another mental disorder (e.g., anxiety or worry about having panic attacks in panic disorder, negative appraisal in social anxiety disorder, pollution or other obsessions in obsessive disorder). compulsive, separation from attachment figures in separation anxiety disorder, recall of traumatic events in post-traumatic stress disorder, weight gain in anorexia nervosa, physical ailments in somatic symptom disorder, perception of imperfections in the disorder body dysmorphic, having a serious illness
in illness anxiety disorder, or the content of delusional beliefs in schizophrenia or delusional disorder.
It is a diffuse and chronic form of anxiety, one of whose most characteristic symptoms is excessive and uncontrollable worry. Physiological symptoms include those related to muscle tension, hypervigilance (feeling in danger, exaggerated alarm response, irritability, difficulty concentrating and sleeping), and vegetative hyperactivity (palpitations, sweating, hot flashes, frequent urination, nausea, flatulence, diarrhea, etc.). .).
People who suffer from generalized anxiety show a state of constant worry that they are unable to control. Everyday difficulties cause them disproportionate worry and they perceive themselves as incapable of coping. They often feel fatigued without being able to explain the cause.
They anticipate catastrophic consequences on the events that are the subject of their worries, making it difficult for them to forget about them and focus their attention on the tasks at hand. The diversity of concerns presented by the individual suffering from a generalized anxiety disorder, in addition to being wide and varied, can be changing, moving the center of their concerns from one event or situation to others over time.
Sometimes generalized anxiety can be a reflection of a personality type called anxious personality, characterized by nervousness, impatience, insecurity, emotional dependence, etc. However, many individuals with anxious personalities develop pathological behavior, going about their lives without significant interference.
This disorder usually coexists with other anxiety disorders (for example, social phobia and panic disorder), depressive disorders, drug and alcohol abuse, and other types of disorders generally associated with stress, such as headaches, hypertension, and ulcers. gastric.
Treatment
Goals:
- Reduce or eliminate excessive and uncontrollable worries
- Reduce emotional tension
- Improve the perception of control over the environment
Strategies and Techniques used:
- Cognitive restructuring
- Exposure to worry
- Relaxation training
- Preventing worrying behaviors
- Time organization
- Problem resolution