Recent perspectives on the diagnosis and treatment of generalized anxiety disorder

Anxiety disorders are common mental disorders, encompassing a group of conditions that share extreme or pathological anxiety as the primary disturbance in mood or emotional tone. Anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, agoraphobia, specific phobias, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Individual anxiety disorders have considerable symptomatic overlap in their expression. The life-time prevalence of all anxiety disorders in the general population is about 25%. There is familial aggregation of anxiety and mood disorders such as major depression. Genetic factors and life experiences both contribute to the likelihood of developing anxiety disorders. GAD is characterized by excessive anxiety and uncontrollable worry, is present for longer than 6 months, and tends to occur comorbidly with other conditions, including other anxiety disorders and major depression as well as general medical conditions. GAD, given its chronic nature, is associated with significant impairment. GAD is responsive to pharmacological treatments, such as anxiolytics and antidepressants, as well as psychotherapies such as cognitive therapy.