Symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder
People with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) will experience constant and extreme worry about normal everyday issues. GAD sufferers will feel as though they are always living on the edge. They live with the constant fear that everything is suddenly going to go disastrously wrong and they won’t be able to cope with it. Their anxiety can be triggered by anything but will often be the result of worries about relationships, work, money or their health.
Constant anxiety will lead to symptoms such as tension, fatigue, digestion problems, fidgeting, sleeplessness, problems concentrating and nausea to name a few. A formal diagnosis of GAD is normally made when a person has been suffering from anxiety related symptoms persistently for 6 months or more. Anxiety disorders such as GAD are more common than many people realise and there is believed to be around 7 million sufferers in the US.
Many people who suffer from generalized anxiety will also feel depressed. It is important to be aware that feeling depressed is not the same as depression. Feeling depressed is a temporary response to feeling anxious whereas depression is a chronic condition. The reason why anxiety can make people depressed is that it interferes with the production of a hormone in the brain called serotonin and this has a big effects on moods. The feeling of being depressed that is associated with GAD will subside when the anxiety levels decrease.
The symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder can be so severe that it will prevent sufferers from being able to function properly in work and social situations. People of any age or sex can suffer from generalized anxiety. Generalized anxiety can often come about as a result of alcohol dependency.
Generalized anxiety disorder symptoms are most effectively treated using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). There are self help programs available that teach you to use Cognitive Behavioral techniques. One such self help program is Panic Away by Joe Barry.
Learn more about generalized anxiety disorder symptoms and treatment as well as help for all types of panic and anxiety disorders at www.saybyetopanic.com