Practical Toolkit Provides Fresh Perspective On Generalised Anxiety Disorder

Main Category: Anxiety / Stress
Also Included In: Psychology / Psychiatry;  Mental Health
Article Date: 12 Nov 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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The World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) is delighted to announce the publication of a comprehensive toolkit "Understanding generalised anxiety disorder" which represents a major advance in helping people understand this debilitating condition. The toolkit provides essential, up-to date information about generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) in both adults and children, its current treatments, and the effects of stigma on those living with the disorder. Through the information presented, the toolkit aims to both educate and inform those with GAD, their physicians, families and friends, and the general public about a condition that affects the lives of millions of people, and results in marked disability and significantly impaired quality of life.1 In addition to the information about GAD, the toolkit also contains a list of national and local organisation which can be contacted for further information and support.

"Although common, generalised anxiety disorder is one of the most misunderstood mental health conditions due to its close association with other disorders," said Stuart Montgomery, Imperial College School of Medicine, London. "It is up to all of us to raise awareness and understanding so that those with the condition can receive appropriate treatment."

A major focus of this toolkit, available both online and in print, is to raise awareness about this condition and consequently reduce the stigma associated with GAD, so that more people can seek and receive appropriate treatment. Currently it is thought that only around 50% of people with GAD seek treatment which may have masked the true incidence of the disorder. This may be partly due to the social stigma surrounding the condition, but also due to misdiagnoses such as normal stress and hypochondria.2

GAD does not discriminate between ethnic or socioeconomic backgrounds, with millions of people across the world living with its devastating symptoms. It is a syndrome of ongoing excessive anxiety and worry about every day matters. The physical symptoms include: fatigue, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, headaches, muscle tension and aches, trembling, irritability, sleep disturbances, sweating and hot flushes. It is often accompanied by depression or other anxiety disorders3,4 - and it has a substantial negative impact on quality of life, productivity at work, and healthcare costs.5 The condition is common, affecting approximately 39 million people in Europe, with a lifetime prevalence of around 8%.6 Currently, the causes of GAD are unknown, but it is thought that the levels of different neurotransmitters in the brain may play a role.7

The GAD toolkit is produced by the WFMH and supported by an unrestricted educational grant from AstraZeneca, and is available at http://www.wfmh.org.

References

1. Henning ER et al. Impairment and quality of life in individuals with generalized anxiety disorder. Depress Anxiety 2007;24: 342-9

2. Neenan PT. Dissolving the burden of generalised anxiety disorder. J Clin Psychiatry 2001;62 Suppl19:5-10

3. National Institute of Mental Health: Anxiety Disorders. NIH Publication No. 06-3879. Available at: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/anxiety-disorders/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad.shtml Accessed 5 August, 2008.

4. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2000:472-475.

5. Wyrwich KW et al. A review of the humanistic and economic outcomes in European patients diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder. Presented at the 161st Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, 2008. NR3-065.

6. Lieb R et al. The epidemiology of generalised anxiety disorder in Europe. Eur Neuropschopharmacol 2005;62: 182-9

7. Ninan PT. Recent perspectives on the diagnosis and treatment of generalised anxiety disorder. Am J Manag Care 2001;7 S367-S376

World Federation for Mental Health