Phenobarbital is one of the first and most widespread drugs aimed at coping with anxiety issues. Many people who suffer from stress, panic attacks, and anxiety take the drug known under the titles Luminal and Nembutal. Although the medicine shows effectiveness in terms of stress resistance, the drawbacks of abuse are also considerable. Phenobarbital has a high level of addictiveness, along with side effects such as feeling tired or irritability.
As the effects of the drug are not long-lasting, people who take phenobarbital tend to use the medicine more often than it is allowed in the drug prescription. Thus, they become addicted to phenobarbital, and this drug dependence leads to people not realizing that they do not need antianxiety drugs in such amounts ( What is phenobarbital abuse? 2019). At first, drugs such as phenobarbital were replaced with more modernistic versions of antianxiety medications known as benzodiazepines. Although they were supposed to become more efficient in the context of treatment, the risks of drug dependence became even higher.
Hence, people, especially older ones, who have been abusing phenobarbital for a long time, may not withdraw from the drug in order to use the modern ones. First of all, although the side effects of phenobarbital can be more evident than those of benzodiazepines, the process of withdrawal may be quite complicated for long-term abusers. The process of withdrawal is often followed by severe seizures, which should be controlled by specialists.
Hence, once people are to take antianxiety medications, they should be informed that the treatment process often requires some risk and side effects. In the case of phenobarbital abuse, patients who get used to the drug may not handle the medication withdrawal. For this reason, even if other antianxiety drugs seem to be safer or more effective in terms of disease, physicians should pay more attention to the general patients well-being and mental attributes.
Meprobamate vs. Benzodiazepines
Over the past decades, anxiety has become one of the major mental issues among the world and the American population, in particular. In the middle of the 20th century, when people only realized that the feeling they experienced is called anxiety, researchers came up with medications known as meprobamate (Levinthal, 2014). Although the medication proved to be highly effective in terms of anxiety handling, being a severe sedative, it had many side effects. People who used meprobamate struggled with a constant feeling of fatigue and lethargy. For this reason, scientists decided to discover a new kind of drug that would be as effective but focused directly on anxiety without having such sedative drawbacks.
Hence, meprobamate was replaced with benzodiazepines, drugs that helped people combat anxiety without feeling tired and apathetic. Benzodiazepines have become extremely popular with American residents over the past years, and such popularity later developed a full-scale epidemic in the country. Drugs like Valium or Xanax are highly addictive, so people who take the medication for more than five or six weeks become dependant on the drug for a long time (Schumann, 2018).
Moreover, benzodiazepines influence human metabolism so that the body requires more drug each time. Hence, the spreading of benzodiazepines has led to an increase in prescriptions by more than 60% (Garrison, 2018). Thus, when it comes to contrastive analysis of meprobamate and benzodiazepines, it is complicated to define the benefits and drawbacks of each of them.
For example, if meprobamates do not have such a predisposition to addictiveness, the efficiency of the drug is also lower than that of the benzodiazepines. All in all, it can be concluded that both types of antianxiety drugs are highly dangerous for the human body, and self-treatment should be forbidden. Once people are to take such medications, each decision on the treatment should be consulted with the specialists.
The global pandemic has severely influenced the typical style of living people were used to before the strike of the harmful virus. The research paper focuses on the mental repercussions of the infection on students in Saudi Arabia. To be more precise, the authors aimed to investigate whether the transition to a new lifestyle due to the pandemic has impacted the anxiety levels of university youth.
Naturally, the researchers needed to convey practical analysis to obtain data to form conclusions regarding the alterations in anxiety levels among students. That is why Khoshaim et al. (2020) surveyed 400 students from different universities on an online platform, asking the participants about their mental state and whether they noticed any changes in their behavior or perception because of COVID-19. It seems significant to mention that questionnaires were sent to the youth from March to June in 2020, which is the pandemics peak around the globe (Khoshaim et al., 2020). Still, Khoshaim et al. (2020) concluded that 35% of the surveyed students were suffering from moderate or extreme anxiety, which severely complicated the course of their studies. By and large, this research is focused on an important topic, considering that students are still affected by the changes to global education as a result of COVID-19.
Unfortunately, the results of this research cannot be claimed to be reliable as the students could experience anxiety due to different reasons that could not be omitted in their answers to the online questionnaire. Still, this work is a solid foundation for further studies with more narrowed scopes that could investigate the mental issues among the youth as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the following restrictions. In addition, the government can use the obtained data to assist students in overcoming their anxiety to enhance their academic performance and well-being.
Anxiety is a common condition experienced by all human beings at some point in their lives. A person can feel anxious when he/she is faced with a stressful situation or is about to face a new and exciting condition. Mild anxiety is not only normal but it can even be useful by motivating the individual experiencing it to become more alert and focused when facing an important situation.
Blair and Yuval (2010) confirm that anxiety is a universal human emotion that helps people to be alert to potential threats and motivates them to prepare for challenges. However, anxiety can be detrimental when a person experiences extreme worry or fear. The condition where the person suffers from extreme worry or fear is referred to as anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorder is a common and costly condition in adults.
The National Institute of Mental Health (2009) reports that about 40 million adults in America (this is about 18% of the entire population) are affected by anxiety disorders. They are an important source of personal and societal cost as individuals incur significant health care costs to solve these problems.
This paper will set out to present a concise yet informative discussion on Anxiety Disorders in adults. It will begin by providing a definition of anxiety disorders and proceed to highlight the causes of these disorders, their impacts, and the treatment for the conditions.
Anxiety Disorder: A definition
Anxiety is a natural human experience that everybody has and it serves some useful roles in human life. However, an excess of this anxiety is considered abnormal and characterized as a disorder. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) defines anxiety disorders as a group of mental disturbances characterized by anxiety as a central or core symptom (Gavin, 2003, p.12).
These disorders are characterized by excessive fear and worry that negatively impacts on the life of the person. Anxiety disorders transform a normal adaptive emotion into a disabling conditions affecting the ability of the individual to cope and causing significant distress. Avoidance and escape is one of the most powerful factors that perpetuate anxiety.
When faced with a threat, the anxious person is likely to escape and this fuels anxiety though negative reinforcement. Negative reinforcement occurs since the avoidance behavior leads to the avoidance of the discomfort of the anxiety, which is a desirable reward to the individual with anxiety disorder (Thomas & Michel, 2002). This promotes the avoidance behavior as a response to anxiety causing situations.
