Generalized Anxiety Disorder is characterized by persistent, excessive and unrealistic worry about everyday things.
This worry goes on every day, possibly all day. People with GAD feel their worrying is beyond their control and can’t be turned “off.” People with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) go through the day filled with exaggerated worry and tension, even though there is little or nothing to provoke it. They anticipate disaster and are overly concerned about health issues, money, family problems, or difficulties at work. Sometimes just the thought of getting through the day produces anxiety.
People with generalized anxiety disorder can’t seem to shake their concerns. Their worries are accompanied by physical symptoms, especially fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, muscle aches, difficulty swallowing, trembling, twitching, irritability, sweating, and hot flashes. Common symptoms includes:
- Restlessness
- Feeling of being keyed up or on edge
- Feeling a lump in your throat
- Difficulty concentrating
- Fatigue
- trouble concentrating
- irritability
- easy to startle
- procrastination
- Impatience
- Being easily distracted
- Muscle tension
- Trouble falling or staying asleep (insomnia)
- Excessive sweating
- Shortness of breath
- Stomachache
- Diarrhea
- Headache
In general, anxiety disorders are treated with medication, specific types of psychotherapy, or both. Treatment choices depend on the problem and the person’s preference. Before treatment begins, a doctor must conduct a careful diagnostic evaluation to determine whether a person’s symptoms are caused by an anxiety disorder or a physical problem. Treatment options includes:
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Tags: antidepressants, anxiety disorders, diagnostic evaluation, diarrhea, everyday things, fatigue, generalized anxiety disorder, headaches, health issues, hot flashes, insomnia, irritability, muscle tension, procrastination, restlessness, shortness of breath, treatment choices, treatment options, types of psychotherapy, worries
