A recent study of patients visiting their primary care doctors has found that anxiety disorders such as Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) are as common as depression.
A new study by researchers led by Kurt Kroenke, M.D., of the Indiana University School of Medicine and the Regenstrief Institute, Inc. reports that nearly 20 percent of patients seen by primary care physicians have at least one anxiety disorder.
While the study found that many patients had symptoms of both depression and GAD, researchers were able to identify distinct characteristics that closely correlated with a diagnosis of GAD using the GAD-7 questionnaire.
GAD-7 Anxiety Screening Quiz
Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by the following problems?- Feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge
- Trouble relaxing
- Not being able to stop or control worrying
- Being so restless that it's hard to sit still
- Worrying too much about different things
- Becoming easily annoyed or irritable
- Feeling afraid something awful might happen
For each of the seven questions score as follows:
0 = not at all
1 = several days
2 = over half the days
3 = nearly every day
Add the scores for the seven questions. If the total is 10 or more and your worry is so great that it significantly interferes with with your relationships, your ability to work, or your ability to get things done then then there is a possibility that you have Generalised Anxiety Disorder.
For a diagnosis of Generalised Anxiety Disorder according to the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual IV these symptoms need to persist for six months or longer.
If you are concerned that you may have an anxiety disorder please print this questionnaire and your answers and discuss them with your doctor. You might also like to consider yoga, meditation, mindfulness training and other stress management tools.
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37 comments:
As someone who has lived with anxiety disorders, I find it interesting that it's so common. I always thought I was weird because of my anxieties and fears.
I'm not surprised that anxiety disorders are common.
It seems to me that in many cases GPs do not distinguish between depression and axiety. It always pays to get specialist advice.
Based on that quiz, I need to be institutionalized. I've always suffered from too much anxiety and worry. I drive myself crazy. I'm on meds for my postpartum depression, and I think that helps my anxiety a bit.
TripletsMom
It's only a problem if the anxiety interferes with your functioning. Many antidepressant medications can be helpful for anxiety. Hope you start feeling better soon
It's amazing to me how common anxiety disorders are, in the US especially. Do you have any stats for how Americans compare to the rest of the world? I have a hunch the percentage of the population who suffers is higher, but maybe just the numbers reported diagnosed are.
Every person goes through some periods of stress and anxiety...that's part of life. Learning how to deal with them before they become huge problems, learning emotional self-regulation and stress management, should be taught in school, universities and our workplaces to help us all.
Allie, the stats for other mental illnesses are similar in New Zealand and United States.
Alvaro, absolutely! Coping skills make a big difference and help you break the worry habit.
Nicole, no you're not weird or different.
Emily. Yes, there is a lot of overlap between depression and anxiety. Easy to assume they are one and the same without closer investigation
People should stop worrying about their problems. Even in treating their problems, they still have to worry about their health in order to be well again, how ironic.
I guess it's normal for most people to have anxiety disorders. Working too much seems to be a good source of such disorder. Some worry too much about family and health. A serious habbit to have around.
There have been a couple of times in my past that I would have topped 10 on the quiz. Fortunately, things are better now. It would have been nice at the time to be able to put a label on it - just saying "I've been worried and anxious" doesn't sound as bad as it really is.
My doctor told me that at least 1 in 4 people has some sort of mental health disorder, and GAD is one of the most common.
Julia - yes your doctor is right. More scary is the lifetime prevalence of mental illness. If you include alcohol dependence, eating disorders etc then more than half the population will experience mental illness during their life time
Peggy - yes GAD is increasingly common, although this is just a screening test. For a diagnosis doctors would look for a pattern over six months or more
The world is so crowded and our pace of life so hurried, it is no wonder we are anxious.
When we go camping in our travel trailer, it takes at least 24 hours for us to fall into relaxed time, where we sleep late, read, walk or just sit and watch the deer.
Here from BCs Carnival.