Unlike the typical anxieties that all people face, anxiety disorders are prolonged and they generally last for six months and above.
Due to their frequency of occurrence, anxiety disorders are the most common class of mental health problems for adults in the US. Some of the common features of anxiety disorders include heightened fear, physiological arousal, and expectations of imminent threats against the person (Craske, et al., 2009).
In addition to this, the person suffering from this condition exhibits avoidant behavior as he/she seeks to escape from the causes of the anxiety. The person suffering from anxiety disorders will experience excessive worry that results in the person expressing concern about the worry inducing situation.
Craske et al. (2009) illustrates that anxiety comprises of a future-oriented mood state associated with preparation for possible, upcoming negative events (p.1067). A person experiencing anxiety is likely to engage in behavior aimed at avoiding the anxiety-causing situation.
Examples of Anxiety Disorders
One of the more common anxiety disorders among adults is Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), which affects up to 5.7% of the population. This condition has long-lasting and widespread consequences on the individual (Francis et al., 2012). With GAD, the patient demonstrates excessive worry about minor, miscellaneous, and future events that do not trouble the mentally healthy individual.
The individual suffering from this order will demonstrate intolerance to uncertainty and find ambiguous situations to be stressful leading to chronic worry (Keller, 2002). In addition to this, Francis et al. (2012) reveal that individuals with GAD are intolerant of uncertainty and tend to overestimate the probability of occurrence for highly unlikely future events and worry about how to handle them if they happen (p.389).
In most cases, it is hard to identify the precise cause of the feelings, which cause GAD in the person. Even so, the fears and worries that accompany GAD are real to the person suffering from this condition and they affect his/her daily activities negatively.
GAD can start during a persons childhood and proceed over the adolescence years and into adulthood. However, the likelihood of developing GAD for the first time significantly peaks after a person reaches 30 years old.
Another anxiety disorder is panic disorder, which is characterized by sudden feelings of dread and fear. Panic attacks are accompanied by some physical symptoms that include sweatiness, a pounding heart, and dizziness. In some cases, the individual may suffer from chest pains or experience nausea as he/she is going through the attack. Panic attacks often occur without any provocation or obvious triggers.
Individuals who suffer from panic disorder live in great fear since they do not know when the next attack will happen (Yonkers, 2005). This fear is detrimental to the life of the individual since he/she might avoid engaging in certain activities for fear that he/she will have a panic attack.
Panic attacks are often followed by a fear of losing control or going crazy and the person feels detached from himself/herself (Yonkers, 2005). Panic attacks can be passed though genes meaning that a person from a family with a history of panic disorders is likely to suffer from this condition.
Social anxiety disorder is another anxiety disorder that is highly prevalent among adults. Willutzki, Teismann, and Schulte (2012) document that SAD is characterized by an exaggerated focus on what the sufferer perceives to be deficiencies in him/her.
This focus on the perceived deficient characteristics condition leads to significant social and professional impairments as the afflicted person has great fear of social or performance situations. Individuals who have SAD have unhealthy inactive lifestyles since they are not comfortable interacting with other people.
The individual makes use of evasive tactics to avoid any social performance such as public speaking or confrontations with other people.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is one of the more severe forms of anxiety disorders that might afflict adults. This form of anxiety disorder is caused by a past exposure to physically or emotionally traumatizing events such as life-threatening events, violent crimes, serious accidents, or devastating natural disasters (Stein, 2007).
Many individuals are prone to experiencing PTSD since up to half the population will encounter a traumatic event within their lifetime. PTSD can be dangerous to the adult suffering from the condition and those around him since it can lead to self-destructive thoughts and behavior. Dyer (2009) reveals that the PTSD patient is prone to instances of anger and aggression which might lead to violence.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that is characterized by persistent thoughts that might be of an upsetting nature. These persistent thoughts are on fundamental life themes such as aggression, sex, religion, and health (Tortora & Zohar, 2008). The obsessions might be of an aggressive nature such as killing somebody or robbing a bank.
Patients suffering from OCD fear that they might act on their obsession leading to some terrible outcome. These concerns might lead to extreme behavior to avoid acting on the impulse that the person has. Most patients feel the need to engage in routines that are meant to control the anxieties produced by the obsessive thoughts.
The routines developed to deal with the anxieties are called rituals and in many cases, they help to control the anxieties that the individual feels. However, the relief produced by these rituals is only temporary and the person will have to engage in the rituals many times
Causes of Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety has no known cause but there are a number of risk factors for the disorder have been identified. One risk factor is the genetic makeup of a person. The biology of a person plays a part in causing anxiety disorders since some people have a genetic predisposition to developing this disorder. If there is a history of anxiety disorders in the family, a person has a great susceptibility towards anxiety.
Nutt and Ballenger (2008) states that while the mechanism for inheritance of anxiety disorders is not fully understood, there is a general tendency to inherit traits such as sensitivity, fearfulness, and high reactivity. These traits are associated with higher probability of having anxiety disorders.
Anxiety disorder in adults can be caused by emotional or physical abuses experienced during childhood. Research indicates that anxiety disorders such as Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) and Panic Disorder (PD) in adults may be caused by certain forms of childhood abuse suffered by the individual (Lochner, et al., 2010).
Individuals who have had traumatic childhood experiences such as familial violence, parents marital problems, parents separation or divorce, and sexual abuse in the family are more likely to develop these disorders. While both physical abuse and emotional abuse are predictive to the development of anxiety disorder, emotional abuses are more damaging.
Childhood emotional abuse such as excessive bullying, teasing, and ridicule is more associated with anxiety disorders than physical or sexual abuse. Lochner et al. (2010) state that emotional abuse is more predictive of anxiety disorders such as SAD and PD than physical abuse. Neglect in childhood also contributes to the development of anxiety disorders in adults.
Stressful life events can also lead to the development of anxiety disorders. These events are diverse in nature and they may include death of a family member or a loved one, poor health conditions, accidents, or interpersonal and family issues. The events lead to the development of anxiety disorder when the individual adopts poor coping mechanisms to the events.
A study on GAD prevalence among university students showed that individuals with stressful life events were more likely to report GAD compared to those without the stressful events (Francis et al., 2012). The relationship between stressful life events and anxiety disorders is that these events create new worry leading to the implementation of poor coping strategies that result in excessive anxiety.
