Current epidemiological data suggest anxiety disorders are the most prevalent type of childhood psychological disorders. Generalized Anxiety Disorder or GAD is described by excessive worrying about a variety of events, including those in the past, present, and future. Children with this disorder worry excessively about a number of issues, including past conversations or actions, upcoming events, school, family health, their own health, competence in sports or academics, and world events. Typically, children experiencing such excessive worry find it difficult to control the amount of time that they worry, and the worrying interferes in their daily life. Sometimes children don’t realize their anxiety is excessive considering the situation. Worries, doubts, and fears are a normal part of life. It’s natural to be anxious about your upcoming test or to worry about future plans after graduating from high school.
The difference between “normal” worrying and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is that the worrying involved in GAD is the student can have thoughts that are excessive, persistent or debilitating. For most children, anxiety is a common and can be a functional, everyday part of life. But for some children in our schools anxiety may be intense and cause significant disruptions in normal social and academic development (Storch 2005).
The difference between normal age appropriate worry and Generalized Anxiety Disorder lies in the symptoms and behavior of the child. According to the Diagnostic Statistic Manual (DSM-IV) Generalized Anxiety Disorder is characterized as follows:
A. Excessive anxiety and worry (apprehensive expectation), occurring more-days-than-not for at least 6 months, about a number of events or activities (su...
... middle of paper ...
...ew York: Guilford Press.
Layne, A., Bernstein, G., Bernat, D., & Victor, A. (2009). Generalized anxiety disorder in a nonclinical sample of children: Symptom presentation and predictors of impairment. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 23(2), 283-289.
Piacentini, J., & Roblek, T. (2002). Recognizing and treating childhood anxiety disorders. Western Journal of Medicine, 176(3), 149-149-51. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/200478835?accountid=12832
Promising Practices Network | Programs that Work | Coping Cat. (n.d.). Promising Practices Network on Children, Families and Communities | Home. Retrieved July 2, 2011, from http://www.promisingpractices.net/program.asp?programid=153
Storch, E. A. (2005). THIS ISSUE: Childhood anxiety disorders. Pediatric Annals, 34(2), 78-78,80-81. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/217546002?accountid=12832
Generalized Anxiety Disorder, also known as (GAD) is one of the several types of anxiety disorders. GAD according to our textbook (Lahey) is an uneasy sense of general tension and apprehension for no apparent reason that makes the individual highly uncomfortable because of its prolonged presence. GAD is much more than the normal anxiety people experience day to day. Without provoking, it is chronic and exaggerated worry and tension. This disorder can involve anticipating disaster, often worrying excessively about health, money, family or work. Sometimes, though, just the thought of getting through the day brings anxiety.
The Revised Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS-2) is a revision of the Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale (CMAS) created by Cecil Reynolds and Bert Richmond in 1985 (Reynolds & Richmond, 2008). The RCMAS-2 includes an updated standardization sample, improved psychometrics, and broadened content (Reynolds & Richmond, 2008). Although these revisions occurred, the brevity, elementary reading level, and content-based item clusters were retained, offering an updated and effective tool for understanding and treating anxiety in school-aged children (Reynolds & Richmond, 2008).
Since one of the prominent concerns she has is related to health, she needs to be reassured by a physician that these symptoms are not dangerous, along with being aware about the fact that she misinterprets these symptoms and these symptoms can be created if she persistently focus on the certain parts of her body.
Grigorenko, Elena L., et al. "Bringing a Developmental Perspective to Anxiety Genetics." Development and psychopathology 24.4 (2012): 1179-93. ProQuest. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.
About three percent of men and women in the U.S. suffer from Generalized anxiety disorder (APAA). It is one of the most common forms of anxiety and seems to be the most left untreated because people don’t know that it can be treated (McGradles). GAD, although it affects many, is a disorder that can be detrimental to the quality of life of an individual. With the regard to the quality of life, the level of severity that a person experiences is a great factor in determining more information. The accumulated information is a defining feature in figuring the dissimilarity of the normal fight or flight response and the diagnoses of GAD. The disorder itself is that of excessive worry (AnxietyBC) about everyday things like, financial situations, school, family, or health (APAA). Having three or more symptoms such as nausea, shaking, sweating, hot flashes, headaches, and many others, is what contributes to the diagnosis (Patel). By understanding what the disorder is and how it can be treated, Generalized Anxiety Disorder is a serious, yet gradually treatable issue.