I am only 16 and i feel like i could have an anxiety disorder. I worry about everything, and i get upset very easily and want to give up at everything. I want to see a therapist to see if i can figure out how to fix things, but my mom does not like the idea and will not let me. she says that they make you focus too much on negative things. Sometimes life is just too hard.
Some therapists are negatively focused but if you find a good one s/he will give you tools to help you improving your coping skills and your self-confidence.
If you are at school/college then I suggest you talk to your school counselor or guidance teacher and ask them for a referral. At the end of the day you need to do what is right for you and having someone to talk to about this could be a big help.
I think that it could help if i talked to someone but my mom would be mad if i went to the school about it. She has a closed mind about it, and so I can't really do anything.
That is a real shame. What about church or the synagogue? Maybe someone there can help.
Another option is to try getting a book from the library e.g. The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook and working through that. Any of the books in the sidebar (to the right) could be useful.
Your last option is to join a forum and talk online to others who have dealt with similar feelings.
We have an anxiety section in our forum as well as emergency contact numbers if you need to phone someone.
Or you could google anxiety forums to find another forum that you like better
Good luck
I will try those things, and hopefully they will help. Thanks
Well i joined the Forum thing, I think, I guess im just kinda dumb cuz i dont really get it....but yea my user name is Aspirin i think, so yea thats about as far as i got.....I dont really get how to talk to people or whatever...
Only after you've experienced anxiety to such a great degree that you become physically sick can you understand what people who had GAD go through. Imagine the first 30 minutes of your day; it's 6am, you've barely slept because 2hrs, 33 minutes before that, you awoke and couldnt return to sleep, for fear you would sleep through your alarm clock, therefore missing work. So there's 3 other people in the house, and you have a time slot to use the shower. These first 30 minutes (til youre out of the shower) your chest is tight, you feel like you can barely breathe, and the only thing going through your mind is dread that someone is going to deliver several gallons of freezing water to your hot shower by mindlessly flushing the commode. This feeling for me is so great that every morning by the time my shower is over my stomach is flip-flopping and the nerves in my shoulders and neck are raw. I dont understand what you guys mean by learning "coping skills" to deal with every day things. This isnt a feeling I needed or wanted as a part of my daily life. The best part of this is my GYN prescribed me a 70$/month anti-depressant for my anxiety. LOL.
is there better way of getting rid of this GAD other than medications? does it alter the words you think,speak?
The problem with medications is that the issues with anxiety usually start again if the meds are stopped. For permanent long-term change and in particular to change your thoughts and what you say to yourself Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is helpful. You might also like to investigate the ABC of Rational Emotive Therapy (#4 in the list of 5 things).
Some people get help from hypnosis. There are also self-help books such as
The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook which is an excellent resource.
Heather, I'm glad you're getting some help.
The people who are talking about coping skills are referring to making cognitive changes to your thinking patterns and learning new responses to stress.
Meds can help and yours have obviously been a big help to you.
Another (free) option is meditation. It's extremely hard to do when you're anxious but it improves sleep and anxiety without any side effects. Studies have shown that it has long term benefits so it might be worth persevering even though you will find it hard to still your mind.
You can also try walking meditations, so you don't have to sit in lotus position. Daniel Goleman has a CD with 4 different types of meditation that you might like to try
I got 17, is that bad?
Hard to know whether 17 is good or bad, but it does suggest you're under stress! If you can find ways to lower your stress and anxiety now is the time to start, and it may be worth talking to your doctor about it or enlisting support from your family
Good luck
I went before and they told me I had social anxiety disorder, and gave me medicine (which didn't work). However I'm anxious about a large amount of things that don't involve people or judgement.
It's possible that you have generalized anxiety disorder. While the diagnosis is important, the most critical aspect is finding something that works for you.
As far as meds are concerned, sometimes you need to try a couple of different types of meds before you get any relief. I would also recommend lifestyle changes, such as relaxation exercises, meditation and walking plus some form of cognitive behavioural therapy to help you examine your underlying beliefs and learn to manage and change these to beliefs that are more supportive.
