Generalized Anxiety Disorder

What is it?
Generalized anxiety disorder is the name for excessive worry and fear about common activities or things, such as work, money, or health. Often, this anxiety is not linked to a specific cause or situation. Anxiety can become so overwhelming that it is difficult to carry on with normal daily activities. If you spend the majority of your time feeling anxious and even have difficulty sleeping because of unrealistic fear and worry, you may have generalized anxiety disorder.
Who gets it?
Generalized anxiety disorder affects between 2 to 3% of people of all ages, even children and teenagers. Women are twice as likely as men to experience generalized anxiety.
What causes it?
A number of events can cause generalized anxiety disorder, although it is believed that some people are genetically predisposed to developing it. Other causes can include childhood psychological traumas, moving, changing jobs, divorce, or the death of a loved one. People who grow up in a family where constant worrying is the norm may learn this behavior. Sometimes a chemical imbalance in the brain cause problems with two neurotransmitters called dopamine and serotonin. Neurotransmitters are the brains chemical message carriers, but sometimes their messages can’t get through because the nerve cells they talk to can’t answer for some reason. This causes an imbalance, and an imbalance of dopamine and serotonin can cause anxiety.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder range from feelings of being tense, constantly tired, afraid, and being unable to make decisions, to feeling restless and irritable. You may also have physical symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, lack of appetite, shortness of breath, chest pain, shaking, sweating, or muscle tension. Symptoms can cause difficulty with concentration, loss of sleep, missed work, and avoidance of social activities.
How is it diagnosed?
Generalized anxiety disorder is diagnosed when symptoms are observed for six months or longer. Your doctor will perform a complete physical exam and may order tests to rule out other possible causes, such as thyroid disease, hypoglycemia, heart-related conditions, high caffeine intake, depression, or drug or alcohol abuse.
What is the treatment?
Generalized anxiety disorder can be treated very effectively with drugs and psychotherapy. Anti-anxiety drugs called benzodiazepinescan help ease the anxiety very quickly but are generally prescribed for only a short time, then tapered off slowly to prevent addiction. Antidepressant drugs may also be used. Psychotherapy can be very effective because it helps people look to the source of the anxiety and solve their underlying problems. You may also find relaxation and biofeedback techniques very helpful.
Self-care tips
While it is normal and even motivating to sometimes feel anxious, especially before an important event, you should see your doctor if you feel that anxiety is taking over your life. You can help manage normal anxiety by using relaxation techniques, breathing exercises, and changing your focus to something else.