Psychological Diagnosis Related Children. Topic: Generalized Anxiety

¶ … psychological diagnosis related children. TOPIC: GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER. Topics selected Diagnostic Statistical Manual Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR). The research paper discuss: a.

Anxiety disorders are presently responsible for interfering in people's lives and preventing them from being able to successfully integrate society. When considering the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), matters are particularly intriguing as a result of the fact that many people have trouble identifying it and actually go through their lives thinking that their thinking is perfectly normal. In spite of the fact that there are no motives to provoke the exaggerated worry seen in people with GAD, they are unable to realize that they are overstressed. Millions of people from around the world are currently suffering from GAD, with the malady affecting virtually everything about their lives.

While some individuals actually acknowledge the fact that their worries are unfounded, it is very difficult for them to put across rational thinking because the disorder constantly affects the way that they think. Despite that one might have trouble understanding that his or her condition is actually the result of a malady, the respective individual is likely to ignore symptoms that seem obvious to others. "Physical symptoms that often accompany the anxiety include fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, muscle aches, difficulty swallowing, trembling, twitching, irritability, sweating, nausea, lightheadedness, having to go to the bathroom frequently, feeling out of breath, and hot flashes" (National Institute of Mental Health). It is interesting to see how the disorder affects individuals both from a psychological and from a somatic point-of-view. The degree to which this anxiety disorder can affect a person's everyday life depends on its level, as someone can perform complex tasks with little trouble if the disorder is mild while the same person cannot even do the simplest of activities if the condition is severe.

A. Physicians initially had trouble identifying the disorder as being unique and only issued this diagnosis when they were unable to associate people's conditions with other anxiety disorders. In spite of their initial position on the matter, they gradually came to recognize that the disorder was more complex and that it was perfectly normal for them to categorize it as an independent disorder. It is very probable that the terms "generalized disorder" are responsible for the fact that people have difficulty understanding that the disease functions autonomously (Stein & Hollander, 2002, p. 22).

In spite of the fact that technology has progressed greatly during the last few years and made it less difficult for doctors to diagnose GAD, it is still very troublesome for them to understand the factors behind it. Heredity is believed to be one of the main elements triggering GAD in individuals, as it was reported that people with the disorder have had similar cases in their families. GAD is thus very probable to be caused by genetics in combination to a series of other factors. It is very probable that identical twins will develop the same anxiety disorder, this further contributing to the belief that GAD can be caused by genetics. The brain is particularly influential when considering the appearance of GAD, as the disorder has been associated with abnormal levels of certain chemicals in the brain. Brain chemicals are likely to be a principal cause for GAD because the symptoms in patients suffering from the disorder have been reported to ameliorate when these people are being presented with medication that alters the level of particular substances in the brain. One's personality and the environment that the respective person frequents are also decisive in causing GAD. If an individual lacks confidence in himself or herself or if he or she has difficulties performing certain relatively normal tasks, the respective person might be predisposed to developing GAD. Living an underprivileged life can also be significant in triggering GAD, with "long-term exposure to abuse, violence, or poverty" being influential factors in making people suffer from the disease. Traumatizing experiences can also cause interfere with people's ability to develop immunity to the disorder. Living a stressful life or going through a difficult episode can predispose one to Gad (University of Maryland Medical Center).

B. GAD is one of the most common anxiety disorders, as it occurs in 22% of all primary care patients who report anxiety difficulties. Approximately a quarter of all individuals who attend medical facilities dedicated at treating anxiety disorders are thus very probable to suffer from GAD. According to the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, about 3% of people are predisposed to developing GAD during a given year while approximately 5% of all people will be diagnosed with GAD at a certain moment in their lives. Gender seems to be an important factor when considering GAD, as women are more likely to suffer from GAD in comparison to men. Even though it is difficult to determine the exact ratio regarding the number of women with GAD compared with the number of men suffering with GAD, it is only safe to assume the much more women have been diagnosed with the disorder.

GAD normally advances gradually, with patients experiencing mild somatic or psychological episodes at first and slowly starting to find that their activities become more and more difficult as time passes. Whereas people initially fight their worries and manage to get through the day with little to no problems, they eventually come to feel that they cannot control their anxiety.

When compared with the standard percentage of individuals likely to contract GAD, older people are apparently less immune to the disorder. Furthermore, elderly individuals suffer severe forms of GAD, as the disorder prevents them from completing even the simplest of activities. Whereas old people were found to be more predisposed to GAD, it appears that doctors have difficulties recognizing whether or not a young individual suffers from the disorder. Children are unlikely to experience GAD symptoms, as the disorder does not advance significantly in the first years of one's life. Many people are unaware of their condition because GAD can put across its symptoms at various moments in one's life, without developing completely. It is not until the disorders fully develops that most people become aware of their condition and decide to search for professional help to assist them with overcoming its symptoms (Wittchen, 2002).

