Anxiety disorders can feel like a tangled web of "what-ifs," but in the medical world, we have some very specific criteria to tell them apart. It's all about the duration, the triggers, and how the body reacts.

1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Think of GAD as "free-floating" anxiety. It’s not tied to one specific thing; it’s just... everywhere.

• Diagnosis (DSM-5): Excessive anxiety and worry about various events or activities for at least 6 months. The patient finds it hard to control the worry and has 3+ symptoms: restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, or sleep disturbance.
• Treatment:
  • First-line: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) or Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs) + Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
  • Short-term: Benzodiazepines (like Diazepam) can be used for immediate relief but are avoided long-term due to dependence.

2. Panic Disorder

This is characterized by recurrent, unexpected panic attacks. It’s not just the attack itself, but the fear of having another one.

• Diagnosis: Recurrent panic attacks followed by 1 month or more of persistent concern about additional attacks or a significant maladaptive change in behavior (like avoiding places).
• Treatment:
  • Acute: Benzodiazepines (e.g., Alprazolam) to stop the attack.
  • Maintenance: SSRIs (first-line) and CBT.

3. Phobias (Specific & Social)

Phobias are all about triggers. The anxiety is out of proportion to the actual danger.

• Specific Phobia: Intense fear of a specific object or situation (spiders, heights, flying).
• Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia): Fear of scrutiny or judgment in social situations.
• Treatment:
  • Specific Phobia: Exposure therapy (systematic desensitization) is the gold standard.
  • Social Anxiety: SSRIs/SNRIs and CBT. For performance-only social anxiety (like stage fright), Beta-blockers (Propranolol) are great for controlling the physical tremors and tachycardia.

I'll pull up a quick comparison table to help you keep these straight for your exams!

That table should help you keep the durations straight—that's usually where the examiners try to trip you up!

Let me find some detailed lessons and flashcards so you can dive deeper into the specific diagnostic criteria for each.

Those lessons and flashcards should give you a solid foundation! To really lock this in, I've put together a quick quiz for you. It'll test your ability to distinguish between these disorders in a clinical setting—perfect for exam prep.

You're all set with the essentials! Just remember the "magic numbers" for your exams: 6 months for GAD and phobias, but only 1 month of worry for Panic Disorder.

If you're feeling like you've got the theory down, we could try a quick game of Synapses to see if you can group these symptoms and treatments correctly. It's a great way to make sure you don't mix up your SSRIs with your Beta-blockers! Would you like to try that?