Generalized Anxiety Disorder

What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a type of anxiety disorder that often causes people to become excessively anxious about general life issues such as finances, family, or one’s career. It is characterised by six months or more of chronic, exaggerated worry and tension that is unfounded or much more severe than the normal anxiety most people experience. People with this disorder expect the worst of everything – when they are travelling, they expect an accident to happen; when they invest, they expect a huge loss.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder occurs along with other mental health problems, which can make diagnosis and treatment challenging. Some mental health disorders that occur with generalized anxiety disorder include Phobias, Panic disorder, PTSD, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Depression, Suicidal Thoughts, etc.

How do you know that you have generalized anxiety disorder?

If you have generalized anxiety disorder, the following may apply to you:

• Worrying frequently about your life and the lives of people around you, such as your loved ones

• Lack of concentration in your daily living

• Body pains or headaches

• Recurrent fatigue

• Sweating

• Body shakes

• Increased heartbeat, especially when you are worrying

• Exaggerating the issues in our lives that cause us to worry

What causes generalized anxiety disorder?

The cause of generalized anxiety disorder arises from a complex interaction of biological and environmental factors, which may include:

• Differences in brain chemistry and function

• Genetics

• Differences in the ways threats are perceived

• Development and personality

What are the treatments for generalized anxiety disorder?

Lifestyle modifications such as physical exercise, relaxation techniques, and stress management.

Therapy such as mindfulness therapies, cognitive behavioural therapy, psychoanalysis and psychotherapy

Medications such as Anxiolytic and antidepressants