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Chapter 1: What is generalized anxiety disorder and how common is it?
Do I have generalized anxiety disorder? Thanks for asking. Generalized anxiety disorder is a psychological condition which affects around 3% of all people, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. But it seems to affect certain groups disproportionately. For example, women are twice as likely to be affected as men.
Furthermore, less than half of people with GAD actually receive treatment.
What are the symptoms I should be looking out for?
The disorder manifests in a number of ways. First through persistent worrying, which is extremely difficult to control. There's always the perception that something seriously wrong could happen. That's true even when a situation or event isn't really a threat at all. People with GAD tend to overthink things, always planning for the worst possible outcome. What if my boss decides to fire me?
What if my parents get seriously ill? What if I have money problems because I've been fired and my parents aren't able to support me? They're the kind of things we all worry about from time to time, but in people with GAD it becomes uncontrollable.
They may also get anxious about relatively trivial matters like not finding the right light bulb for their bathroom or not having enough eggs to bake a cake. Like with a lot of other mental health conditions, the causes are complex and likely based on differences in brain chemistry and function. In the long run, these habits take hold if untreated.
The anxiety can also lead to muscle tension, concentration problems, fatigue, restlessness and irritability. If anxiety is interfering with your everyday life or making you feel depressed, you should talk about it with your doctor. What's the best way to go about seeking treatment?
The good news is most people can manage GAD through a combination of therapy, medication and lifestyle changes, according to Healthline.com. If your GP suspects you have anxiety problems, they will likely refer you to a mental health specialist to be diagnosed. Professional CBT sessions aim to gradually change patients' thinking and behaviors so that anxiety symptoms don't come on so easily.
This won't happen overnight. Improvements tend to take a year or so, but studies have proven the approach is effective. When it comes to medication, anti-anxiety drugs are sometimes prescribed to deal with physical symptoms like muscle tension and stomach cramps in the short term. They're not designed to be taken for long periods of time though, due to their somewhat addictive nature.
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Chapter 2: What symptoms should I look for if I suspect I have GAD?
There you have it. Now you know what generalized anxiety disorder is.
In under three minutes, we answer your questions. What would you like to know about? Use the comments section to send us your questions.