Use of drugs and substances abuse can results in the development of anxiety disorders. Nutt and Ballenger (2008) document that excessive caffeine use or withdrawal might lead to the development of significant anxiety symptoms. In addition to this, some commonly prescribed medications have anxiety as a side effect. Using these drugs for a prolonged period of time might result in the anxiety progressing to an anxiety disorder.
Impacts of Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety disorders have a number of significant negative effects on the individual and the society as a whole. These disorders lead to a reduction in the quality of life for the individual. Anxiety disorders can be disruptive to the persons life by making him unable to engage in normal activities.
For example, disorders such as panic attacks can be disabling since the person might avoid normal activities such as driving or going to for shopping due to fear of the next attack.
The National Institute of Mental Health (2009) notes that up to 33% of individuals with panic attacks disorder are housebound or are unable to venture outside without the accompaniment of a trusted person. In the case of OCD, the individual suffering from this disorder may avoid situations that trigger the obsessions. This might prevent the person from carrying out their responsibilities at home.
The coping mechanism employed by the adult who suffers from anxiety disorder might lead to additional symptoms. There is an association between anxiety disorders and chemical dependency in adults. Patients suffering from anxiety disorder are likely to seek escape from their condition through drugs and alcohol.
The National Institute of Mental Health (2009) elaborates that many people use alcohol and other chemical substances to mask anxiety symptoms and enable them to experience reduced anxiety. Gavin (2003), who reveals that substance abuse incidents are reported to be more frequent than expected in patients with anxiety disorders, corroborates this observation.
Anxiety disorders cause strain in the personal and professional relationships of the personal suffering from the conditions. A person with anxiety disorders is unable to maintain normal relationships due to the intense fear and worry that the person has. Nutt and Ballenger (2008) reveal that the patient has trust issues and finds it hard to cooperate with other people.
In the work setting, this lack of trust and cooperativeness will have adverse impacts especially when the person is expected to work in collaboration with other people. Anxiety disorders can lead to alienation and difficulty in maintaining personal relationships. For example, PTSD might lead to emotional numbness making it hard for the person suffering from the disorder to form close relationships with friends, family, or new relations.
There are significant financial burdens imposed on the person because of anxiety disorders. This disease leads to increased health care expenditure for the person. Since anxiety disorders can be managed through treatment, the person suffering from the disorders will visit health care professionals for medication. The person suffers from anxiety disorders, he/she will therefore have an increased use of health-related services.
The financial impact of anxiety disorders is made worse by the reduced productivity exhibited by the individual due to this condition. As such, the person suffers from additional expenses incurred through access to health care facilities while his/her earning opportunities are reduced.
Treatments for Anxiety Disorders
Many people underestimate the seriousness of anxiety disorders since anxiety is deemed a normal condition. However, anxiety disorders can lead to many adverse effects on the person suffering from the condition and the society (Gavin, 2003). It is therefore crucial to look for ways to treat these disorders and mitigate the severe consequences associated with them.
Anxiety disorders can be treated by use of medication prescribed by a physician. Appropriate detection of anxiety disorders is necessary if the individual is to be given the appropriate treatments. The type of anxiety disorder afflicting an individual will influence the choice of treatment used by the doctor.
Most physicians make use of medication to reduce symptoms and mitigate the major adverse effects of anxiety disorders. The anti-anxiety medication offered helps by reducing the anxiety or dealing with the physical symptoms that bring about anxiety (Bandelow, et al., 2012). Antidepressants are also used since there is a strong correlation between depression and anxiety disorders.
Proper medication enables the person to lead a normal life and avoid the disabling impacts of the disorders. Most of the medications prescribed are aimed at reducing the emotional sensitivity to stress and the avoidance behaviors related to specific situations.
Another form of treatment is psychotherapy and it is offered by psychiatrists. Through this treatment, the patient talks with the mental health professional and is helped to discover what exacerbates the disorder (National Institute of Mental Health, 2009). The harmful coping methods used by the patient are also identified during these sessions.
With this information, the trained mental health professional is able to assist the patient to come up with ways to deal with the condition. Unlike medications, which do not cure the disorders, effective psychotherapy will lead to complete curing.
In addition to medication and psychotherapy, proper dieting and exercising can be used to offset some anxiety disorders. For example, SAD, which is characterized by low social confidence, can be decreased by high-intensity aerobic exercise, which lowers anxiety sensitivity (Jazaieri, 2012).
Exercising assists by increasing personal confidence in an individual. Exercising also leads to a sense of wellbeing which reduces depression and leads to less anxiety.
Over the past decade, there has been increased awareness about anxiety disorder by health care professionals (Bandelow, et al., 2012). This awareness has led to a desire to improve the quality of life for the patients through medical intervention. More treatments for anxiety disorders are being discovered as greater research is done on the topic.
Utilizing these interventions will ensure that a person suffering from these conditions can be cured or have his symptoms mitigated. Willutzki et al., (2012) warns that if anxiety disorders are left untreated, they might lead to the development of other mental disorders such as depression in the patient therefore further decreasing his/her quality of life.
Conclusion
This paper set out to provide an informative discussion on anxiety disorders, their causes and treatments. The paper began by highlighting that a large proportion of the population experiences an excess of anxiety that is counterproductive or even disabling.
This paper has shown that individuals with anxiety disorders suffer from the adverse effects of their excessive anxiety since it impairs their work and personal relationships, and limits their activities and opportunities. The paper has shown that anxiety disorders should be treated to mitigate or completely eliminate the negative consequences associated with them.
List of Figures
Fig 1. Chart of Anxiety disorders
Fig 2. The vicious Cycle of Avoidance
Fig 3. Graph of performance Against Anxiety levels
Fig 4. Generalized Anxiety Disorder in the US
References
Bandelow, B., Sher, L., Bunevicius, R., Hollander, E., Kasper, S., & Zohar, J. (2012). Guidelines for the pharmacological treatment of anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder in primary care. International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice, 16 (2), 7784.
Blair, S.H. & Yuval, N. (2010). Anxiety Disorders: Theory, Research and Clinical Perspectives. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Craske, M., Rauch, S., Ursano, R., Prenoveau, J., Pine, D.S. (2009). What Is an Anxiety Disorder. Depression and Anxiety, 26(2), 1066-1085.
Dyer, K. (2009). Anger, aggression, and self-harm in PTSD and complex PTSD. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 65(10), 1099-1114.
Francis, J., Moitra, E., Dyck, I., & Keller, M. (2012). The Impact of Stressful Life Events on Relapse of Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Depression and Anxiety, 29(1), 386391.
