Mental disorder in which there is persistent, excessive anxiety and worry about various aspects of daily life. The individual has difficulty controlling their worry, causing significant restlessness.
The cause is unknown, but it is believed to have a hereditary component due to a predisposition to suffer from it if there is a family history.
Symptoms include a state of constant worry that usually develops gradually and interferes with personal and work relationships. It may be accompanied by irritability, muscle tension, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, difficulty falling asleep, and non-restorative sleep. Sometimes it causes symptoms such as headache, muscle pain, abdominal discomfort, dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath, etc.
It is diagnosed clinically, often through an evaluation by a psychiatrist.
It should be treated early with medication and psychotherapy to prevent it from becoming chronic. The medications used are antidepressants and benzodiazepines. Cognitive-behavioral therapy has been shown to be effective, alone or in combination with stress-reduction techniques.
- American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), American Psychiatric Association, Arlington 2013.
- Wittchen HU, Kessler RC, Beesdo K, et al. Generalized anxiety and depression in primary care: prevalence, recognition, and management. J Clin Psychiatry 2002; 63 Suppl 8:24.
- Lenze EJ. Anxiety disorders in the elderly. In: Textbook of Anxiety Disorders, 2nd ed, Stein DJ, Hollander E, Rothbaum BO (Eds), American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc, Washington, DC 2010. p.651.
- Beesdo K, Hoyer J, Jacobi F, et al. Association between generalized anxiety levels and pain in a community sample: evidence for diagnostic specificity. J Anxiety Disord 2009; 23:684.
- Allgulander C. Morbid anxiety as a risk factor in patients with somatic diseases: A review of recent findings. Mind Brain 2010.
