Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Studies suggest that Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is the most common type of anxiety disorder. When a person is suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder they will experience an excess amount of uncontrollable, and often illogical, worry. This worry will be about everyday things and is usually completely out of proportion to the actual source of the worry.
This anxiety can become so excessive that it can begin to interfere with the individuals normal daily functioning as their concern about mundane matters begins to grow. They might become preoccupied with dying; overly anxious about work or personal matters; or develop an obsession with their health.
In most cases the symptoms include the expected anxiety symptoms, such as sweating, shortness of breath, nausea, tension and irritability. Usually doctors would make a diagnosis of Generalized anxiety disorder if these symptoms had persisted for more days than not during the past six months.
The difference between generalized anxiety and social anxiety is that the worry in the latter is confined to social situations, and while generalized anxiety may also involve social phobia, it will typically involve worries about other things that are not related to social phobia. The worry associated with GAD can not easily be attributed to other psychiatric disorders either, such as panic disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or Hypochondria.
It has been noted that many cases of generalized anxiety disorder are triggered due to dependence on alcohol. In these cases, it is important that the individual takes the step to recognize that they must stop drinking before any treatment for their anxiety can be effective.
Treatment for this particular anxiety disorder involves a typical combination of medication, therapy and self help. Often exercise can be very useful by alleviating some of the built up tension and allowing the sufferer to cope with day to day tasks more easily. As their fitness improves they can also begin to enjoy a greater sense of self-esteem.
SSRI type medications (such as fluoxetine and citalopram) are regularly used in the treatment of GAD and although they are normally prescribed to reduce depression, they can also prove to be effective when treating anxiety disorders. They work by altering the chemistry of the brain to block the reabsorbtion of serotonin, which is the naturally produced chemical that controls our moods. The downside of these type of drugs is that there is no guarantee that a particular type will work for any given person. Also the side-effects and withdrawal symptoms can also be particularly unpleasant.
If you suspect that you may be suffering from generalized anxiety disorder then the best advice would be to seek the guidance of a trained mental health professional but there are steps, such as exercise and relaxation that will undoubtedly help you to improve your mental well being.
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