ABSTRACT
Classification With the publication of the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III)5 in 1980 the concept of anxiety neurosis was abandoned, and GAD was differentiated from panic disorder. The diagnosis of GAD in DSM-III required the presence of persistent generalized anxiety for at least 1 month. In addition to this, its diagnosis required symptoms from at least three of four categories that included motor tension, autonomic hyperactivity, apprehensive expectation and vigilance and scanning. However, it was essentially a residual diagnosis, for, owing to the hierarchical structure of DSM-III, GAD could not be diagnosed if patients met criteria for another disorder.
