There are two approaches in Generalized Anxiety Disorder’s (GAD) treatment – a drug therapy and a psychological treatment (Barlow et al., 2018). With the usage of the Benzodiazepines, the drug therapy proved to be relatively efficient and fast-acting. However, its effect is short-termed; this therapy is also conjugated with risks of impairing the patients’ cognitive and motor functioning (Barlow et al., 2018). Furthermore, Benzodiazepines are addictive, both physically and mentally, which makes it difficult for patients to overcome the sickness. Regarding psychological treatment, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) was developed in the 1990s to address GAD (Barlow et al., 2018). According to Barlow et al. (2018) and Donadkar (2019), CBT shows positive results overall even in the long-term – patients’ anxiety decreases, and quality of life improves. Unfortunately, CBT only provides symptomatic improvement and is not able to fully heal the patient (Barlow et al., 2018). In an example case supplied in the Barlow et al. (2018) study, the subject overcame the worst consequences of GAD, although still remained vulnerable to its symptoms, especially when stressed.
According to Byrd-Bredbenner et al. (2021), anxiety is more prevalent in the female population, but the reasons behind the anxiety are similar for both sexes. It is also possible to assume that this tendency is applicable across the globe with a high probability. In their study, Dou et al. (2019) point out the reciprocal relationship between the anxiety level and subjects’ social interactions. Despite this relationship’s individuality, there is a general tendency of a decreased anxiety level amongst subjects who deliberately engage in different social activities (Dou et al., 2019). Thus, they encourage to foster the appropriate atmosphere in educational institutions. Dondakar (2019), in his study of different CBT researches, noted several vital facts as well. First, the Web-based version of CBT was implemented in the Midwestern University, which proved to be a valuable addition, not a replacement, though, to the face-to-face treatment. Second, CBT with mindfulness modification (attention/perception) was more efficient for GAD treatment than for the treatments of depression, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Third, the conversation treatment has a more significant impact than simply providing relevant information for self-study.
The chosen literature suggests several possible steps of future research. Firstly, Barlow et al. (2018) researched the drug and psychological therapies for GAD separately, while the approach of combined therapies in other cases, for example, Panic Disorder, showed promising results. Consequently, thorough research of combined GAD treatment is needed. Secondly, in Byrd-Bredbenner et al. (2021) study, the high probability of the GAD symptoms’ similarity across nations is mentioned. However, the conclusion that led to this assumption bases on the comparison of only three researches from the USA, Portugal, and Korea, which is not enough for the factual statement and should be addressed accordingly. Thirdly, in Donadkar’s (2019) study, all three articles about GAD treatment with CBT lack the sample size or proper result processing. Thus, different cases of this matter have to be investigated and evaluated. Lastly, in the article written by Dou et al. (2019), the researchers propose further testing of anxiety levels amongst students outside the traditional learning environment. Specifically, they mean social networks or messengers, which can be considered an informal learning environment.
References
Barlow, D. H., Durand, V. M., & Hoffmann, S. G. (2018)..Abnormal psychology: An integrative approach (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Byrd-Bredbenner, C., Eck, K., & Quick, V. (2021). GAD-7, GAD-2, and GAD-mini: Psychometric properties and norms of university students in the United States. General hospital psychiatry, 69, pp. 61-66.
Donadkar, S. (2019). Effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy on generalized anxiety disorder in college and graduate students: Literature review. Indian Journal of Physical Therapy and Research, 1(2), pp. 71-74.
Dou, R., & Zwolak, J. P. (2019). Practitioner’s guide to social network analysis: Examining physics anxiety in an active-learning setting. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 15(2), p. 020105.