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Generalized Anxiety Disorder: How It Compares to PTSD

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Book cover Comprehensive Guide to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders

Abstract

Exposure to traumatic events is a common experience. Although post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is often thought of as the psychological disorder that is most commonly triggered by a trauma, other diagnoses such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) may also develop in response to a traumatic event. There is a high degree of comorbidity between the two diagnoses and a significant degree of overlap in the symptoms of these disorders. Worry is a common experience in both disorders, and numerous mechanisms of action have been proposed for worry in individuals who experience a traumatic event and develop either GAD or PTSD. However, future research is necessary to identify what factors predict which individuals develop PTSD or GAD in response to a traumatic event.

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Abbreviations

CBT:

Cognitive behavioral therapy

GAD:

Generalized anxiety disorder

PTSD:

Post-traumatic stress disorder

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Case Western Reserve University, Department of Psychological Sciences, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA

    Amy Przeworski & Kimberly Dunbeck

Authors
  1. Amy Przeworski
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  2. Kimberly Dunbeck
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Correspondence to Amy Przeworski .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Society and Health, Buckinghamshire New University, Uxbridge, Middlesex, United Kingdom

    Colin R. Martin

  2. FactyofLifeSci&Med,Diabts&NutrnSciRshDiv, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom

    Victor R. Preedy

  3. DepartofBiomedicalSci,SchoolofLifeScienc, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom

    Vinood B. Patel

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Przeworski, A., Dunbeck, K. (2016). Generalized Anxiety Disorder: How It Compares to PTSD. In: Martin, C., Preedy, V., Patel, V. (eds) Comprehensive Guide to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08359-9_118

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