Cognitive Model Explanation for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

This discussion post analyzes Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) through the lens of the cognitive model. It explores how automatic negative thoughts contribute to anxiety symptoms, using the character Piglet from Winnie the Pooh as an example. The assignment explains how distorted thinking patterns lead to emotional, behavioral, and psychological reactions in individuals with GAD. It also touches upon the association between substance use disorders and GAD, highlighting the importance of identifying automatic thoughts for effective symptom management, and the use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for treatment. The post concludes by emphasizing the cognitive model's role in understanding and addressing harmful behaviors, and it references relevant research to support its claims.

Running head: COGNITIVE MODEL: GENERALISED ANXIETY DISORDER
COGNITIVE MODEL: GENERALISED ANXIETY DISORDER
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1COGNITIVE MODEL: GENERALISED ANXIETY DISORDER
Introduction
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a mental health disorder comprising of
uncontrollable, excessive and continuous worrying in an individual, the moment he or she
perceives a situation to be threatening, challenging or harmful (Carpenter et al., 2018). The
following paper will expound upon the progression of GAD like symptoms in Piglet, an iconic
character in the children’s series, ‘Winnie the Pooh’.
Discussion
Cognitive Model: Piglet’s Symptoms
According to the cognitive model, as evidenced by Beck and Beck (1995), one of the
primary reasons underlying the emergence of emotional symptoms of anxiety is an individual’s
engagement in automatic thoughts. Automatic thoughts, as demonstrated by Beck and Beck
(1995), are a collective set of distorted ideas or thinking an individual engages in unintentionally
and unconsciously, the moment he or she perceives a situation or a circumstance as a threat. A
key example of such automatic thoughts can be observed in the character Piglet, in Winnie the
Pooh. Upon close examination of the given clip, it can be observed that the key situation which
Piglet perceives to be threatening is the night of Halloween (in Piglet’s terms, the ‘spookiest
night ever’), which in turn, triggers an automatic thought concerning how he may never be
‘brave’ like the rest, and will always feel fearful of the slightest uncanny happening in his
surroundings (as observed in the video, in the form of unidentified shadows or a gust of wind
blowing curtains).
Further, as a result of distorted thinking in the form of automatic thoughts, individuals
with GAD encounter and demonstrate a range of distorted emotional, behavioral and

2COGNITIVE MODEL: GENERALISED ANXIETY DISORDER
psychological reactions (Saito, Shiraishi & Yoshinaga, 2019). This can be observed in Piglet
trying to overcome his fears by facing a makeshift model, imagining how he can also be brave
enough to protect his friends from danger and be appreciated for the same – all while
demonstrating GAD like symptoms of twitching and trembling. Often GAD individuals are
unable to realize or evaluate the veracity of their automatic thoughts, as observed in Piglet’s
preoccupation with the need to be brave rather than accepting the fact that it is completely
normal to feel scared (Păsărelu et al., 2017).
Substance Use Disorders
Substance use disorders such as alcohol or drug abuse are associated with individuals
continuously feeling the need to gain control over their distressful or withdrawal symptoms by
indulging in the substance. In this case, for example, after an individual perceives a situation to
be threatening (peer pressure or inability to cope with the death of a loved one), he or she may
experience automatic thoughts (‘I may not fit in if I don’t drink’, or ‘I may have been the reason
for death’). This may then result in distorted coping behavior like alcohol consumption (Easton,
Crane & Mandel, 2018).
Conclusion
The cognitive model can be used to understand harmful behaviors in individuals with
substance abuse disorder and GAD. To conclude, identification of automatic thoughts via the
cognitive model paves the way for effective symptom management during emotional distress.

3COGNITIVE MODEL: GENERALISED ANXIETY DISORDER
References
Beck, J. S., & Beck, A. T. (1995). Cognitive therapy: Basics and beyond (No. Sirsi)
i9780898628470). New York: Guilford press.
Carpenter, J. K., Andrews, L. A., Witcraft, S. M., Powers, M. B., Smits, J. A., & Hofmann, S. G.
(2018). Cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety and related disorders: A meta‐analysis
of randomized placebo‐controlled trials. Depression and anxiety, 35(6), 502-514.
Easton, C. J., Crane, C. A., & Mandel, D. (2018). A randomized controlled trial assessing the
efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy for substance‐dependent domestic violence
offenders: an integrated substance abuse‐domestic violence treatment approach
(SADV). Journal of marital and family therapy, 44(3), 483-498.
Păsărelu, C. R., Andersson, G., Bergman Nordgren, L., & Dobrean, A. (2017). Internet-delivered
transdiagnostic and tailored cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety and depression: a
systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Cognitive
Behaviour Therapy, 46(1), 1-28.
Saito, Y., Shiraishi, Y., & Yoshinaga, N. (2019). Cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety in
dementia caregivers: A review of the foreign literature in English. Japanese Journal of
Nursing and Health Sciences, 17(2), 28-36.