Role of Primary Care Physician in Management of Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Faisal Suliman Algaows *
King Abdulaziz Medical City, National Guard, Iskan PHC, Saudi Arabia.
Hajar Saleh Alnajdi
Vision College of Medicine, Vision Colleges, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Khalifah Sulaiman Alsuqayh
Maternity and Children Hospital Buraydah, Saudi Arabia.
Basel Ali S. Alqahtani
GP - Primary Health Care - Asser- Ahad Rofaidah, Saudi Arabia.
Arishi, M. Khaled Yahya
Primary Health Care Asser, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
N. Alomrani, Nawaf Farag
University of Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Sarh Sami Abdulghani
Ibn Sina College, Saudi Arabia.
Farah Najeh ALShammari
Aljouf University, Saudi Arabia.
Khalid Ali Alsaykhan
Qassim University, Saudi Arabia.
Hozan Mohammed Ali
University of Sulaimani, Iraq.
Sakinah Jawad Al Kuwaiti
King Fahad Hospital in Hofuf, Saudi Arabia.
S. Alsanna, Haytham Bager
Prince Sultan Hospital Mulaijah, Saudi Arabia.
E. Alhazmi, Essa Ibrahim
Al Qunfudah General Hospital, Saudi Arabia.
Abdulelah Abdulrhman Najmi
Medical College of Jazan University, Saudi Arabia.
Yassir Mohammed Darwish
Heraa General Hospital, Saudi Arabia.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Individual survival would be impossible without anxiety, which is a natural and important emotion. Anxiety is considered a disease that requires treatment when it occurs in the absence of a threat, or in a disproportionate proportion to a threat, as well as when it prevents the affected individual from leading a normal life. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a widespread mental disorder characterized by excessive and difficult-to-control anxiety and concerns. as well as a variety of psychological and physical symptoms. Patients with GAD frequently visit primary care, and it is widely acknowledged that the majority of patients should be treated in this environment. Clinical practice guidelines advocate pharmacological (e.g., SSRIs and venlafaxine) or cognitive behavior therapy as first-line therapies for GAD. There are several proposed etiological explanations for GAD, including Freud's psychoanalytic theory, Stack's interpersonal theory, and the Stress Diathesis Model. The exact pathophysiological process of the disease is not fully understood. Patients with GAD frequently visit primary care, and it is widely acknowledged that the majority of patients should be treated in this environment. Clinical practice guidelines advocate pharmacological (e.g., SSRIs and venlafaxine) or cognitive behavior therapy as first-line therapies for GAD. In this article, we’ll be discussing GAD epidemiology, etiology, evaluation, and treatment.
Keywords: Behavioural therapy, anxiety disorder, pathophysiological, mental disorder