Gavin, A. (2003). The Treatment of Anxiety Disorders: Clinician Guides and Patient Manuals. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Jazaieri, H. (2012). A Randomized Trial of MBSR Versus Aerobic Exercise for Social Anxiety Disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 68(7), 715-731.
Keller, M.B. (2002). The Long-term Clinical Course of Generalized Anxiety Disorder. J Clin Psychiat 63(8), 11-16.
Lochner, C., Seedat, S., Allgulander, C., Kidd, M., Stein, D., & Gerdner, A. (2010). Childhood trauma in adults with social anxiety disorder and panic disorder: a cross-national study. Afr J Psychiatry, 13(1), 376-381.
National Institute of Mental Health (2009). Anxiety Disorders. Washington, DC: NIH Publications.
Stein, J.D. (2007). Clinical Manual of Anxiety Disorders. NY: American Psychiatric Pub.
Thomas, J., & Michel, H. (2002). Handbook of Mental Health in the Workplace. NY: Sage.
Tortora, M., & Zohar, J. (2008). Current Treatments of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. NY: American Psychiatric Pub.
Willutzki, U., Teismann, T. & Schulte, D. (2012). Psychotherapy for Social Anxiety Disorder: Long-Term Effectiveness of Resource-Oriented Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Cognitive Therapy in Social Anxiety Disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 68(6), 581-591.
Yonkers, K.A. (2005). Influence of Psychiatric Comorbidity on Recovery and Recurrence in Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Phobia, and Panic Disorder: a 12-year Prospective Study. Am J Psychiatry, 162(6), 11791187.
According to Harrison (2006 pp13), anxiety can be described as a feeling of uncertainty and fear without an apparent objective. He further explains that Anxiety ranges from moderate to severe reactions which may lead to continuous avoidance of the feared situation or object.
According to Landow (2006 pp 98), indicators of stress are emerging especially among college students. He further adds that, depression, anxiety disorders, and suicidal tendencies are evident with time (Landow, 2006, p. 98). Moreover, anxiety feelings are a universal human experience, which could be as a result of fight or flight (Harrison, 2006, pp11). Generally, anxiety can be viewed as a normal reaction to any kind of stress that one is going through.
According to Hudson (2009, pp 173), results of a study carried out on twins who had anxiety disorders indicated that, it is individuals environment and shared environment that contribute to the anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders can also be caused by both psychological and social factors. For instance, if in a family there is a history of an anxiety disorder, then there is a high possibility that children born from that family will develop the same disorder at some point in their life.
According to Veeraraghavan (2006 pp 6), there are several types of anxiety disorders; these include separation anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessivecompulsive disorder, social phobia, specific phobia and post traumatic stress disorder. In this essay, the main emphasis is on the generalized anxiety disorder.
Generalized anxiety disorder
According to Veeraraghavan (2006 pp 10), generalized anxiety disorder is associated with unreasonable and irrational worries, which are difficult to control for the affected ones. This anxiety sometimes results to the inability for the children to perform work, lack of concentration, a feeling of restlessness and irritation and sometimes, the children feel physically exhausted. These may hence result to distress and functioning problems.
The generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is also associated with non- specific persistence fear and worry, and may affect both children and adults. According to Veeraraghavan (2006 pp 7), GAD is diagnosed if one has had frequent worries for close to six months. Moreover, according to Bourne (2011 pp 19), generalized anxiety disorder is includes heredity, neurobiology and childhood experiences such as rejection and sometimes, parents modeling worry behavior contributes to GAD.
Some of the symptoms of this anxiety include difficulty in remembering important issues, pale skin on the outward look and sometimes, sweaty hands and feet. Sometimes, the affected person may be sentimental and always crying, which is a signal of depression. This anxiety is said to be free-floating, whereby a person has problems when it comes to controlling the anxiety.
This anxiety is at times accompanied by restlessness, tiredness, petulance, muscle tension, inability to sleep; indeed, GAD not only contributes to stress in someone, but also interferes with the normal functioning of a person. Moreover, GAD is reported to have a high degree of life interference due to the worry present in this disorder.
According to Rygh and Sanderson (2004, pp 5), GAD is associated with heritability trait, such as anxiety, negative effects, behavioral inhibition and depression. According to Bourne (2011 pp 18), mostly, GAD is associated with depression and can occur at any stage both in children and adolescents. In addition, the generalized anxiety disorder can be influenced by the surrounding environment since its the surrounding events that contribute to worries.
Mostly, the generalized anxiety disorder is associated with worry and anxiety. For instance, after watching news report on the Japan tsunami and earthquake, a normal person will automatically feel tensed and worried temporarily, but for a person with generalized anxiety disorder, he might not be able to sleep at night at all and he may continue worrying for some days continuously. Most of these people worry exaggeratedly over issues over and over again.
Therefore, there is a clear indication on the difference between normal worry and generalized anxiety disorder. However, generalized anxiety disorder patients can deal with the anxiety problem in a number of ways; first, they should be able to deal with worry in a productive way which may involve learning how to deal with worry. This can be achieved through postponing ones worries, ignoring the weird thoughts on ones mind, and being able to deal with and accept the uncertainties that come in ones life.
In order to be able to relax, GAD patients should involve themselves in activities such as exercises, meditation, and taking deep breaths once in a while, hence reducing the rate of stress or depression. According to Smith and Jaffe-Gill (2010), self-sooth is the most essential tool to deal with anxiety and worry. Some of their tips include; taking a walk to the park and breathing the fresh air, listening to music when you feel tense, lighting scented candles and smelling of fresh flowers, cooking a delicious meal for yourself, and getting a massage.
Theories associated with generalized anxiety disorder
The generalized anxiety disorder is mainly associated with worry, hence the worry avoidance theory tries to explore further on GAD. According to Heimberg (2004 pp 14), worry can be defined as a chain of thoughts and images, with negative effect and uncontrollable problems arising there from.
He further explains that, worry can serve as a means of avoidance to the negative aversive images. Therefore, the best remedy for worry is avoiding worries at all times. According to the author, the cognitive avoidance theory of worry is actually an avoidance response to danger. He explains that the world is a dangerous place and one may not be able to cope with what the future brings; thus, one must anticipate all the bad things that happen so as to avoid or prepare for them.
