Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Female Patient Essay

Major Psychiatric Disorder(s): F 41.1 Generalized anxiety disorder

Rationale

The client is a female who presents with symptoms of excessive anxiety. Ashley has been in a marriage for three years. The client meets criterion A because she experiences anxiety and worries about several events such as her marriage, education, and work performance. Furthermore, the anxiety never subsides. The woman meets criterion B because she finds it difficult to control her symptoms (APA, 2013). Three out of the six key elements of criterion C are met by the client. The woman is restless, which is evidence by her intense exercise schedule. She feels muscle tension and reports being easily fatigued. Ashley meets criterion D because the symptoms she experiences interfere with her professional and social life. For example, the client states that she displays warning signs in the relationship with her husband. At this point, the symptoms cannot be attributed to substance abuse; therefore, criterion E is also met. However, the client consumes an excessive amount of caffeine, which might be contributing to the severity of her symptoms. Taking into consideration the fact that Ashley has not experienced traumatic events and does not have physical complaints that can explain her anxiety and worry, it can be argued that criterion F applies to the client’s case (APA, 2013).

Developmental Disorder(s): No diagnosis

Rationale

In the client’s case, it is not possible to make a developmental diagnosis because the woman has a bachelor’s degree in journalism obtained at the University of Florida. The client has no psychiatric conditions originating in childhood. No language, motor, or post-traumatic stress disorders have been diagnosed so far. Also, Ashley is gainfully employed, which suggests that she does not show signs of behavioral or communication problems associated with developmental disorders.

Personality Disorder(s): No diagnosis

Rationale

Ashley has a successful career, which reduces the likelihood of her having a personality disorder. Also, the woman does not have mood swings or other signs of personality disorder. Moreover, the client reports a happy marriage. She has a lovely family and feels an overall satisfaction with her job. The woman has no concerns regarding communication with other people; the only misunderstandings arise when she tries communicating with her husband. There is no long-standing pattern of intrusive symptoms related to social relationships. Good functioning at her job and the desire to care about her health lead to the conclusion that none of the personal disorders are present at the moment.

Medical Disorder(s): No diagnosis

Rationale

Ashley denies having medical issues. She seems to be caring about her health. The client maintains an intensive exercise schedule. However, the woman reports having regular migraines; therefore, it is necessary to conduct a series of laboratory tests to eliminate the possibility of underlying medical issues.

Client Strengths

1. Ashley has a loving husband who can provide her with emotional support.
2. The woman has a caring family, which is essential for quick recovery.
3. The client holds a bachelor’s degree from the prestigious educational institution, which provides her a wide range of employment opportunities.
4. She does not have suicidal ideations.
5. The woman is willing to improve her relationship with her husband, which might help to reduce her stress level.
6. The woman cares about her health.
7. She tries to maintain regular exercise.
8. Ashley continues her education despite her stress, which points to the fact that she is highly resilient.

Comments/Differential Diagnosis

The client shows a preference for staying at home; therefore, social anxiety disorder has been considered for a differential diagnosis. However, Ashley does not seem to be preoccupied with evaluations of others. Furthermore, she regularly exercises and attends her work and school; therefore, the diagnosis has been discarded. The woman worries about her performance at school. Also, she experiences anxiety associated with the fear of getting fired. These are common sources of anxiety for adults (APA, 2013). A considerable number of studies on generalized anxiety disorder have been conducted in recent years. The majority of these studies point to the fact that intolerance of uncertainty mediates anxiety symptoms, which might apply to the client’s case (McEvoy & Mahoney, 2012).

References

APA. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5^th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing.

McEvoy, P., & Mahoney, P. (2012). To be sure, to be sure: Intolerance of uncertainty mediates symptoms of various anxiety disorders and depression. Behavior Therapy, 43(1), 533-545.