Currently, psychologists and doctors are paying more and more attention to people’s mental disorders. It is important to underline that this area is difficult both for research and for treatment. In most cases, this is due to the similarity of several diseases, the treatment of which, meanwhile, differs significantly. Using the example of generalized disorder and post-traumatic disorder, it is necessary to find out exactly how diseases are diagnosed and how effective methods of their detection are.
The causes of generalized anxiety disorder are unknown, although the disorder is commonly seen in people who drink alcohol, have depression, or have had a history of panic disorder. The diagnosis is made on the basis of the anamnesis and examination of the patient, which includes, in particular, an interview with the patient (Manicavasagar & Silove, 2020). This is a significant difference from another type of anxiety, namely post-traumatic anxiety. The fact is that the second type of disorder has specific causes, often consisting of a traumatic experience, a specific circumstance or process. The focus of anxiety is not limited, as in other mental disorders; the patient has several disturbing causes, which often change over time. Fluctuations in anxiety symptoms are chronic, with a tendency to worsen during times of stress (Manicavasagar & Silove, 2020). Post-traumatic stress disorder is characterized by recurring intrusive memories of a shocking traumatic event that begin up to six months after the event and persist for one month (Manicavasagar & Silove, 2020). This disease is characterized by the fact that the cause is the experience of a particular episode, but not the general condition.
I fully agree with the diagnostic criteria because they clearly distinguish between two types of disorder. Although the overall picture of the two diseases is extremely similar, with a more detailed analysis using the above mechanisms, the type of disorder can be quickly established. This, in turn, allows timely introduction of the correct treatment and consultations to prevent deterioration of the condition. In other words, such mechanisms make diagnosis easy in the vast majority of cases. Such results allow us to assert that these diagnostic mechanisms are effective and consistent.
Reference
Manicavasagar, V. and Silove, D. (2020). Separation anxiety disorder in adults. Clinical features, diagnostic dilemmas and treatment guidelines. Elsevier Science.