Worry can serve as a cognitive avoidance strategy in three ways; worry suppresses anxious arousal, worry functions as an attempt to prevent or prepare for the future and worry as a focus on events that distract from more pressing emotion concerns. People who have GAD should avoid uncomfortable emotions and stop living in multiple emotions. In conclusion, this theory indicates that worry is a negatively reinforced cognitive avoidance response.
According to Hudson (2010 pp 155), young children are also aware of their worries, and according to research, they even admit that it is difficult to control these worries. According to Portman (2009 pp 33), Barlows emotion theory focuses on the generalized anxiety. He further explains that there is a synergy that takes place between a generalized biological vulnerability and generalized psychological vulnerability (Portman, 2009).
The Barlows theory signifies that worry may be a process that is independent from anxiety (Rapee and Hudson, 2010). According to Barlows theory, generalized psychological vulnerability creates a neurotic temperament; but when the generalized biological factor that forms the genetic influence is added to the early experiences and vulnerability, it leads to GAD.
Treatment
According to Bourne (2011 pp 19), there are a number of treatments that one can refer to in order to curb the generalized anxiety behavior. Relation training involves deep breath relaxation techniques as an exercise. Secondly, the cognitive therapy involves identifying fearful worries and replacing them with realistic thinking.
This therapy helps one to understand that, worrying only increases the probability of odds of something negative happening. Thirdly, worry exposure includes strategies that would help one cope with the disturbing images or fears. Reducing worry behavior is another strategy that helps one reduce on a behavior that involves worry.
Problem solving is also another strategy that involves solving of that particular problem that one is worried about and also learning to accept the situations that one cannot change. Distraction involves diverting attention to some other activities apart from ones worries; this could include listening to music, gardening, cooking and swimming.
Lastly, there are medications such as Zoloft, luvox, and lexapro used and have been found effective in treating generalized anxiety disorder (Bourne, 2011 pp 19-20). Moreover, involving the family in the treatment of the anxiety disorders may yield to better outcomes. This is because the family members will be able to understand the disorder well enough in order to assist the affected person.
Conclusion
At any given time, it is normal for any human being to worry, but when ones worries become regular that they affect ones normal routine, such that one cannot sleep, then, that is a problem. The generalized anxiety disorder is usually a combination of heredity, neurobiology and predisposing childhood experiences that include parental expectation, rejection and parents modeling worry behavior. Nevertheless, generalized anxiety disorder can be said to be any stressful situation that may contribute to fear (Edmund 2009 pp 34).
However, for every problem, there is a solution. Hence, GAD is a disorder that can be subsided through a number of ways such as treatment in form of medication or in form of therapy. GAD patients can also benefit from the acceptance of the anxiety, watching on ones anxiety, functioning with the anxiety, and expecting the best if they continue accepting the functioning and watching the anxiety.
References
Bourne, E. (2011). The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook. Fifth Edition. CA: New harbinger publications.
Harrison, A. and Hart, C. (2006). Mental health care for nurses: applying mental health skills in the general hospital. Fifth Edition. NY: Wiley- Blackwell publishers.
Heimberg. R. (2004). Generalized anxiety disorder: advances in research and practice. NY: Guilford Press publishers.
Hudson, J. and Ellis, D. (2010). The Metacognitive Model of Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Children and Adolescents. NY: Springer science + business media publishers.
Landow, M. (2006). Stress and mental health of college students. NY: Nova publishers.
Portman, M. (2009). Generalized Anxiety Disorder Across the Lifespan: An Integrative Approach. NY: Springer publisher.
Rapee, R. and Hudson, L. Family and social environments in the etiology and maintenance of anxiety disorder. (Attached material).
Rygh, J. and Sanderson, W. (2004). Treating generalized anxiety disorder: evidence-based strategies, tools, and techniques. NY: Guilford press publishers.
Rene Descartes is one of the most outstanding philosophers who contributed to the development of philosophy. The foundations of the philosophy and methodology of Descartes lay in the disclosure and presentation of the particular basics and consequences. Descartes created his first outstanding work, Discourse on the Method and Meditations on First Philosophy, in which he analyzed the concept of universal science (Mathesis Universalis), which has its roots in the Aristotelian hypothesis of the main organon of knowledge (Descartes 20). Developing the methodology of cognition, Decartes strived to understand the incomprehensible truth about the worlds functioning. The unknown has always been terrifying for peoples minds. That is why philosophers strive to find the questions which potentially cannot be answered. Therefore, as was mentioned by Harry Frankfurt, philosophy is created through anxiety born of an understanding of the limitation of knowledge.
Descartes Method
The anxiety in philosophical views can be seen in many directions of modern society. The key aim of any philosophy is to define the processes of cognition functioning that are impossible to explain scientifically. The philosophy of Rene Descartes is one of the foundations of European rationalism. It is based on the search for irrefutable foundations for any knowledge. The philosopher sought to achieve absolute truth, reliable and logically unshakable. Descartess main focus was to develop the method of cognition through which humans comprehend the substance. The philosopher stated that for to be possessed of a vigorous mind is not enough; the prime requisite is rightly to apply it (Descartes 48). The problem of the method of Descartes philosophy was to bring the potency of the mind to the perception of the basis of any phenomenon in the world, in order to perceive the apparent truths. The philosopher called the ability of the mind to perceive the basis of something in its evident simplicity intellectual intuition (Descartes 65). According to the philosopher, everything can be questioned in search of absolute truth.
The only undeniable fact is human thinking and desire to understand the substance of things. The presence of thinking convinces people of their existence. Descartes expressed this belief in the famous aphorism I think, therefore I am (23). This truth was irrefutable and, therefore, is the first point on which the worldview of Descartes was built. In his opinion, humanity has no other criterion of clarity, and all philosophical positions should be built on it.
Descartes also discussed the existence of God in his philosophical positions. From the philosophers point of view, people recognize themselves as imperfect only in comparison with the all-perfect being (Descartes 75). Such an understanding could only be implanted in the minds of the people by God. This means that the idea of God as a perfect existence is already proof of being (Descartes 88). Considering God as a universal basis, the philosopher showed that there are concepts that peoples cognition cannot comprehend. In other words, there always should be the presence of some inevitable force which is the starting point of knowledge. Such an approach helps to overcome the fear of unknown and related to it anxiety and existential depression. Thus, the anxiety and inability to comprehend and interpret many notions of creation and existence empowered Descartess philosophical exploration.
