Define generalized anxiety disorder. Compare and contrast GAD with phobic disorders, noting how avoidance behavior is manifested differently in each

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Specific anxiety disorders are complicated by panic attacks or other features that are the focus of the anxiety. In generalized anxiety disorder, the focus is generalized to the events of everyday life. The DSM-IV-TR criteria specify that at least 6 months of excessive anxiety and worry (apprehensive expectation) must be ongoing more days than not. Furthermore, it must be difficult to turn off or control the worry process.
GAD is characterized by muscle tension, mental agitation (Brown, Marten, & Barlow, 1995), susceptibility to fatigue (probably the result of chronic excessive muscle tension), some irritability, and difficulty sleeping. Focusing attention is difficult as the mind quickly switches from crisis to crisis. People with GAD mostly worry about minor, everyday life events, a characteristic that distinguishes GAD from other anxiety disorders.
A phobia is an irrational fear of an object or situation that markedly interferes with an individual's ability to function. It manifests itself in agoraphobia, a specific phobia, or a social phobia.
People with GAD avoid distressing thoughts and feelings. The phobic individual avoids situations or objects or endures with intense anxiety or distress.