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What are the diagnostic criteria for generalized anxiety disorder?

Answer

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessive anxiety and worry occurring more days than not for at least six months, about a number of events or activities. The individual finds it difficult to control the worry. 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):

Additional diagnostic considerations

  • The anxiety, worry, or physical symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
  • The disturbance is not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or another medical condition (e.g., hyperthyroidism).
  • 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, contamination or other obsessions in obsessive-compulsive disorder, separation from attachment figures in separation anxiety disorder, reminders of traumatic events in posttraumatic stress disorder, gaining weight in anorexia nervosa).

Guideline-based assessment

In conclusion, the diagnosis of GAD is based on the presence of excessive anxiety and worry about a number of events or activities, associated with at least three of six specific symptoms, causing significant distress or impairment, and not better explained by another mental disorder or the physiological effects of a substance or medical condition. The assessment should be comprehensive, considering not only the symptoms but also the degree of distress, functional impairment, and the impact of various factors such as comorbid disorders and past treatment experiences.

References

1

Generalized anxiety disorder

Disease

Disease overview

GAD is a chronic disorder characterized by excessive anxiety and worry about a number of events or activities (such as work, home, and social) symptoms, and tension, which an individual finds difficul...

Pathway