Diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders and fear-related disorders — common mistakes

When presented with a case study, do not simply state a diagnosis. Instead, justify your reasoning by quoting or paraphrasing evidence from the scenario and explicitly linking it to the specific diagnostic criteria you have learned. For example, 'The description of John's 'constant worrying about his health, finances, and family's safety for the past year' aligns with the GAD criterion of excessive worry about multiple events for over six months.'

Not necessarily. This is an 'expected' or 'cued' panic attack, triggered by a specific phobic stimulus. This would be a symptom of a Specific Phobia (Arachnophobia), not Panic Disorder. The key criterion for Panic Disorder is the presence of recurrent unexpected panic attacks, which occur without an obvious trigger, along with persistent worry about having more attacks.

No. While everyone worries, GAD involves worry that is excessive, pervasive, and very difficult to control. For a diagnosis, the worry must be present for most days over at least six months and be accompanied by at least three other physical or cognitive symptoms, such as muscle tension or fatigue. Crucially, it must cause clinically significant distress or impairment in daily functioning, which is far beyond the scope of everyday worrying.

They are very similar and have become more aligned over time, but they are not identical. For example, the DSM-5 requires 6 months of symptoms for GAD, whereas the ICD-11 is less specific, stating symptoms should be present for 'at least several months'. The DSM-5 requires three associated symptoms for GAD, while the ICD-11 only requires one. For your exam, be aware both manuals exist, but most research you will study uses DSM criteria.