GAD

Question 1

What is GAD?

Answer 1

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is a pervasive uncontrolled anxiety, that may be chronic and affect normal life.

Question 2

Risk factors

Answer 2

Women are approximately twice as likely to experience GAD compared to men.

Female sex
Family history
Childhood abuse and neglect
Environmental stress (e.g. redundancy, divorce)
Emotional trauma
Substance abuse

Question 3

DSM-V Criteria

Answer 3

Excessive anxiety and worrying (more days than not for six months or longer)
The worry and anxiety is difficult to control
Three of the following have been present (more days than not for six months):
Restlessness
Easily fatigued
Sleep disturbance
Irritability
Muscle tension
Trouble concentrating
In addition, the following must be present:

Symptoms cause significant distress and impair normal function
Symptoms or episode not caused by another condition of substance
Episode not better explained by other mental health illnesses

Question 4

Differentials

Answer 4

Social phobia
Panic disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Acute stress disorder

Question 5

Management

Answer 5

CBT
SSRIs- sertraline
SNRI’s- venlafaxine