| Summary: | Generalized anxiety disorder is a chronic, disabling, often lifelong condition affecting millions worldwide. Yet, despite its prevalence, GAD is frequently marginalized, misdiagnosed, and undertreated. Generalized Anxiety Disorder Across the Lifespan provides a practical knowledge base for GAD, identifying the symptoms that set it apart both from "normal, everyday" anxiety and from other anxiety-based pathologies, and thoroughly reviewing the range of established and cutting-edge treatments. The authors developmental approach sheds some light on longstanding clinical mysteries surrounding the disorder, among them the interplay of somatic and psychological symptoms and the changes in symptoms as patients age. Accessible to the novice or the veteran reader, the book: Grounds readers in the basics of GAD Offers extensive discussion of the current psychosocial treatments for GAD Examines the state of the art in pharmacological therapies with explanations of the genetic and neurobiological correlates Explores special issues, cultural considerations, treatment resistant patients, and prevention Includes guidelines for treatment of GAD in children, adolescents, adults, and older adults Features ready-to-use assessment tools for patients across the lifespan Generalized Anxiety Disorder Across the Lifespan is a rich resource for clinicians, researchers, and graduate students looking to improve patients quality of lifeand the quality of their care. It is both a guide to current best practice and a springboard for future innovations. "In this clearly written volume, Michael Portman has succeeded in effectively applying his clinical experience and outstanding grasp of the conceptual and empirical literature to the understanding and treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). He correctly emphasizes the need to tailor a pure or integrated treatment to the individual case based on the empirical evidence available and the clinicians judgment. One comes away from reading this splendid book exceedingly well informed about the best that the field has to offer those suffering from GAD." -Stanley B. Messer, PhD, Professor II and Dean, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers University "In this book, Portman brings us up-to-date with the research that has firmly established GAD as a separate disorder. In an extensive review of the literature, he discusses various concepts of GAD, the attempts of defining and measuring the disorder and of quantifying its severity. Separate chapters describe the development and effectiveness of psychosocial and psychopharmacologic treatments in the general as well as in special GAD populations. Finally, this new publication discusses future research necessary to fully understand the disorder. The strength of the book is Portmans ability to present, objectively, diverse studies and views which enable the reader to form an independent opinion of the present state of GAD and the need for ongoing research. This volume is a valuable contribution and will be necessary reading for anybody interested in GAD." -Rudolf Hoehn-Saric, MD, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine
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