If you have access to counselling at your school, church or place or work then that could be a good starting point. Also a course in stress management or any of the books that have been previously recommended. If you look back through the comments you will see some links to books and other posts that might be helpful.
Good luck
I had tried five different medications, and my experiences with psychiatrists and psychologists didn't really leave me with a high opinion. Also I don't go to school, have a job, or go to church.
Hi Anon:
I hope you don't mind me jumping into this discussion. I just want to second what Talia has suggested. I also want to respond to your good point about mental health helpers not being a positive experience for you.
I'm a psychotherapist and I'm not surprised that your experiences with psychologists and psychiatrists did not leave you with a high opnion. Often, it takes awhile and some searching to find a good "fit" with a mental health professional. I hope you won't give up on the idea of getting some behavioral counseling and support.
Since you are not employed or in school, you might try a local mental health center. Their fees are usually on a sliding scale.
Another option might be a support group. Many of my colleagues rule that out for people experiencing anxiety disorders. But groups can be very effective. They help to "normalize" what you are feeling/thinking. Keep in mind that everyone participating is suffering with similar symptoms.
Take care,
Nancy L., LISW, LICDC
I never really understood how therapy or "behavioral counseling" was supposed to work. If it's irrational and I know it's irrational I don't see how talking to someone could help it. Especially since talking to people is the problem, and this is some stranger who is taking my money and doesn't care about me so I’m not exactly going to be very open.
Does alcholism contribute to GAD? Because I drink a lot, like 6-10 beers a night & more on the weekend. My big question is are my symptoms (I scored a 17 on the test) a result of alchoholism or GAD?
The short answer is yes. Alcohol can increase anxiety, and anxiety can increase alcohol consumption if you use it as a coping mechanism.
Alcohol consumption can increase mood swings and fatigue which can in turn diminish coping skills, and create anxiety.
Your best bet is to visit a health professional or telephone a helpline for support - either alcohol or mental health or a general support line.
If you don't want to visit anyone or talk to anyone you could try cutting alcohol to see if your anxiety reduces. You could also consider purchasing/borrowing any of the books listed in the sidebar (on the right hand side to this post).
My honest opinion? Try talking to someone by telephone or face to face. Your doctor, a counselor, anyone qualified to assess you and offer assistance
Good luck
any difference between "acute anxiety" and "generalized anxiety disorder"...had the first, saw a therapist, helped alot, couldn't work, now, back to work and my boss wants to to determine if I'm fit to work and wants my medical file, law says it's OK to do so, boss says "acute anxiety" means I have 'trouble making mental connections'. What to do/think? This is not imagined fear but actual fear that my private therapist sessions will open to my employer.
acute anxiety is high levels of anxiety, but for a short period of time ("short" can be weeks) and can be specific to a situation or time in your life
Whereas generalised anxiety disorder is a pervasive condition, with anxiety over a lot of different situations for six months or more.
My boss says "acute anxiety" means I have 'trouble making mental connections'. What to do/think?
I wouldn't agree with that definition. It sounds like your boss needs some education about mental illness. You might also like to check your phone book for organisations that deal with this and phone them to talk about it. I would classify those comments as discriminatory, but without context I can't be sure.
It would be best to talk to your therapist. I don't know if your therapist is licensed or any particular associations they belong to but the general rule is that therapists can not disclose anything about their patients without their specific consent.
I suggest you ring your therapist and clarify this.
Also, if your doctor has given you clearance to work and you feel confident to work then as far as I know you're fine. BUT I am in a different country and US laws may be different.
Good luck
i am terrfied that some thing bad happened when it comes to simple things like some one not calling me back when they say they will, I get bad thoughts like some thing happened to them something made them sick some thing is way wrong with them or with some one close to them....is the feeling i get bad??Because it terrfies me!!
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Talia & Nancy.