Discussion 5 | Making a Diagnosis

Discussion 5 | Making a Diagnosis Anxiety and stressor-related disorders need to be diagnosed in relation to various differential diagnoses to ensure that the client's presenting problems are accurately conceptualised. One very important differential diagnosis, when assessing symptoms of anxiety, is Generalized Anxiety Disorder. It is, however, important to consider also ruling out the Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety diagnosis, which does indeed present similarly yet is more directly linked with identifiable life stressors, such as recent life transitions or interpersonal conflicts. Adjustment Disorder is considered by many practitioners to be a less severe diagnosis and may be used provisionally when stressors are clearly linked with the client's symptoms. This approach means a degree of flexibility that allows avoidance of stigma, even long-term consequences associated with a more serious diagnosis, such as GAD. Differential Diagnosis: Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety Adjustment disorder with anxiety might be a reasonable diagnosis one would consider, especially in children and adolescents, when stressful life events such as moving, changes in the family, and pressures within school settings apparently pertain to behavior. Symptoms of anxiety do exist but are usually fleeting in nature and tend to get better once the stressor has been resolved or eliminated. With this diagnosis, the clinician is able to bypass prematurely labeling the client with a more chronic anxiety disorder, such as GAD, that might have implications for the child's academic records, healthcare, and even self-identity. The use of a provisional diagnosis is bolstered by findings where symptoms have been observed to improve exclusively based on changed environments or therapeutic intervention. (APA, 2013). Spiritual Communities/Theological Interpretations Anxiety is viewed in spiritual contexts, and even more so in religious ones which strongly rely on faith-based coping methods, as a trial of faith, an ego or spiritual challenge, or the consequences of insufficiently trusting in God. Anxiety in the Christian context, for example, would be interpreted as an opportunity to rely on God to the fullest by referring to scriptures like "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition…present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6, NIV). Spiritual leaders would, in this situation, likely recommend that patients first reflect on prayer, meditation, or spiritual consultation as an avenue of recourse given their predicament. This spiritual perspective is complementary to mainstream psychological standpoints and can be very useful, especially when the holistic aspect of the client's well-being is in question. Therein also lies the danger, though-the concept of anxiety as a "spiritual weakness" may discourage people from seeking professional psychological help. As much as faith-based communities are important in terms of emotional and social support, they sometimes fail to recognize or delay the need for psychological treatment which might address profound cognitive or emotional processes related to anxiety. In conculsion, the use of less serious diagnoses like Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety prevents long-term stigma and also ensures that the client is appropriately cared for and not labeled prematurely. The same time, the spiritual perspective provides an added level of intervention for the client, provided the perspectives are balanced with psychological interventions to address the source of the anxiety. Reference American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).