Plato and Aristotle Philosophy
The anxiety and existential depression in philosophy is a moving engine of progress. For example, in Platos philosophy, the only way to avoid anxiety and understand cognition is through Beauty. Plato, in his writings, focused on Beauty and the importance of its search in the surrounding world and within oneself (Leigh 48). Contemplating and accepting physical beauty, the Soul is able to turn to the beauty of art and science. Having overcome this frontier, the Soul moves on to a positive assessment of good morals, helping to climb the golden ladder to the world of Higher ideas.
Another example is the philosophical approach of Aristotle analyzing the nature of cognition. According to the philosopher, the Soul distinguishes the existence of matter spending a lot of time in mistakes to achieve something reliable in all respects about the soul is certainly the most difficult thing (Leigh 89). Thus, the Soul suffers a lot before understanding the essence of being. In order to avoid these sufferings, related anxiety, and existential depression, the Soul should implement the forms of truly scientific knowledge. These are the concepts that define the nature of things through rational thinking. In other words, logic is the key element preserving people from continuous suffering.
Conclusion
The analysis of the major argument presented by Descartes, and other philosophers, supports Frankfurts idea that modern philosophy is born out of anxiety. Therefore, the beginning of philosophy is not a surprise but anxiety. Despair and fear provoke human thought to acquire new forces, leading to new sources of truth. Striving to avoid anxiety, people continue to think. The desire to find the answer to existential concepts leads people to philosophical discussions. As was mentioned earlier, many philosophers theories were created in attempts to explain the incomprehensible from the physical perspective notions. Being afraid of the unknown, people long to find the truths which can eliminate their anxiety. This is the reason why there are so many different philosophical theories. Even though philosophers profound experiences and developments exist, people probably will never be able to avoid the anxiety caused by the fear of unknown.
Works Cited
Leigh, Fiona. Themes in Plato, Aristotle, and Hellenistic Philosophy. Institute of Classical Studies Publishing, 2021.
Descartes, Rene. Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy. Translated by Donald Cress, Hackett Publishing Company, 1998.
Major Psychiatric Disorder(s): F 41.1 Generalized anxiety disorder
Rationale
The client is a female who presents with symptoms of excessive anxiety. Ashley has been in a marriage for three years. The client meets criterion A because she experiences anxiety and worries about several events such as her marriage, education, and work performance. Furthermore, the anxiety never subsides. The woman meets criterion B because she finds it difficult to control her symptoms (APA, 2013). Three out of the six key elements of criterion C are met by the client. The woman is restless, which is evidence by her intense exercise schedule. She feels muscle tension and reports being easily fatigued. Ashley meets criterion D because the symptoms she experiences interfere with her professional and social life. For example, the client states that she displays warning signs in the relationship with her husband. At this point, the symptoms cannot be attributed to substance abuse; therefore, criterion E is also met. However, the client consumes an excessive amount of caffeine, which might be contributing to the severity of her symptoms. Taking into consideration the fact that Ashley has not experienced traumatic events and does not have physical complaints that can explain her anxiety and worry, it can be argued that criterion F applies to the clients case (APA, 2013).
Developmental Disorder(s): No diagnosis
Rationale
In the clients case, it is not possible to make a developmental diagnosis because the woman has a bachelors degree in journalism obtained at the University of Florida. The client has no psychiatric conditions originating in childhood. No language, motor, or post-traumatic stress disorders have been diagnosed so far. Also, Ashley is gainfully employed, which suggests that she does not show signs of behavioral or communication problems associated with developmental disorders.
Personality Disorder(s): No diagnosis
Rationale
Ashley has a successful career, which reduces the likelihood of her having a personality disorder. Also, the woman does not have mood swings or other signs of personality disorder. Moreover, the client reports a happy marriage. She has a lovely family and feels an overall satisfaction with her job. The woman has no concerns regarding communication with other people; the only misunderstandings arise when she tries communicating with her husband. There is no long-standing pattern of intrusive symptoms related to social relationships. Good functioning at her job and the desire to care about her health lead to the conclusion that none of the personal disorders are present at the moment.
Medical Disorder(s): No diagnosis
Rationale
Ashley denies having medical issues. She seems to be caring about her health. The client maintains an intensive exercise schedule. However, the woman reports having regular migraines; therefore, it is necessary to conduct a series of laboratory tests to eliminate the possibility of underlying medical issues.
Client Strengths
Ashley has a loving husband who can provide her with emotional support.
The woman has a caring family, which is essential for quick recovery.
The client holds a bachelors degree from the prestigious educational institution, which provides her a wide range of employment opportunities.
She does not have suicidal ideations.
The woman is willing to improve her relationship with her husband, which might help to reduce her stress level.
The woman cares about her health.
She tries to maintain regular exercise.
Ashley continues her education despite her stress, which points to the fact that she is highly resilient.
Comments/Differential Diagnosis
The client shows a preference for staying at home; therefore, social anxiety disorder has been considered for a differential diagnosis. However, Ashley does not seem to be preoccupied with evaluations of others. Furthermore, she regularly exercises and attends her work and school; therefore, the diagnosis has been discarded. The woman worries about her performance at school. Also, she experiences anxiety associated with the fear of getting fired. These are common sources of anxiety for adults (APA, 2013). A considerable number of studies on generalized anxiety disorder have been conducted in recent years. The majority of these studies point to the fact that intolerance of uncertainty mediates anxiety symptoms, which might apply to the clients case (McEvoy & Mahoney, 2012).
References
APA. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing.
McEvoy, P., & Mahoney, P. (2012). To be sure, to be sure: Intolerance of uncertainty mediates symptoms of various anxiety disorders and depression. Behavior Therapy, 43(1), 533-545.
Anxiety disorders are mental problems characterized by abnormally high levels of anxiety, which leads to negative outcomes in the life of the afflicted person. While anxiety is a natural human experience, anxiety in persons suffering from these disorders occur frequently and over prolonged periods.
Anxiety disorders include Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorder (PD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) (Bandelow 78). Several similarities and differences exist among these disorders.
Similarity among the disorders is that they all negatively affect the lives of the patients. The people suffering from these disorders may be unable to carry out normal activities. Patients of SAD will avoid interactions with other people and employ tactics to avoid social performances (Lochner 377). This will negatively affect the social and professional life of the person. Individuals with PD will avoid taking part in everyday activities such as going to for shopping out of fear that a panic attack will occur.
