Generalized Anxiety: A Case Study

Anxiety plagues millions of Americans every day. There are so many people who go about their daily lives struggling with an untreated anxiety disorder. Contrary to popular assumption, anxiety is not something that goes away on its own. Each anxiety disorder is unique, and finding a way to treat your own type of anxiety can be a very emotionally taxing experience.

During the Enlightenment, philosophers were starting to drift away from religion, and many new truths were beginning to be discovered. When these new ideas, or truths, started to make more sense then the certainty of religion, a state of anxiety began to grow within the human mind. As this state of anxiety grew, many anxiety disorders began to sprout and show themselves within humans. These disorders, such as certain phobias, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) began to take over many people’s lives. For many years, doctors have tried using harmful drugs to change the chemicals within the brain, to help relieve anxiety. As truth continues to be discovered, and anxiety continues to rise, therapeutic interventions will be proven to be more efficient in treating anxiety than its counterpart, the dangerous drugs that humans become dependent on.

About three percent of men and women in the U.S. suffer from Generalized anxiety disorder (APAA). It is one of the most common forms of anxiety and seems to be the most left untreated because people don’t know that it can be treated. GAD, although it affects many, is a disorder that can be detrimental to the quality of life of an individual. With the regard to the quality of life, the level of severity that a person experiences is a great factor in determining more information. The accumulated information is a defining feature in figuring the dissimilarity of the normal fight or flight response and the diagnoses of GAD. The disorder itself is that of excessive worry (AnxietyBC) about everyday things like, financial situations, school, family, or health (APAA). Having three or more symptoms such as nausea, shaking, sweating, hot flashes, headaches, and many others, is what contributes to the diagnosis (Patel).

a 44 year old Divorced African Male came into Henry Ford Hospital ED as a walk-in and told the HFHS staff that he was having mental health issues he does still struggle with depression and anxiety. The consumer stated that he initially went into the hospital after his brother was shot twice in the head. At that time the client reports that he was placed on Risperdal, while at Kingswood in January, and he became a zombie at that time. He stated that he has been in and of the hospital multiple times since then, and each time, he has been placed on Risperdal and he doesn't feel that his meds were ever adjusted correctly.

Anxiety disorders are the most common disorder in the united states. There are six different types of anxiety disorders. There is generalized anxiety disorder, anxiety attack(panic disorder), obsessive compulsive disorder, phobia disorder, social anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Generalized anxiety disorder “...is characterized by an excessive and inappropriate worrying that is persistent and not restricted to particular circumstances.” (Lader) I had to go to therapy for a little while after that to learn how to get my anxiety in order. At school and at home I would try my hardest to get it under control, but it was to little avail. I started looking at treatment options and I found many treatment options. The one that stuck out to me the most was cognitive behavioral therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy (or CBT) is “... a short-term, goal-oriented, psychotherapy treatment that takes a hands-on, practical approach to problem-solving.” (Martin) It seemed like a good option because it didn’t require medication, and it doesn’t take long; treatment can last five to ten months with about 50 minute sessions once a week. (Martin) Another thing that made me feel good about CBT is that it was going to help me to actually work through everything. “ It teaches a person different ways of thinking, behaving, and reacting to anxiety-producing and fearful situations.”(Brown) I was excited to see that there could be something that would help me to surmount my anxiety

Generalized Anxiety Disorder is a disorder that I struggle with personally. It is when a person has a tense feeling of stress, and anxiety for long periods of time without any real cause of it. Even though everyone has fears, and has stress from time to time it isn’t harmful unless the anxiety and stress is keeping someone from living their life, and relaxing. Generalized Anxiety Disorder is different from other anxiety disorders because panic attacks rarely occur, and instead an overpowering sense of dread is long lasting.

Everyone gets worried sometimes, but anxiety is much more than just day to day worry. According to the textbook, anxiety is defined as a “Mental Illness characterized by persistent feelings of threat and worry in coping with everyday problems”. (Donatelle, 2014). Anxiety effects all kinds of people, myself included. I’ve been suffering from anxiety since adolescence. It turns out that anxiety is the number 1 mental illness that affects the United States. (Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 2015). Forty million adults in the U.S., which is 18 percent of the population, have an anxiety disorder. (Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 2015). Due to the large amount of the population affected, the estimated costs

When an individual is diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) there are various symptoms that the individual will experience for at least 3 months. Some symptoms may include sleep disturbances, eating disturbances like loss of appetite or overeating, lack of concentration, shaking, an increasing heart rate, and possibly vomiting or nausea. Although some may experience these symptoms, but the core symptoms are fatigue or tiredness, muscle tension, headaches, and being moody or irritable. The number one core symptom is excessive worrying, which can be about anything and everything without having a significant reason.

Having generalized anxiety is more than just a reaction one experiences during stressful times. Rather, it is a feeling of constant paranoia, of constant fear, that takes over your daily routines and every day life. Anxiety is more than being anxious about an upcoming midterm, of an upcoming speech or presentation – it is having mental breakdowns, panic attacks and obsessive thoughts that consume your imagination, your thoughts. Generalized anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) preludes into something greater than living in constant fear of either contracting an illness or being contaminated by germs. They act as inhibitors, preventing healthy wellbeing, positive emotions and healthy relationships. While OCD and anxiety play a huge

“During a panic attack, the first thing you want to do is get out of the situation that is causing it. However, since most professors find it disrespectful to leave during class, I had to sit for an hour and half in this agonizing state…It was as if I had terminal cancer that could not be cured.” (Gregg, 2015). This account, told through the eyes of Stacy Gregg, a once anxious college student, personifies the unrelenting and paralyzing symptoms that can come along with generalized anxiety disorder (also known

Hanna was referred by her GP, because she has been experiencing some anxiety difficulties. Client reports that she began to have anxiety five or six years ago. Reportedly, she recently moved out of her parents’ home and this may have caused the anxiety to escalate. This is the first time client has moved away from her parents.

There are four main anxiety disorders which includes, Generalized Anxiety Disorder GAD, Phobic Disorder, Panic Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. The most common of these anxiety disorders is Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Clients diagnosed with GAD usually demonstrate a high level of anxiety that is not tied to any specific threat with a tendency to be particularly sensitive and susceptible. Being diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, I myself can personally attest to the importance of therapy. The fear of being labeled with a ‘disorder’ in the military or being linked to PTSD after a deployment, therapy was not an option due to fear of losing one’s job. However, the social worker that acquired my case made such a significant difference in my life the decision to change from a nursing major to social work took precedence.

Signs and symptoms: attacks of fear/nervousness, sensations of shortness of breath/smothering, chest pain, trembling/shaking, palpitations/increased heart rate, sweating, feeling dizzy/faint, depersonalization, and numbness/tingling