Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Homeostasis

This assignment will define a mental health condition known as Generalised Anxiety disorder (GAD) and the statistics around how many adults this condition affects in the UK. Firstly, this assignment will aim to provide an explanation and discussion on the method of homeostasis and how it works to achieve the correct levels needed in a young adult, and how this is altered with a person who has GAD. This assignment will then continue to indicate a psychosocial factor that may result from living with this condition. The assignment will then outline how the central nervous system (CNS) and other systems in the body, work together using the process of homeostasis and feedback systems to control, regulate and adapt to change. Secondly, the assignment will then discuss different ways a nurse will intervene with the adult to educate, support and empower adults living with the condition by using different strategies and methods available. Including, any pharmacological approaches that may be used or needed. Lastly, a single medication will be outlined in this assignment, of which evidence-based guidance supports the use, with a discussion around the reason for this drug being suggested. Together with; the recommended dose, administration route, what the medication does, how it works, the potential side effects and the contra-indications it may have on the adult. (215/250)Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Homeostasis

GAD is one of the most common mental health disorders (NICE, 2011). GAD impacts on average around 6 in every 100 people in England (Anxiety Care, 2017) overall anxiety disorders affect ‘10 million people’ throughout the UK (MQ: Transforming Mental Health, 2019). Stansfield et al. (2014) reported that GAD is more prevalent in young women, with it affecting 9% aged between 16 and 24 years. In comparison to 4% of men in the same age category recorded to be affected by GAD. Walker (2014) described anxiety as a sensation felt by a person when a threat is sensed, with every person experiencing anxiety in some way during their lifetime. Anxiety, job-related stress and depression were responsible for the loss of more than 15 million working days in Great Britain at a cost of over 5 billion pounds (HSE, 2019). Greener (2014) expressed that GAD is very under-diagnosed, this being an indicator that this condition may be much more common than is currently presented in statistics. This is often due to professionals concentrating on the adult’s physical symptoms until the condition gets to an overpowering state for that person, and they can no longer cope with their daily activities (NICE, 2011).Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Homeostasis