Differential Diagnosis for Extreme Anxiety and Paranoid Thoughts
- Single most likely diagnosis
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): This is the most likely diagnosis given the patient's extreme anxiety and fear of something bad happening. GAD is characterized by excessive and persistent worry about everyday things, even when there's no apparent reason to worry.
- Other Likely diagnoses
- Panic Disorder: The patient's extreme anxiety could be related to panic disorder, which involves sudden feelings of terror that strike repeatedly and without warning.
- Social Anxiety Disorder: If the patient's anxiety is focused on social situations, social anxiety disorder could be a likely diagnosis.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): If the patient has experienced a traumatic event, PTSD could be a likely diagnosis, as it often involves anxiety and fear of future harm.
- Do Not Miss (ddxs that may not be likely, but would be deadly if missed.)
- Thyroid Storm: Although rare, thyroid storm is a life-threatening condition that can cause extreme anxiety, among other symptoms. It's essential to rule out thyroid disorders in patients with anxiety.
- Pheochromocytoma: This rare tumor of the adrenal gland can cause episodes of severe anxiety, palpitations, and hypertension.
- Substance Withdrawal: Withdrawal from certain substances, such as benzodiazepines or alcohol, can cause severe anxiety and even life-threatening symptoms.
- Rare diagnoses
- Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: In rare cases, temporal lobe epilepsy can cause anxiety and paranoid thoughts, often accompanied by other neurological symptoms.
- Wilson's Disease: This rare genetic disorder can cause psychiatric symptoms, including anxiety and paranoia, due to copper accumulation in the brain.
- Mitochondrial Disorders: Certain mitochondrial disorders, such as MELAS syndrome, can cause anxiety and other psychiatric symptoms due to mitochondrial dysfunction.