Generalized Anxiety Disorder in the DSM-IV Term Paper by Nicky

An examination of the symptoms, prevalence and treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
# 150677 | 1,970 words | 10 sources | APA | 2012 | US
Published on Mar 29, 2012 in Psychology (Disorders) , Psychology (Therapies)


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Description:

The paper explores in detail the symptoms and prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder and discusses the treatments available. The paper also provides a list of individuals or agencies who can provide or refer an individual to diagnostic and treatment services for this disorder, and includes a table of those who can provide these services in New Jersey. A figure is also included in the paper.

Outline:
Symptoms and Prevalence of the Disorder
Treatment Issues
Where to Find Treatment in New Jersey

From the Paper:

"The accurate diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder, though, is complicated by the fact that many of the presenting symptoms are similar to the symptoms of other disorders such as depression, and it may be difficult to distinguish, for example, the fatigue that results from depression from the fatigue that results from GAD (Stein & Hollander, 2002). There is also a high level of comorbidity with depressive disorders for sufferers of GAD (Stein & Hollander, 2002). In addition, the age of the individual involved can also make accurate diagnosis of GAD problematic. In this regard, Stein and Hollander emphasize that children and young adults with depressive disorders may exhibit irritability which is also a characteristic of GAD. The diagnostic criteria of GAD contained in the DSM-IV-TR, though, appear to make differentiation between generalized anxiety disorder and other depressive disorders more accurate (Tracey et al., 1997). Other disorders, though, such as posttraumatic stress disorder may be characterized by fatigue, irritability and difficulty sleeping which are also characteristic of GAD (Stein & Hollander, 2002). Therefore, clinicians are advised to proceed with caution in formulating diagnoses of individuals who present with these types of overlapping symptoms (Stein & Hollander, 2002)."

Sample of Sources Used:

  • Barlow, D. H. (2002). Anxiety and its disorders: The nature and treatment of anxiety and panic. New York: Guilford Press.
  • Craske, M. G. (1999). Anxiety disorders: Psychological approaches to theory and treatment. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
  • Generalized anxiety disorder. (2009). National Institute of Mental Health. [Online]. Available: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad/index.shtml.
  • Getting help. (2009). National Institute of Mental Health. [Online]. Available: http://www. nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/getting-help-locate-services/index.shtml.
  • Hersen, M. (2004). Psychological assessment in clinical practice: A pragmatic guide. New York: Brunner-Routledge.

Cite this Term Paper:

APA Format

Generalized Anxiety Disorder in the DSM-IV (2012, March 29) Retrieved May 27, 2023, from https://www.academon.com/term-paper/generalized-anxiety-disorder-in-the-dsm-iv-150677/

MLA Format

"Generalized Anxiety Disorder in the DSM-IV" 29 March 2012. Web. 27 May. 2023. <https://www.academon.com/term-paper/generalized-anxiety-disorder-in-the-dsm-iv-150677/>

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