GAD results in intolerance to everyday uncertainties in life since the person finds indefinite situations stressful. OCD causes the person to avoid certain activities out of irrational thought. The individual might avoid carrying out responsibilities assigned to them at work or school due to their disorder. Individuals with PTSD may find it hard to form or maintain close relationships due to the emotional numbness or anger and aggression caused by the condition (Dyer 1100).
There are differences in the causes of various disorders. SAD and PD are often caused by traumatic experiences faced during the individuals childhood years. Lochner explains that physical and emotional abuses suffered in the early years by the individual are predictive to the development of these two anxiety disorders (377).
PTSD is caused by past exposure to shocking or traumatizing events, for example, devastating accidents, brutal crimes, or life-threatening incidents. On the other hand, GAD is mostly caused by stressful life events being experienced by the person. Research suggests that OCD might have a genetic link since most OCD patients have family members with the same condition.
The various anxiety disorders differ in their symptoms and physical manifestation. GAD is characterized by the chronic worry that might lead to stress and mild headaches. Symptoms of panic disorder include excessive fear, and a person can experience dizziness and chest pains.
SAD can be characterized by excessive blushing, shaking, and confusion. Signs of PTSD might include tense feelings, trouble sleeping, and emotional numbness (Dyer 1102). OCD is characterized by the presence of obsessive thoughts that might be benign or malignant. Tortora and Zohar explain that persistent thoughts can lead to extreme behavior by the individual (23).
The various anxiety disorders are similar in that they can all be cured or mitigated through professional help. Bandelow reveals that the most common form of treatment for anxiety disorders is prescription medication (78). Anti-anxiety medication and antidepressants can be used to cure or alleviate the effects of these disorders and enable the patient to enjoy a normal life.
Psychotherapy can also be used to help identify the causes or triggers of the disorders (Bandelow 80). From this information, the psychiatrist can help the individual adopt means to deal with the disorder. Through the various treatment options, the disabling impacts of anxiety disorders can be overcome, allowing the person to enjoy an improved quality of life.
Works Cited
Bandelow, Borwin. Guidelines for the pharmacological treatment of anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder in primary care. International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice 16.2(2012): 7784. Print.
Dyer, Kevin. Anger, aggression, and self-harm in PTSD and complex PTSD. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 65.10 (2009): 1099-1114. Web. 2 Dec. 2014.
Lochner, Christine. Childhood trauma in adults with social anxiety disorder and panic disorder: a cross-national study. Afr J Psychiatry 13.1 (2010): 376-381. Web. 2 Dec. 2014.
Tortora, Pato and Joseph Zohar, Current Treatments of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. NY: American Psychiatric Pub, 2008. Print.
Anxiety disorders should be diagnosed as quickly as possible for the prevention of severe consequences. I succeeded in distinguishing the normal, disordered anxiety, and fear, according to the certain criteria. The provided objectives helped in the understanding of the learning process.
There are several features of the depressive disorders, namely the presence of a bad mood, certain changes in the somatic and cognitive functions, and the significant deterioration of functioning. The depressive disorder affects the overall health of the patient and impacts the illness (Strakowski and Nelson 23). According to the recent experiments in the field of psychology, the depressive disorders are commonly divided into unipolar (depression) and bipolar (depression and mania) (Strakowski 132).
I would like to point out that the understanding of major symptoms of the depressive disorders will help to evaluate the diagnosis and prevent dire consequences. The main features of the depression disorder are depressed mood and empty feelings every the day, the low interest during the daily activities, weight loss, fatigue, thoughts of death.
I learned that the depressive disorder that is believed to be hardly discovered is commonly viewed as dysthymia. It should be stated that the main criteria for the diagnosis are the irritable mood for more than one year, poor appetite, the lack of energy, and fatigue. The depressive disorders in Saudi Arabia are commonly explained as a result of gender inequality (Koenig et al. 226).
I would like to make an accent that according to the theory of Aaron Beck the individual with the depressive feelings makes cognitive errors; depressed person thinks negatively concerning oneself, the future, the world around. The social and cultural factors can cause the depressive disorders. I succeed in the understanding of how the depression and mood disorders should be treated and the significant effect of the depression on a human life.
The deeper understanding of the nature of substance-related disorders, physiological, and psychological effects of alcohol, sedatives, hypnotics, anxiolytics, and stimulants is beneficial for the consideration of how the addiction should be treated. One of the most widespread substance-related disorders is caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, or cannabis addiction. To provide the appropriate treatment to the patient the psychological side of the problem should also be taken into consideration.
I would like to make an accent that personality disorders become widespread nowadays, and that is, the essential features of such disorders should be examined. According to the recent researches, the personality disorders often depend on gender. It should be highlighted that women tend more to suffer from this kind of disorder. Having personality disorders men tend to act in a more aggressive way, whereas women usually display more emotionally insecure state. The index of women who suffer from personality disorders is high, and can be explained because of gender inequality. I succeeded in understanding the difference between paranoid personality disorder, antisocial disorder, avoidant personality disorder, and the needed treatment.
Aside from personal disorder, schizophrenia and other psychotic issues should be distinguished. I managed to understand the difference between psychotic disorders, the nature of schizophrenia, and the appropriate treatment for such kind of disorders. According to the recent studies concerning the connection between schizophrenia and Arabian culture, the patients suffers from visual and kinesthetic hallucinations more often than people belonging to other religious or cultural groups. Patients in Saudi Arabia suffer from hallucinations on the religious base (Kasper and Papadimitriou 364).
Works Cited
Kasper, Siegfried, and George Papadimitriou. Schizophrenia. 2nd ed. Boca Raton: CRC, 2010. Print.
Koenig, Harold, Faten Al Zaben, Mohammad Gamal Sehlo, Doaa Ahmed Khalifa, and Mahmoud Shaheen Al Ahwal. Current State of Psychiatry in Saudi Arabia. The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine 46.3 (2013): 223-242. Print.
Strakowski, Stephen M. The Bipolar Brain: Integrating Neuroimaging with Genetics. New York: Oxford UP, 2012. Print.
Strakowski, Stephen M., and Erik Nelson. Major Depressive Disorder. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2015. Print.
The article Understanding Problematic Drinking and Social Anxiety among College Students describes the impact of social anxiety disorder on the experiences of many students. Statistics indicate that 25 percent of learners in colleges encounter numerous academic problems due to increased levels of alcoholism (Hunley, 2016). Past studies have not explained how the problem of social anxiety can be addressed in colleges. The study was aimed at examining how social anxiety affected students motivation or desire to consume alcohol. This knowledge could be used by researchers to come up with evidence-based interventions to support the needs of many students with social anxiety disorder.
