Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Review of Recent Findings

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by a pervasive cognitive dysfunction with a focus on threats and risks toward the individual or his/her immediate family. It goes with tension, worry, muscle pain, disturbed sleep, and irritability that all together impair work capacity, relations, and leisure activities. By its chronic course, GAD increases direct and indirect costs for the individual, the family, the health care services, and at work or in education. Among patients with cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease, pulmonary disease, diabetes, and neurological diseases, GAD is a risk factor for somatic complications and for lowered adherence to somatic treatments. GAD can be treated with cognitive behavioral therapy, and/or with medications.