C. Many patients suffering from GAD were initially unable to realize that their troubles were caused by a mental disorder. Those who actually realized that something was wrong with them were unable to identify the disorder that was affecting their thinking. "Sometimes patients fear they may be developing Alzheimer's disease, because they do not remember incidents that have occurred around them; the reason for this, however, is that they were not able to pay adequate attention" (Root, 2000, p. 9). Headaches and backaches are normally associated with this disorder and are among the first symptoms that can assist doctors in discovering the specific disorder affecting their patients. GAD is often mistaken for panic disorder, as patients claim that they experience fearful sensations. In reality, they are experiencing significant increases in generalized anxiety making them unable to cope with what goes on around them. People suffering from GAD who have been diagnosed with panic disorder are likely to experience little to no benefits as a result of being subjected to a treatment normally meant to ameliorate panic disorder symptoms (Root, 2000, p. 9).

People with GAD are often diagnosed with panic disorder because of the apparent similarities between the two maladies. Instead of improving conditions regarding GAD diagnose, the DSM III brought further confusion to the problem by identifying GAD as "a disorder without panic attacks or symptoms of major depression" (Gliatto). In contrast, the DSM IV shed light on the topic, emphasizing the fact that people with GAD tend to experience episodes involving severe worrying and that psychological experiences are more important than somatic elements in providing doctors with essential proof that a person had GAD. In order for a contemporary doctor to be able to diagnose GAD when he or she analyzes a particular patient, the respective patient needs to have experienced symptoms for more than six months. Also, he or she has to have had his or her life seriously affected as a result of these symptoms. The DSM III referred to GAD as overanxious disorder (OAD), describing it generally as anxiety disorders present in children and adolescents (Kendall, Pimentel, Rynn, Angelosante & Webb, 2004, p. 336).

One of the most essential reasons for which GAD tends to be mistaken for other disorders is the fact that this particular disorder is typically recognized to accompany other maladies, thus making it more difficult for doctors to be able to identify it. "Comorbidity between GAD and major depression is particularly strong, e.g. In the NCS, subjects with current GAD frequently also had current major depression (39%) or dysthymia (22%)" (Stein & Hollander, 2002, p. 23). GAD patients are often reported to suffer from prolonged mental disorders belonged being diagnosed with GAD. When patients with GAD suffer from other mental disorders, their ability to perform everyday activities is further affected and it is very difficult for them to put across rational thinking (Stein & Hollander, 2002, p. 24).

Most people that go to a doctor in order to receive a diagnose regarding their condition receive little to no help because they only report somatic symptoms. Patients who go further and report pshychosocial difficulties are more likely to be diagnosed with GAD while those who either refrain from mentioning their experiences to the doctor or simply experienced little psychological episodes are likely to receive no assistance concerning their condition. Somatic symptoms are more commonly reported because they can occur more often than psychological experiences and because they tend to be more obvious. Because people experiences severe pain, they put across indifference in regard to minor abnormal psychological events that they go through, as they actually come to believe that factors like pain and stress are essential in causing these episodes (Stein & Hollander, 2002, p. 25).

When GAD is accompanied by major depression, patients are very probable to report experiences related to depression instead of expressing any interest in the anxiety aspect of their health condition. GAD is also more difficult to treat and to prevent when it is accompanied by another disorder.

D. Most people with GAD do not realize that they suffer from a mental disorder until symptoms reach an apogee and individuals can no longer control their behavior. School is particularly important when considering young people with GAD, as they come to believe that teachers are dedicated to persecuting them and that it is impossible for them to equal their fellow students in accomplishing great results. Surely, one might consider that ignoring such symptoms would make it possible for people with GAD to perform similar to normal individuals in class. However, it seems less difficult to understand the condition of someone with GAD when considering the fact that such people "can not hold a pencil, can not breathe, and can not focus their eyes" (Murray, 2003). Accepting their condition is not enough for people with GAD, as symptoms continue to influence their behavior regardless of how hard they try to ignore them. Many individuals suffering from GAD go through their daily lives without accepting their worries, however. Instead of allowing their condition to affect who they are, they struggle to hide their anxiety and actually perform complex tasks with little problems. Given that they are determined to be actively involved in communities of children in school, children with GAD do their best in order to conceal their fear. In some cases, the stress coming along with trying to hide their condition made it possible for these children to develop depression in their adult lives. It is not until they experience a notable distress that they actually come to express their exaggerated worries and feel that they will most likely fail in everything that they will ever do. However, it is actually because of such breakdowns that people eventually come to acknowledge the fact that they need help and that it is essential for them to see a doctor. Children with GAD become experts at concealing their condition in their adult lives, as even from an early age they try to pose in the perfect individual, unaware that it is not absolutely necessary for them to be this way in order for them to be happy with themselves and with those around them. "Children with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are persistent worriers. Their anxieties are not focused on any particular situation but tends to be about the future, the past, or their personal competence" (Nutt, Bell, Masterson & Short, 2001, p. 87).

