Generalized Anxiety Disorders: A Case Study

“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.

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

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.

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

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

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

With anxiety disorders being one of the most commonly diagnosed disorders in the United States continued research is critical. The pervasiveness of these disorders including panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder and specific disorders comes at a high cost both socially and economically (Beidel et

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 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.

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

Fear and anxiety are feelings that are natural human responses. These feelings are necessary in humans and animals for survival and to deal with dangerous and stressful events. They/such feelings help individuals cope with adverse or unexpected situations. However, there are certain individuals who will experience these feelings on a daily basis for long periods of time. The constant fear and anxiety interferes with individual’s daily lives and it is then when these feelings become a mental health problem, identify as Anxiety Disorders (Steimer, 2002). One of these anxiety disorders is Panic Disorder. Panic Disorder is characterized by individuals suffering from unpredicted and constant attacks of fear which normally last between 10 to 20 minutes. These attacks are known as panic attacks. Panic attacks are identified by fear of losing control even in situations where there is no real danger. Some of the most frequent symptoms a person experience when having a panic attack are chest pain, palpitations, sweating, feeling short of breath and the feelings of going crazy or having a heart attack (National Institute of Mental Health, 2016). Furthermore, people who suffer from Panic Disorder often develop other conditions such as depression, phobias and drug abuse. Many people with Panic Disorder will avoid certain situations and environments because they fear they may suffer a panic attack. Because of this, it is also very common for individuals with Panic Disorder to develop agoraphobia (NIH, 2016). As a consequence of fearing a panic attack, people with this disorder often engage in catastrophic and negative thinking. A common example is “my heart is beating fast, I am having a heart attack” (Steimer, 2002). Therefore, Panic Disorder is a condition that have a negative impact on people’s family, social and working lives (Kessler et al., 2005). Panic Disorder is treatable, and numerous treatments exist which help reducing the severity of the symptoms as well as decreasing the number of panic attacks that occur in the disorder. These treatments are biological treatment, which involve pharmacological drugs, psychotherapy or a combination of both (National Institute of Health and Care Excellence, 2013). This essay

The psychological disorder, anxiety, is one of the most common psychological disorders. Anxiety is “an emotional state of uneasiness or distress associated with worry or apprehension about the future” (Nevid, 2015, p. 494). Everyone deals with stress and worry in their every day lives, but individuals with anxiety-related disorders have an extreme amount of stress and worry to the point of the inability to function. This anxiety interferes with their personal and social lives and inhibits them to live life fully. There are several types of anxiety-related disorders that people experience in their daily lives. These disorders are phobias, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

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

In today’s society, one of the most common psychological disorders common among individuals is anxiety disorder. Everyone has some form of anxiety in their everyday life whether it is speaking in front of others or feeling anxious, but when this unpleasant feeling becomes persistent in everyday life, one may be diagnosed with anxiety disorder. According to Adult Psychopathology and Diagnosis (2014), anxiety disorders are commonly diagnosed in the United States, with almost one-third of individuals meeting criteria for at least one anxiety disorder at some time in their lives. Anxiety disorders has five types disorders based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) that are common and significantly affects the quality of an individuals life.