The onset of Generalized anxiety disorder begins in childhood or adolescents, and It can have a lifetime prevalence of 3-5% with a higher risk in women. One major effect of Generalized Anxiety Disorder is excessive worry or anxiety lasting up to 6 months at a time, although individuals that have Generalized Anxiety Disorder don’t identify their worrying as excessive all of the time, but they will recount subjective distress because of a constant worry, or may have difficulty with control over the worrying, or even experience social impairment. Anxiety can be associated up to 6 symptoms which include inability to sleep, fatigued, lack of concentration, easily agitated, muscle tension, and sleep disturbances. Most of which can affect everyday lifestyle and greatly effect physical health, not only can they cause personal distress but may also cause distress in those around.
Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is prevalent in 4.1% of children aged 7 – 11 and 3.9% in children 12 – 14 years old in the United States ("Separation Anxiety Disorder Related," n.d.). SAD onset is most common during the ages of seven to t...
According to Sharp (2012), “anxiety disorders are the most widespread causes of distress among individuals seeking treatment from mental health services in the United States” (p359).
Excessive or ongoing anxiety and worry, for at least three months, about two or more activates or events (Table 5-1).
Anxiety is a feeling of tension associated with a sense of threat of danger when the source of the danger is not known. In comparison, fear is a feeling of tension that is associated with a known source of danger. I believe it is normal for us to have some mild anxiety present in our daily lives. Everyday that I can think of I have some kind of anxiety though out that day. Anxiety warns us and enables us to get ready for the ‘fight or flight’ response. However, heightened anxiety is emotionally painful. It disrupts a person's daily functioning.
Beck, A. T., & Steer, R. (1993). Beck Anxiety Inventory 1993 Edition. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Students with academic anxiety are self-engrossed and lead to their own academic demise. Test anxiety does not only affect a student's performance on a test, but Huberty (2009) asserts that test anxiety over time tends to contribute to more common underachievement. He describes the consequences of constant test anxiety including lowered self-esteem, reduced effort, and loss of desire to complete school tasks. Students who have academic anxiety also have a higher risk of developing depression, and often feel deprived of confidence (Cunningham, 2008). Thus, academic anxiety can become extreme, and have negative effects on students’ well-being.
National Institute of Mental Health. (2009). Studying anxiety disorders. NIH Medline plus, 5, 13-15. Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/anxiety-disorders/complete-index.shtml
The definition of anxiety by the American Psychological Association is, “...an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure”(APA) Anxiety disorders affect 1 in 8 children, the largest source of the anxiety being stress. An article by the Huffington Post says, “31 percent of teens report feeling overwhelmed as a result of stress, 30 percent say that they feel sad or depressed as a result of stress, and 36 percent report feeling tired
Anxiety has a main definition; a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease. Although, it has its single definition, each person diagnosed with anxiety has different symptoms. With that, some have more severe cases of the actual diagnosis. It has been noted that anxiety has had an increase in teens recently. In the last 30 years, the statistics for anxiety in fifteen to sixteen year olds have doubled for both girls and boys (“Increased Levels of Anxiety…” 1). It is said, “in societal moments like the one we are in…it often feels as if ours is the Age of Anxiety”(Henig 1). Anxiety affects teenagers profusely because the emotions of a teenager are more vulnerable than those of an adult. The brain of a teenager is not fully developed and the stress put on teenagers to start putting their life together takes a toll on their emotions. The daily life and activities are interfered with by anxiety when the amount of stress put on a teenager becomes unbearable. Unfortunately, the effects of anxiety become so intense that the mental health is eventually toyed with. So many different components of life contribute to anxiety and cannot be prevented.