INFO_ANXIETY_DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA

Anxiety Disorders

 

Anxiety is an internal experience of worry which is associated with activation of some of the stress response pathways discussed previously. Almost everyone has things that they worry over on a routine basis – which is a function of the chronic stress that most of us tend to experience day to day (i.e. not ). Those with an anxiety disorder experience worrying and internal tension to a level that impairs their ability to function in their day to day life (which would likely have a compounding effect on the original worries themselves, becoming a vicious cycle if left untreated). There are numerous types of anxiety disorders that have manifested over time in a consistent way, however a more common one that better serves as a model for understanding anxiety disorders as whole would be ‘Generalized Anxiety Disorder’.

DSM 5 Criteria:

 

  1. Excessive anxiety and worry (apprehensive expectation), occurring more days that not for at least 6 months, about a number of events or activities (such as work or school performance).
  2. The individual finds it difficult to control the worry
  3. The anxiety and worry are associated with AT LEAST three of the following symptoms more days than not
    1. Restlessness or feeling on edge
    2. Easily fatigued
    3. Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank
    4. Irritability
    5. Muscle tension
    6. Sleep disturbance
  4. The symptoms cause CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
  5. The constellation of symptoms is NOT RELATED to substance use (i.e. alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, stimulants) or another medical condition.