Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

1. Risk Factors

1.1. Maladaptive coping

1.2. Change in lifestyle

1.3. Diagnosis of Depression

1.4. Past high traumatic life events

1.5. Undesirable life events in childhood

1.6. Poverty

1.7. Parental loss

2. Clinical Presentation & Adaptive Responses

2.1. Hyperarousal

2.2. Muscle Tension

2.3. Poor Sleep

2.4. Fatigue

2.5. Difficulty Relaxing

2.6. Headaches

2.7. Pain in neck, shoulders, & back

2.8. Excessive worrying over minor matters

2.9. Change in eating habits

2.10. Large number of worries

3. Diagnosis

3.1. Mental health history

3.2. Genetic and social history

3.3. Physical signs of symptoms should receive lab studies (EKG if cardiac) to rule out

3.4. Current medication side effect?

3.5. Substance abuse current or history of

3.6. Screen: generalized anxiety disorder seven-item or hospital anxiety and depression scale

3.7. Anxiety occurring more days than not for greater than six months? Feeling on edge? Fatigue? Difficulty with concentrating? Irritablity? Sleep disturbance?

4. Epidemiology

4.1. Twice as common in women than men

4.2. Increased use of healthcare services

4.3. Most common anxiety disorder among the elderly

5. Pathophysiology

5.1. Possible heredity with major depression

5.2. Secretion of main "stress" hormone Cortisol

5.3. Involve; central nervous system, autonomic nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system

5.4. Stress response