Transcript Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Unit 12: Abnormal Psychology
Psychological Disorders
Mrs. Marsh
generalized anxiety disorder
– an anxiety disorder
characterized by anxiety that is
not associated with a particular
object, situation, or event but
seems to be a constant feature
of a person’s day-to-day
existence.
 Uncontrollable anxiety much of the time.
 Feel restless and jumpy much of the time.
 Difficulty concentrating.
 Difficulty sleeping.
 Fatigue.
 Irritable.
 Tense (sometimes so much their mind goes blank).
 Often have no time in their lives when they have not
felt tense or anxious.
 Efforts to control anxiety are unsuccessful.
 Worries are not focused on any one particular thing
and are usually unrealistic.
 Example:
 Ben is a successful businessman who worries about
going bankrupt even though his business is thriving. He
also worries his college-age son will develop a lifethreatening disease even though he is in good health.
A. Excessive anxiety and worry (apprehensive expectation), occurring more days
than not for at least 6 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. 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 6 months). Note: Only one item is required in children.
(1) restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge
(2) being easily fatigued
(3) difficulty concentrating or mind going blank
(4) irritability
(5) muscle tension
(6) sleep disturbance (difficulty falling or staying asleep, or restless
unsatisfying sleep)
D. The focus of the anxiety and worry is not confined to features of an Axis I
disorder, e.g., the anxiety or worry is not about having a Panic Attack (as in
Panic Disorder), being embarrassed in public (as in Social Phobia), being
contaminated (as in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder), being away from home
or close relatives (as in Separation Anxiety Disorder), gaining weight (as in
Anorexia Nervosa), having multiple physical complaints (as in Somatization
Disorder), or having a serious illness (as in Hypochondriasis), and the anxiety
and worry do not occur exclusively during Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.
E. The anxiety, worry, or physical symptoms cause clinically significant distress or
impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
F. The disturbance is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance
(e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition (e.g.,
hyperthyroidism) and does not occur exclusively during a Mood Disorder, a
Psychotic Disorder, or a Pervasive Developmental Disorder.
 Biological Perspective
 Chemical abnormalities.
 Cognitive-Behavioral Perspective
 Distorted thought processes.
 Example: If something goes wrong, Jill magnifies the
problem. Then she shifts her attention to other worries she
has. Because she is constantly worrying, Jill becomes less
efficient in her daily tasks which causes her to become even
more worried. Jill’s anxiety spirals as worry piles on worry.
 Socio-cultural Perspective
 Life stressors.
 Generalized anxiety disorder is the most common
anxiety disorder.
 Affects 6% of the population.
 Two-thirds of diagnosed clients are female.
 People are often also diagnosed with depression.
 Medical
 Many people seek out medical care to alleviate physical
symptoms (i.e., stomach or intestinal distress).
 Physicians who recognize the real condition behind the
physical symptoms provide appropriate medications.
 Antianxiety drugs.
 Antidepressants.
 Counseling
 Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps clients learn how to
change their irrational thought processes to break the
cycle of negative thoughts and worries.
 Recognize anxious thoughts.
 Seek more rational alternatives to worrying.
 Put alternatives into action.
 Cognitive-behavioral therapy may also provide
relaxation exercises.
 Depending on the severity of anxiety, most people who
take medication and engage in therapy see
improvements .
What are some reasons why women might suffer from
this disorder more than men?