Generalized Anxiety Disorder

 Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized Anxiety Disorder is characterized by at least 6 months of persistent
and excessive anxiety and worry. It is found with combination with panickattacks, agoraphobia, obsessive compulsive disorder etc.

Symptoms 

While a number of different diagnoses constitute anxiety disorders, the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) will often include the following:

• restlessness, and a feeling of being "on-edge"
• uncontrollable feelings of worry
• increased irritability
• concentration difficulties
• sleep difficulties, such as problems in falling or staying asleep

A Panic Attack is a discrete period in which there is the sudden onset of intense
apprehension, fearfulness, or terror, often associated with feelings of impending doom.
During these attacks, symptoms such as shortness of breath, palpitations, chest pain or
discomfort, choking or smothering sensations, and fear of "going crazy" or losing control
are present.
Agoraphobia is anxiety about, or avoidance of, places or situations from which
escape might be difficult (or embarrassing) or in which help may not be available in the
event of having a Panic Attack or panic-like symptoms.
Many symptoms of other kinds of anxiety disorders can be observed in GAD.

Causes

The causes of anxiety disorders are complicated. Many might occur at once, some may lead to others, and some might not lead to an anxiety disorder unless another is present.
Possible causes include:

• environmental stressors, such as difficulties at work, relationship problems, or family issues
• genetics, as people who have family members with an anxiety disorder are more likely to experience one themselves
• medical factors, such as the symptoms of a different disease, the effects of a medication, or the stress of an intensive surgery or prolonged recovery
• brain chemistry, as psychologists define many anxiety disorders as misalignments of hormones and electrical signals in the brain
• withdrawal from an illicit substance, the effects of which might intensify the impact of other possible causes

Treatment

There are several exercises and actions to help a person cope with milder, more focused, or shorter-term anxiety disorders, including:

• Stress management: Learning to manage stress can help limit potential triggers. Organize any upcoming pressures and deadlines, compile lists to make daunting tasks more manageable, and commit to taking time off from study or work.
• Relaxation techniques: Simple activities can help soothe the mental and physical signs of anxiety. These techniques include meditation, deep breathing exercises, long baths, resting in the dark, and yoga.
• Exercises to replace negative thoughts with positive ones
• Support network: Talk with familiar people who are supportive, such as a family member or friend. Support group services may also be available in the local area and online.
• Counseling:  A standard way of treating anxiety is psychological counseling. This can include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), psychotherapy, or a combination of therapies.
•  Medication:  A person can support anxiety management with several types of medication. Medicines that might control some of the physical and mental symptoms include anti-depressants, benzodiazepines, tricyclics, and beta-blockers.