Society has trouble understanding children with GAD and such individuals are usually categorized as small adults as a result of their worries and because of their interests. Perfectionism is one of the principal elements in the life of a child suffering from GAD, and, unlike other children, this respective child is likely to express lack of interest in children-dedicated activities and generally in everything that he or she considers probable to generate negative results. In spite of their unordinary particularities, children with GAD can easily trick their parents and people that they interact with in thinking that there is nothing wrong with them. They are only probable to "show their distress through temper tantrums, especially when faced with unexpected changes in plans" (Kendall, Pimentel, Rynn, Angelosante & Webb, 2004, p. 334).

Children with GAD have trouble experiencing success while in school because they constantly need to be lauded as a result of their performances, as they are encouraged to continue particular activities if they learn that they are good at those respective acts. One of the most important things assisting people in realizing that a child might be suffering from GAD is the fact that the particular child puts across worries concerning matters that would only seem disturbing for an adult. Adults sometimes tend to encourage their children in behaving this way, as they feel that such individuals are more mature than others and that it is impressive for a young person to be able to comprehend the seriousness of life. Children with GAD often try to be the best at any activity that they come across, even if it is not important for them to win or if the competition is not necessarily overlooked by someone evaluating their capability. Even with this, many children display such symptoms without actually suffering from GAD, this making it more difficult for authorized individuals to identify and try to treat their condition. Most parents are not interested in seeking specialized help for their children until they realize that their behavior is very different from that of other children in the same age group. Whereas doctors have difficulties diagnosing GAD because most patients initially report somatic affections, it is easier for them to discover when children suffer from GAD as a result of patients putting across somatic complaints. "Anxiety is often associated with physiological symptoms, usually related to the autonomic nervous system. These symptoms are similar to those mentioned above but can also include enuresis, sweating, and jitteriness" (Kendall, Pimentel, Rynn, Angelosante & Webb, 2004, p. 335). Adults need to have at least three somatic symptoms in order for them to be diagnosed with GAD while children only need to display one somatic symptom in order for doctors to consider that they have GAD. However, stomachaches and headaches are considered to be irrelevant in diagnosing a child with GAD, given that it is more common for children to put across such symptoms.

F. Doctors normally have little trouble diagnosing GAD because most patients coming in do so as a result of the fact that the disorder had just reached a peak and they feel that they are no longer in control of themselves. Anti-depressants and medication meant to calm people in general are among the first actions that doctors take with the purpose of treating patients. It is probably difficult for individuals to accept that they suffer from a serious mental condition and that it is very important for them to change mostly everything about themselves in order to cope with the situation. "My doctor felt it was important that I begin taking Anti-depressants to get back to ground zero where I could cope with the situation at hand. In other words, they chose the route of medicalization to define and cure my problem" (Murray, 2003). As most patients are confused during the first few days consequent to the moment when they are diagnosed, medication can affect them even more. These people need to receive instructions regarding the kind of attitude they need to employ in order for the disorder's symptoms to be as mild as they possibly can. They initially need to accept their condition so as for them to be able to explore themselves and in order for them to perform simple activities without feeling that it is impossible for them to do so. Doctors also support self-confidence as one of the most important matters in dealing with GAD. However, they prescribe medication to patients in order for them to be able to calm down and reach a state from where they can later evolve and try to cope with their condition (Murray, 2003).

Mental health professionals are also very important in helping people cope with suffering from GAD. While some people believe that it is up to the physician to treat them, they fail to observe that it is essential for them to get actively involved in the treatment process, as only by cooperating with the doctor can one achieve positive results. Simply listening to a physician cannot possibly assist a person in overcoming the symptoms of a mental disorder. The amount, type, and time when people receive medication depends on the doctor, as he or she is qualified to tell what particular drug is better for a certain individual, what quantity the patient needs to take in, and the exact time when he or she needs to do this (National Institute of Mental Health).