Anxiety is a feeling of nervousness or uneasiness. It ranges in severity from mild to paralyzing and is typically accompanied by physical symptoms. Anxiousness is a typical reaction to a perceived stressor and may be experienced during happy times or periods of distress. Unfortunately for sufferers of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), symptoms of anxiety do not necessarily develop in response to a specific stressor. Instead, GAD is characterized by constant worry.
Uncontrollable Worry
Taking it easy is often easier said than done. The number of available sources of worry is infinite. Concerns about school, work, family, friends and money can be overwhelming. The added difficulty faced by individuals with GAD is their inability to control their thoughts and emotions, specifically worry. Without such control, negative thoughts that enter the mind fester and intensify the existing anxiety.
Restlessness
GAD makes it rather difficult to put the mind to rest. Constant worrying is physically, emotionally and mentally taxing. As a result, individuals with GAD have little or no energy to expend. They tend to become fatigued easily, yet have difficulty sleeping. Falling asleep and staying asleep are symptomatic sleep disturbances of GAD. Restlessness, tossing and turning and non-restorative sleep are commonly reported.
Cognition
In addition to controling the topics of one's thoughts, GAD sufferers also struggle with the frequency and pace of these thoughts. When the mind becomes overloaded with worrisome thoughts, focusing on anything else can seem impossible. Therefore, the abilities to pay attention and absorb information are negatively impacted. The ability to recall information from memory can also be significantly impaired.
Tension
The tension associated with anxiety often manifests itself in a physical manner. Chronic headaches, backaches and even stomach aches may result from increased muscle tension. Although these conditions may be alleviated by medication, they tend to reoccur in individuals with GAD as a result of their underlying anxiety. Anxiety can also cause interpersonal tension due to the heightened irritability of those with GAD. In a 2007 study published by Kent State University, researchers Eric R. Henning, M.A., et al. found excessive worry to be another source of tension in relationships that can hinder interpersonal functioning.
Extent
Anxiety not related to a specific event or condition is considered generalized. The duration, frequency and severity of this type of anxiety are used to render a diagnosis of GAD. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR), symptoms of anxiety that occur most days for at least six months are indicative of GAD. More importantly, the symptoms must impact a person's day-to-day functioning to a significant degree.
References
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR); American Psychiatric Association; 2000
- "Depression and Anxiety;" Impairment and Quality of Life in Individuals with GAD; Eric R. Henning, M.A., Cynthia L. Turk, Ph.D., Douglas S. Mennin, Ph.D., David M. Fresco, Ph.D.; 2007
