General Anxiety Disorder Treatment

by Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library

General anxiety disorder (GAD) affects approximately three out of every ten people worldwide. While people with GAD know that the intensity, duration, or frequency of their anxiety and worry are well out of proportion to the likelihood or impact of the feared event, they still have difficulty controlling their emotions.

Continually being bombarded with anxiety will eventually take its toll by impairing concentration, memory, and decision making skills, while decreasing attention span, and ultimately leading to a loss of confidence. Normal activities, such as working, socializing with friends, or maintaining intimate relationships, may become difficult or impossible thus creating a need for general anxiety disorder treatment.

While there may be a need for general anxiety disorder treatment most people with GAD don’t seek treatment when they’re first affected by the disorder. They may wait up to nine years before seeking treatment. This is unfortunate since there are many effective treatments for GAD.

*Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for general anxiety disorder is a non prescription form of talk and behavior adjustment therapy that has received much research support. In some treatment studies, cognitive behavioral therapy proved helpful in approximately one out of every two participants. This treatment for GAD will help you to relax, asses the potential risks of your fears, and then safely help you confront those fears. Sometimes, even the relaxation techniques alone involved with this therapy can produce a significant reduction of GAD symptoms.

Other types of non prescription therapies such as psychodynamic therapy, control mastery therapy, interpersonal therapy, and humanistic therapy have also shown to be very effective. Always remember results derived from talk based therapies will be reliant on communication and the skill of your therapist.

*Antianxiety medications such as Xanax, Valium, Ativan, and BuSpar have all been shown to be an effective general anxiety treatment option. Nevertheless, some of these mediations can lead to dependency, as well as withdrawal symptoms after being discontinued. Some antidepressant medications such as Lexapro, Paxil, Zoloft, and Effexor, have also been shown to be effective treatments, especially when symptoms of depression are also present. All of the above prescription medications come with significant risk of side effects so make sure to ask your doctor about these.

In summary, finding the right general anxiety treatment for you is what matters the most. Due to the side effect concerns linked to prescription medication many people are finding answers by combining talk therapies such as CBT with natural herbal remedies for depression. This combination has proven to be a safe and effective way to treat general anxiety disorder and is an option worth considering.