Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is an anxiety disorder which is characterized by irrational and uncontrollable worrying about everyday things - things that do not typically justify such excessive worrying. In many cases this impacts the ability to function on a day-to-day basis, and in severe cases can seriously affect quality of life.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
If you have generalized anxiety disorder then you may develop physical symptoms, the most common of which are palpitations, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, sweating, insomnia, muscle twitches, and headaches. These symptoms must be present for 6 months in one form or another for a doctor to make a formal diagnosis of GAD.
Treatment For GAD
For those people affected, generalized anxiety disorder treatment options include medication to help anxiety, cognitive behavioral therapy, and relaxation techniques.
Many people with GAD find these treatment options to be ineffective, and because of that I decided to create this website to provide online help for anxiety. Sign up for my free newsletter and the “Beat Panic Today” mini video course to find out more.
Who Does It Affect?
Current statistics suggest that as many as 6.8 million Americans experience GAD to some degree. Children are also affected, with an increasing number of them suffering with varying forms of GAD.
What Causes GAD?
Nobody is 100% sure what causes generalized anxiety disorder, but there is a growing amount of research that suggests that it may run in families. There are also clear indications that, although stress does not cause GAD, it invariably makes it worse.
Learn More About GAD
Learning as much as you can about generalized anxiety disorder is one of the proven ways to begin to overcome your own battles with it. So another resource I’d recommend you check out is the GAD page on the NIMH website (National Institute of Mental Health).
