Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Generalized Anxiety Disorder is much more than the normal anxiety people
experience day to day. It’s chronic and fills people’s lives with
overwhelming fear, worry and tension, even though there is little or nothing
to provoke it.
Some anxiety is normal. Chronic, exaggerated worry is not. Unlike the relatively
mild, brief anxiety caused by a stressful event such as business presentation
or a first date or the first day on a new job, everyone experiences some
anxiety even on a daily basis. People with generalized anxiety disorder
experience constant anxiety which often has no apparent cause. For some people,
it is debilitating. It can also cause and / or aggravate additional health
problems, both physical and psychological and can grow progressively worse
if not treated.
Having this disorder means always anticipating disaster, and often worrying
excessively about health, money, family, environmental changes or work. Sometimes
the source of the worry is impossible to pinpoint. Simply the thought of
getting through the day provokes anxiety.
People with Generalized Anxiety Disorder can’t seem to shake their concerns,
even though they usually realize worry is simply silly or nonsense. Their
worries are accompanied by physical symptoms, especially fatigue, headaches,
muscle tension, muscle aches, difficulty swallowing, trembling, twitching,
irritability, sweating and hot flashes. People with General Anxiety Disorder
may feel light-headed or out of breath. They also may feel nauseated or have
to the bathroom frequently. Individuals with General Anxiety Disorder seem
unable to relax, and they may startle more easily than other people. People
with General Anxiety Disorder are often distracted by their worries and find
it difficult to think about anything else.
A person with excessive anxiety should seek treatment by first having a medical
examination. An exam will rule out other possible causes of anxiety. Once
good physical health is confirmed, the person should obtain a diagnosis from
a psychiatrist or psychologist with experience treating anxiety disorders.
Chronic anxiety may be a symptom of other anxiety disorders besides General
Anxiety Disorder, so these should be ruled out before treatment begins. There
might also be other psychological problems present, such as depression, or
other forms of anxiety with include Agoraphobia, Panic Attacks, as well as
Social Phobia.
Treatment generally includes medication, therapy or a combination. No one
treatment method or medication works best for everyone, so the patient and
doctor ( and or therapist) should seek to find the best treatment for the
individual. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is an effective treatment for many
people with anxiety disorders. With Cognitive Behaviour Therapy the person
with General Anxiety Disorder learns educational components for relaxation
and coping skills. Psychodynamic or “talk” therapy may also be
effective in helping the person resolve and cope with various issues and
conflicts.
Submitted By Brenda D.
ANXIETY
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From Panic To Power
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