Hypothesis
The article does not have a defined hypothesis. However, the researcher begins the article by indicating that post-event processing dictates the nature of drinking behaviors in individuals with social anxiety disorders (Hunley, 2016, para. 5). The study also wanted to understand the relationship between increased levels of post-event processes and problematic alcohol intake.
Study Method
The author of the article used a qualitative approach to review past studies completed by a group of researchers at the Adult Anxiety Clinic of Temple University (Hunley, 2016, para. 6). Led by Carrie Potter, the researchers used a correlation analysis to determine the relationship between post-event processing and problematic drinking especially in individuals suffering from social anxiety disorder (Hunley, 2016). The researchers used two groups to complete the study. The first group was comprised of individuals high in social anxiety. The second one targeted students low in social anxiety (Hunley, 2016). The participants were guided to interact with a student they had never met before. This exercise was followed by tasks that either inhibited or promoted post-event processing.
Results
The completed study showed conclusively that promotion of post-event processing after the completed social task encouraged the students to drink. Individuals suffering from social anxiety disorder were affected the most. The event appeared to produce long-lasting impacts on the students desire to take alcohol. Students who engaged in an inhibiting exercise did not portray similar signs. The inhibition task distracted the students from ruminating about the encountered past social experience (Hunley, 2016).
Interesting Points
The selected article presents interesting points that can be used to support the experiences of many students with social anxiety disorder. The first issue is to acknowledge that social anxiety disorder is a serious condition that should not be ignored. The article goes further to indicate that post-event processing dictates the connection between problematical drinking and social anxiety (Hunley, 2016). Activities aimed at inhibiting such post-event processing experiences can decrease an individuals desire to take alcohol. The other interesting point is that the author has encouraged future scholars to analyze how different actions aimed at inhibiting post-event processing can deliver long-term results.
Agreeing with the Findings
The findings presented in this article are agreeable. This is the case because the researchers used an effective method to conduct the research study. It is also agreeable that actions that encourage post-event processing can increase a persons urge to engage in unpleasant behaviors such as drinking alcohol. This is the case for individuals with social anxiety disorder. Tasks aimed at inhibiting post-event processing have the potential to decrease a patients urge to cope with alcohol. The other agreeable finding from the article is that high anxiety patients might have long-lasting impacts on the motivation to take alcohol (Schry & White, 2013). Psychiatrists can use the presented findings to provide sustainable support to more students distressed by social anxiety disorder.
Schry, A., & White, S. (2013). Understanding the relationship between social anxiety and alcohol use in college students: A meta-analysis. Addictive Behaviors, 38(1), 2690-2706. Web.
Anxiety disorders fall within the category of mental health issues. It is challenging to get through the day when one is anxious, which means that this type of disorder can be very disruptive to ones life. Sweating and a fast heartbeat are symptoms, along with feelings of unease, panic, and terror. Medication and cognitive behavioral therapy are forms of treatment most commonly used to treat this condition. The focus of this paper is on one of the most common types of anxiety disorder, which is generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), characterized by a continuous feeling of fear or anxiety that might interfere with day-to-day activities.
GAD is not the same as occasionally worrying or feeling anxious as a result of demanding life situations. For months or perhaps years, people with GAD endure regular anxiety. Both children and adults can experience a generalized anxiety disorder. Although panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other forms of anxiety have some symptoms with generalized anxiety disorder, they are all distinct medical diseases (NIH, n.d.). It can be difficult to manage generalized anxiety disorder over the long run. It frequently co-occurs with other mood or anxiety disorders. With psychotherapy or medications, generalized anxiety disorder often gets better. Altering ones way of life, developing coping mechanisms, and employing relaxation techniques can all be beneficial.
Symptoms of GAD might vary, and they may consist of: persistent anxiety or worry over a lot of things that are out of proportion to how the events have affected you. Additionally, considering plans and remedies for all potential worst-case scenarios and trouble handling ambiguity, and the tendency to see threats where none exist in situations and events is a sign of GAD (Mayo Clinic, n.d.). Next, uncertainty and concern about choosing poorly. The inability to ignore or let go of concern and feeling tense or on edge, unable to unwind, and restless. The inability to focus or the sensation that ones mind goes blank are also signs of this disorder.
The etiology of GAD is complex and is linked to several factors, including genetics. Generalized anxiety disorder is likely caused by a complex interaction of biological and environmental factors, as is the case with many mental health illnesses. These causes may include variations in the chemistry and function of the brain. Genetics or variations in how threats are viewed are another possible cause (ADAA, n.d.). GAD is diagnosed when a person exhibits three or more symptoms and finds it difficult to control worry on more days than not for at least six months. This distinguishes GAD from worry that may be particular to a particular stressor event for a shorter duration. 6.8 million adult Americans, or 3.1% of the countrys population, struggle with GAD each year (John Hopkins Medicine, n.d.). Two times as many women are likely to be impacted. The illness develops gradually and can start at any stage of life; however, the risk is greatest from childhood through middle age. There is evidence that biological variables, a persons family history, and life experiencesparticularly stressful onesplay a part in the development of GAD, even though its exact etiology is unknown.
As a teacher, it is important to understand that GAD can seriously undermine the performance of the student and cause them negative thoughts. Any educators top priority is to create a learning-friendly environment in the classroom. Additionally, even though there is a national increase in mental health awareness, it can be challenging to spot pupils who may be experiencing mental health issues like anxiety (Cleveland Clinic, n.d.). It is critical to comprehend what anxiety looks like and to develop helpful, successful classroom methods for assisting pupils who battle with it, whether or not they have been diagnosed. For example, removing distractions, such as bright colors or loud sounds, can help children with GAD. Also, giving clear instructions about the expectations is another classroom modification that can help.
In summary, GAD is a continuous feeling of fear or anxiety that might interfere with day-to-day activities. Sweating and a fast heartbeat are symptoms, along with feelings of unease, panic, and terror. Medication and cognitive behavioral therapy are most commonly used to treat this condition. 6.8 million adult Americans struggle with GAD, or 3.1% of the population, each year. GAD can seriously undermine the performance of a student and cause them negative thoughts. It can be challenging to spot pupils who may be experiencing mental health issues like anxiety.