(GP)

Overview

• Defined as at least 6 months of excessive worry about everyday issues that is disproportionate to any inherent risk, causing distress or impairment
• Increase in minor life stressors, the presence of physical or emotional trauma, and genetic factors all seem to contribute
• Risk Factors → family history of anxiety, female sex, increased stress, history of physical or emotional trauma, and comorbid depression, substance misuse/dependence, or other anxiety disorder, being divorced or seperated, living alone, being a lone parent

Making Diagnosis

Clinical Features:

• Excessive worry for at least 6 months
• Six Core Symptoms (at least 3 for diagnosis) → muscle tension, sleep disturbance, fatigue, restlessness, irritability, poor concentration
• Other Symptoms → headache, sweating, dizziness, GI symptoms, trembling
• No other mental health disorder or substance abuse

<aside> 💡 Typical Features → feeling anxious most of the time, feeling restless, feeling irritable

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Investigations:

• TFTs → if anxiety + symptoms of thyroid disease (may be due to hyperthyroidism)
  • MUST RULE OUT HYPERTHYROIDISM
• Urine Drug Screen