General Anxiety Disorder

by Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a disorder when a person experiences abnormal anxiety for a long period of time. It is a chronic, excessive worry, even though nothing seems to provoke it. It is hard for people with GDA to relax, although they might realize that their worries are more intense than the situation itself. The anxiety can cause significant distress in social and professional life, therefore it is highly important to identify the symptoms of the disorder and find the proper treatment.

GAD occurs most often in childhood or adolescence, but can appear in adulthood as well. So, if you often feel excessive anxiety without reason and your worries disrupt your daily life for at least 6 months, you might have GAD. But it is really difficult to make the difference between normal and abnormal anxiety. The most typical symptoms of anxiety disorder are fear, tension, fast heart rate, feeling sick, shaking, sweating, dry mouth, chest pain, headaches, fast breathing. So, the worries are often accompanied by physical symptoms and it might result in some other mental disorders such as depression or schizophrenia.

However, usually the symptoms of GAD are almost not noticeable, and people with the disorder don’t feel too restricted in social life or at work, although it can be difficult for them to carry out some ordinary daily activities. In case your anxiety is only about one specific thing, you have no reasons to worry.

GAD can be caused by various factors such as genetics or childhood traumas. As a rule, anxiety is an after-effect of a major stress in life. Even if the signs are quite mild, it is important to deal with the disorder as soon as possible. Without any treatment, anxiety will follow you all the life long. There is unfortunately no quick or complete cure, but medication and therapy can significantly ease the symptoms.

Studies show several treatment options available, such as talking or non-drug treatment, which includes cognitive therapy, counseling, anxiety management courses, self help, and medication with a wide range of possible medicines. All these approaches work equally well, but the most effective and actually initial way to be cured is self-help. Many medical professionals underestimate this method, because very few of them are involved in it. Nevertheless, many people join support groups that are specially created in many countries in order to help people to cope with their disorder by sharing experience and feelings of anxiety. But before entering any of such groups, a person should be able first to move in social setting without any stress or discomfort.