Differential Diagnosis

The patient's symptoms of feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and stressed, along with difficulties in focusing and a heightened sensitivity to touch, suggest a range of potential diagnoses. Here's a categorized differential diagnosis:

• Single Most Likely Diagnosis
  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): This condition is characterized by excessive worry about everyday things, which seems to align with the patient's feelings of being overwhelmed and anxious. The stress from running a business could exacerbate these symptoms.
• Other Likely Diagnoses
  • Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety: Given the patient's stress from running a business, this could be a contributing factor to their anxiety symptoms. Adjustment disorders are characterized by an emotional or behavioral reaction to an identifiable stressful event or change in a person's life.
  • Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD): The patient's reaction to being touched, describing it as "too much," might suggest difficulties with sensory integration, which is a hallmark of SPD. However, SPD is more commonly diagnosed in children, and its diagnosis in adults is less straightforward.
  • Burnout: The stress of running a business could lead to burnout, which is characterized by emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress.
• Do Not Miss Diagnoses
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Although not directly mentioned, the patient's aversion to touch could potentially be related to past trauma. PTSD is a condition that's triggered by a terrifying event, and it's crucial not to miss this diagnosis due to its significant impact on mental health.
  • Depressive Disorder: Overlapping symptoms with anxiety, such as difficulty focusing and feeling overwhelmed, could also suggest a depressive disorder. It's essential to assess for depressive symptoms, as they can co-occur with anxiety and have a significant impact on the patient's quality of life.
• Rare Diagnoses
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Some individuals with ASD may have difficulties with sensory integration and social interactions, which could manifest as feeling overwhelmed or anxious in certain situations. However, ASD is typically diagnosed in childhood, and a new diagnosis in adulthood would require a comprehensive evaluation.
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Other neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), could also present with symptoms of inattention and anxiety. A thorough diagnostic process would be necessary to consider these conditions.

Each of these diagnoses requires a careful and comprehensive assessment to determine the most accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment plan.