Generalized Anxiety Disorder DSM 5

DSM 5 for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) can be a challenge to diagnose. Consequently, people consider panic attacks a hallmark of all anxiety disorders, but GAD is different in that there are generally no panic attacks associated with the condition.

As a result of this misconception, without the experience of panic attacks, a person may think they are “just worrying too much.” Therefore, their struggles with constant worry may be minimized or dismissed and, in turn, not properly diagnosed or treated.

Generally, excessive worry means worrying even when there is no specific threat present or in a manner that is disproportionate to the actual risk. Hence, someone struggling with GAD experiences a high percentage of their waking hours worrying about something. The worry may be accompanied by reassurance-seeking from others.

DSM 5 Generalized Anxiety Criteria

Given that, the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition) definition of generalized anxiety disorder criteria is:

A. First thing to remember, excessive anxiety and worry, occurring more days than not for at least six months, about a number of events or activities (such as work or school performance).
B. The person finds it difficult to control the worry.
C. As a result, the anxiety and worry are associated with three (or more) of the following six symptoms (with at least some symptoms present for more days than not for the past six months):

Restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge.
Being easily fatigued.
Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank.
Irritability.
Muscle tension.
Sleep disturbance (difficulty falling or staying asleep, or restless, unsatisfying sleep).
D. Fourthly, the anxiety, worry, or physical symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
E. The disturbance is not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance or another medical condition.
F. Lastly, the disturbance is not better explained by another mental disorder (e.g., anxiety or worry about having panic attacks in panic disorder, negative evaluation in social anxiety disorder).

When To Seek Help

Indeed, many people who struggle with GAD experience symptoms for a long time before seeking help. Therefore, reaching out for a diagnosis can feel challenging, especially when anxiety feels so constant and widespread.

Subsequently, only around 20% of people who have symptoms of anxiety seek treatment. Therefore, in 2020, a national coalition of women’s health professionals recommended that all women aged 13 and older should be screened for anxiety.

The lifetime prevalence of anxiety disorders is approximately two times higher in women than in men, so preventative screenings may be helpful in ensuring that women and girls receive appropriate interventions to improve health and well-being.

Contacting a mental health or other clinical provider is a courageous step that can help clarify what is happening and, in turn, lead to creating a plan of care that can help you find relief and regain a sense of well-being.

When deciding to seek help, something to consider is how difficult it is to feel any sense of calm, comfort, and reassurance around your worry.

Also, know that not experiencing panic attacks is another primary reason people don’t seek help for their anxiety. Their worry may be chronic and concerning but, because there are no periods of acute panic attacks, they simply chalk the challenges up to being a “worrywart.”

Generalized Anxiety Disorder DSM 5 Treatment

CBT

Your GP or talking therapies service may suggest trying a self-help course to see if it can help you learn to cope with your anxiety. Self-help courses for GAD are usually based on the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT is a type of talking therapy that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave. CBT is one of the most effective treatments for GAD.

There are several ways you may be offering self-help and CBT, here they are:

You work through a CBT workbook or computer course in your own time.
You work through a CBT workbook or computer course with the support of a therapist who you see every 1 or 2 weeks.
You take part in a group course where you and other people with similar problems meet with a therapist every week to learn ways to tackle your anxiety.

Applied Relaxation

Applied relaxation focuses on relaxing your muscles in a particular way during situations that usually cause anxiety.

A trained therapist teaches the technique and generally involves:

Learning how to relax your muscles
Learning how to relax your muscles quickly and in response to a trigger, such as the word “relax”
Practicing relaxing your muscles in situations that make you anxious

As with CBT, applied relaxation therapy will usually mean meeting with a therapist for a 1-hour session every week for 3 to 4 months.

Medication

Your GP can prescribe a variety of different types of medication to treat GAD. Prescribing some medication are to be taken on a short-term basis, while others are for longer periods. Depending on your symptoms, you may need medication to treat your physical symptoms, as well as your psychological ones. If you’re considering taking medication for GAD, your GP should discuss the different options with you in detail before you start a course of treatment.

Conclusion

There can be other behaviors and symptoms that can be present with anxiety. For example, when someone engages in self-sabotaging behavior, such as procrastination, they can be perceived as struggling with self-regulation and behavioral conditions. Overlooking elements of anxiety related to this behavior can end up creating an obstacle for someone to receive effective treatment.

So, go through the gad DSM 5 checklist to see if you have any of the symptoms. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) can make it difficult to get through the day. The good news is that several effective anxiety treatments are available, including talk therapy and medications. Talk to your healthcare provider to figure out your diagnosis and the best treatment plan.

Well, it’s time for me to say farewell and for me to get some sleep. I will talk to you in the next post. Fight the good fight, until next time…