Anxiety Disorder Diagnosis

People who are suspected of suffering from an anxiety disorder are usually referred to a mental health specialist, such as a:

• Psychiatrist
  A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in the evaluation and treatment of mental disorders through a combination of psychotherapy, medication, and occasionally hospitalization.
• Psychologist
  A psychologist is a trained professional who diagnoses mental disorders using interviews, observation, psychological testing. Treatment approaches include psychotherapy and behavior modification programs. Psychologists usually work with a medical doctor when a person's treatment includes medication. Psychologists usually have a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Psy.D). Clinical psychologists typically work with people who have more severe mental disorders than counseling psychologists.
  
• Mental health counselor
  A mental health counselor is a trained and licensed professional who works with individuals and groups to promote optimal mental health and well-being. They are trained in a variety of therapeutic techniques and often work with other mental health specialists to provide treatment.
• Social worker
  Social workers help individuals or groups function the best way they can in their environment, deal with their relationships, and solve personal and family problems. They often work with other mental health specialists to provide treatment.

An anxiety disorder diagnosis is based on a person's medical history, physical examination, and psychological evaluation. Successful treatment depends on an accurate diagnosis by a mental health specialist.

Medical history

Interviews and questionnaires are used to determine if a person's symptoms are due to:

• Another mental disorder, such as an anxiety disorder or depression
• A medical condition, such as a hyperthyroid condition (high thyroid hormone level) or hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
• Drug or stimulant, such as amphetamines or caffeine

Physical examination

The physical exam helps identify any medical conditions that may be causing a person's anxiety symptoms. Laboratory tests (such as thyroid or blood sugar tests) may be ordered to determine if the symptoms are due to a medical condition.

Psychological evaluation

Standardized questionnaires, interviews, and behavior observation are used to diagnose suspected anxiety disorders and plan the appropriate treatment. Mental health professionals use the criteria listed in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV).

A person is diagnosed as having an anxiety disorder if:

• The symptoms are not directly caused by another mental disorder, medical condition, medications, or substance abuse.
• The person has trouble leading a normal life due to these issues.

The following criteria are used to diagnose the different types of anxiety disorders:

Generalized anxiety disorder

• Excessive anxiety and worry for over half of the days in at least 6 months.
• Difficulty controlling anxious feelings.
• Three or more symptoms of an anxiety disorder (such as restlessness, trouble concentrating, and trouble sleeping).
• Anxiety causes significant distress; or interferes with daily activities.
• The condition isn't directly caused by a medical condition, mental disorder, medications, or substance abuse.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

• They realize are excessive or unreasonable.
• Cause them distress.
• Take up more than 1 hour of their time a day and interfere with their daily activities.

Obsession criteria:

• Recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are intrusive and inappropriate, and cause distress
• The thoughts, impulses, or images aren't simply excessive worries about real-life problems
• The person attempts to ignore or suppress these thoughts, impulses, or images
• The person recognizes that these thoughts, impulses, or images are a product of the mind

Compulsion criteria:

• Repetitive behaviors (such repetitive as hand washing or checking) or mental acts (praying or counting) that the person feels driven to perform.
• The unrelated and excessive behaviors or mental acts attempt to prevent or reduce distress, or prevent a dreaded event or situation
  

Panic disorder

• The recurrent panic attacks are not expected.
• After the panic attack, one or more of the following symptoms occur for one month or longer:
  • Ongoing concern that there will be additional panic attacks.
  • Worry about the significance or consequences of the panic attack.
  • Significant behavioral change (avoidance)
• Agoraphobia may or may not be one of the fears.

Post-traumatic stress disorder

• The person experienced or witnessed a traumatic event that:
  • Involved actual or threatened death or serious physical injury.
  • Caused the person to feel intense fear, horror, or helplessness.
• Repeated reliving of the event through thoughts or images, dreams, or flashbacks.
• Persistent mental distress in reaction to internal or external reminders of the event.
• Persistent physiological symptoms (such as rapid heart beat and elevated blood pressure).
• Feelings of being constantly on guard that interfere with sleeping or concentrating.
• Repeated avoidance of trauma-related situations and numbing of general responsiveness
• The disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
• The symptoms last for a month or longer.
  

Social phobia

• A persistent irrational fear of situations in which the person may be closely watched and judged by others (such as eating in public or public speaking).
• A fear that the person will become humiliated or embarrassed.
• Exposure to the feared social situation almost always causes a panic attack.
• The person realizes that this fear is excessive or unreasonable.
• The person either avoids the situation or endures it with intense anxiety or distress.
• The disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
• People younger than 18 have the symptoms for 6 months or longer.
• The condition isn't directly caused by a medical condition, mental disorder, medications, or substance abuse.

Specific phobia

• The strong, persistent fear is excessive or unreasonable, and triggered by the presence or anticipation of a specific object or situation.
• Exposure to the feared object or situation almost always causes an immediate anxiety response, which may be a panic attack.
• Adults recognize that the fear is excessive or unreasonable.
• The person either avoids the phobic situation, or experiences intense anxiety or distress.
• The disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
• People under the age of 18 have had the symptoms for 6 months or longer.
• The condition isn't directly caused by a medical condition, mental disorder, medications, or substance abuse.