Generalized Anxiety Disorder is Worry Out-of-Control
Experiencing anxiety is a normal part of life, with general and specific worries related to health, family, work, finances, or change. While some anxiety may motivate you to take action, developing Generalized Anxiety Disorder, or GAD, disrupts your life and the lives of those around you. GAD, both a physical as well as a mental health disorder, is the most common and widespread type of anxiety affecting millions of people around the world. With professional help, GAD is treatable.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder Defined
Typically, those with GAD suffer from relentless, unspecified worry about general everyday things. For those with generalized anxiety disorder there is a general feeling of unease or dread that follows your thoughts as you move about the day. The tension and worry is less intense than a panic attack but becomes a chronic situation making normal life and relaxation impossible. GAD is a common anxiety disorder that involves chronic worrying, tension, and nervousness without a specific reason which can affect one’s health and physical well-being.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder Triggers
The worry about everyday things or the future is a common complaint from most people; however, with GAD the worry rises to a new level where daily activities are filled with exaggerated worry and tension without relief. For those with generalized anxiety disorder a simple comment, about work or family for example, can spiral thoughts out of control disrupting home life, job performance, and social relationships. Triggers to anxiety can be simply the thought of getting up and going to work, going grocery shopping, a news report, or not being able to get in immediate contact with a friend or loved one.
Symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Physical and mental health symptoms make it hard to function, and they interfere with daily life. Having any of the symptoms below that re-occur and interfere with your daily life and happiness could be helped with treatment from an experienced mental health professional.
- Persistent worry about everyday things
- Difficulty controlling worries or feelings of nervousness
- Feelings that you worry more than you should
- Difficulty with falling asleep or staying asleep
- Feeling restless and having difficulty relaxing
- Having headaches, muscle aches, stomach aches or unexplained pains
- Finding yourself sweating a lot, feeling short of breath or light-headed
- Feeling irritable, on edge, tense, or nervous
- Complaints of fatigue, tiring out easily, or having low energy
- Worry or anxiety, magnifying small events out of proportion
- Difficulty focusing or concentrating
- Muscle tension to back, neck, shoulders
- Feeling that your anxiety and worry is interfering with your daily life
Treatment for GAD
A psychiatrist specializing in anxiety disorders for a comprehensive evaluation is the first step in developing an accurate treatment plan. Medical issues or other mental health issues may make a GAD difficult to diagnose. GAD is often treated with medication, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and other strategies that your psychiatrist recommends.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder Doctor
GAD is mentally and physically exhausting. Break free from the chronic worry, calm your anxious mind, and get back to living. Call the office today.