Assessment and Treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Initial Assessment

• The American College of Physicians recommends assessing the severity of GAD symptoms using the GAD-7 scale, which measures nervousness, inability to control worry, excessive worry, trouble relaxing, restlessness, irritability, and fear 2, 3
• Evaluate OCD symptoms, including the nature and frequency of obsessions and compulsions, time spent on obsessions and compulsions, level of distress and functional impairment, and insight level, as recommended by the National Institute of Mental Health 1, 4

Treatment Plan

• The American Psychological Association recommends Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with exposure and response prevention (ERP) as first-line treatment for OCD symptoms, and CBT focusing on cognitive restructuring and relaxation techniques for GAD symptoms 1, 5, 6
• For moderate to severe symptoms, the American College of Physicians recommends a combination of CBT and pharmacotherapy, including Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) such as sertraline and fluoxetine 5, 6

Treatment Monitoring

• The National Institute of Mental Health recommends reassessing symptoms every 4-6 weeks using standardized measures, monitoring for medication side effects, and assessing adherence to both medication and behavioral interventions 3, 6