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Generalized anxiety disorder | |
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Other names | Generalised anxiety disorder |
Specialty | Psychiatry, psychology |
Symptoms | Excessive worry, restlessness, trouble sleeping, feeling tired, irritability, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension,[1] sweating, trembling[2] |
Complications | Paranoia, depression, heart disease, suicide[3] |
Differential diagnosis | Panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder, borderline personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, obsessive–compulsive disorder, specific phobia |
Treatment | Behavioral therapy, metacognitive therapy, medications |
Medication | Anxiolytics, Antidepressants |
Frequency | 3–5% (lifetime prevalence)[4] |
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by excessive, uncontrollable and often irrational worry about events or activities.[5] Worry often interferes with daily functioning. Individuals with GAD are often overly concerned about everyday matters such as health, finances, death, family, relationship concerns, or work difficulties.[6][7] Symptoms may include excessive worry, restlessness, trouble sleeping, exhaustion, irritability, sweating, and trembling.[2]
Symptoms must be consistent and ongoing, persisting at least six months for a formal diagnosis.[5][6] Individuals with GAD often have other disorders including other psychiatric disorders, substance use disorder, or obesity, and may have a history of trauma or family with GAD.[8] Clinicians use screening tools such as the GAD-7 and GAD-2 questionnaires to determine if individuals may have GAD and warrant formal evaluation for the disorder. In addition, screening tools may enable clinicians to evaluate the severity of GAD symptoms.[9][10]
Treatment includes types of psychotherapy and pharmacological intervention.[11][8] CBT and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are first-line psychological and pharmacological treatments; other options include serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). In more severe, last resort cases, benzodiazepines, though not as first-line drugs as benzodiazepines are frequently abused and habit forming. In Europe, pregabalin is also used.[12] The positive effects (if any) of complementary and alternative medications (CAMs), exercise, therapeutic massage and other interventions have been studied.[13]
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