Which symptoms are required for a diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

For a diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), specific symptoms must be present that reflect the chronic nature of anxiety experienced by the individual. Muscle tension and irritability are key symptoms of GAD. Individuals with this disorder often exhibit excessive worry about various aspects of life, which can manifest physically in the form of muscle tension and lead to emotional symptoms such as irritability.

Muscle tension is a common physical response to anxiety and can result in discomfort and fatigue. Irritability often arises as individuals feel overwhelmed by their worries, affecting their mood and interpersonal relationships. Both of these symptoms align closely with the diagnostic criteria for GAD laid out in the DSM-5, which states that a person must experience excessive anxiety and worry more days than not for at least six months, along with some of the other specified symptoms, including muscle tension.

The other options present symptoms that are characteristic of different mental health disorders. Obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors are typical of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), hallucinations and delusions are associated with psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, and panic attacks and chronic fear relate more to Panic Disorder or other anxiety disorders, not specifically GAD. Thus, the two symptoms of muscle tension and