Anxiety
Approximately 18% of the U.S. population suffers from some sort of anxiety disorder (Kessler et al., 2005). Within the mental health literature, the category of Anxiety Disorders encompasses numerous conditions and includes disorders such as Panic Attacks, Agoraphobia, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Acute Stress Disorder, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), among several others.
As defined by the DSM-IV-TR, GAD refers to experiencing “excessive anxiety or worry” for the majority of days over at least a 6-month period, difficulty controlling the worry, and at least three of the following symptoms must also be experienced: “restlessness, being easily fatigued, difficulty with concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, and disturbed sleep” (APA, 2000, p. 472). People with GAD also experience impairment in areas of functioning, including work, school, and social settings. A diagnosis of GAD cannot be related to other types of disorders such as panic disorders, social phobias, eating disorders, substance abuse disorders, and/or a general medical condition.
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