The Frequency Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms In Iraqi Patients

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a common psychiatric disorder, which may cause significant distress and disability. These involve: headache, fatigue, palpitation, chest pain, persistent irritability and depressed mood.OBJECTIVES (AIMS): This study was an attempt to estimate the presenting symptoms of (GAD) in Iraqi patients. METHODS: This is cross-sectional study that enrolled 120 patients with GAD who had been attended the outpatient clinic of psychiatric unit at Al-Diwaniyah Teaching Hospital during period between 1st of july 2011-1st of April 2012. GAD diagnosed according to criteria of a symptom checklist and a semi-structural psychiatric interview schedule of GAD based on international classification of diseases 10th revision were used.RESULT: This study revealed that headache (75%), fatigue (70%), palpitation (67.5%), chest pain (66.6%) and persistent irritability (64.1%) were the most frequent symptoms among Iraqi patients with GAD.CONCLUSIONS: This study proved that the associated disorders as depressed mood and cluster of autonomic arousal symptoms were the most frequent when the results were compared with published studies in different parts of the world due to exposing them to three wars, economic embargo, and the present state of terrorism so it became a problem that needs cure and attention of the specialists and the cooperation of different governmental establishments and civil society organizations