Generalized anxiety is a mental health disorder in which the amount of anxiety a person experiences ranges outside of the normal levels and interferes with normal life. According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, or ADAA, generalized anxiety disorder affects about 3 percent of the United States population every year. The ADAA reports that generalized anxiety tends to come on gradually, giving sufferers some early clues that can help them seek treatment before the disorder becomes overwhelming.
Step 1
Keep a journal. Write down things that trigger your stresses and anxieties. Take time to document what you generally worry about and why you are worrying. Make note of what makes you feel better. This will allow you to understand, over a period of time, how your anxiety and stress occurs, making it easier for you to reflect on you anxiety and compare it to the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder.
Step 2
Pay attention to what happens when you worry or experience anxiety. Be aware of how your body reacts and whether or not you experience muscle tensions. Note the effect your anxiety has on your sleep patterns, as generalized anxiety disorder can cause you to have difficulty sleeping. Make note of how you are responding to others in your life and whether or not you are irritable or edgy. According to the ADAA, gastrointestinal discomfort or diarrhea can be warning signs that you're developing generalized anxiety disorder.
Step 3
Reflect on your worry. According to the ADAA, people who experience generalized anxiety disorder often report that their worries and tensions are exaggerated; they tend to expect the worst without reason. Look at you worries and anxieties. Take time to judge whether or not they are exaggerated. If your worries are exaggerated, reflect on whether or not you have valid reasons for your exaggerated worry. The ADAA goes on to report that when you have generalized anxiety disorder, you are likely to expect disaster and be overly concerned about money, health, family, work or other issues in your life. If you worry about these issues more often than necessary, or if you always expect the worst, you may be developing generalized anxiety disorder.
Step 4
Determine how often you worry. According to MayoClinic.com, people with generalized anxiety disorder experience worry on a daily and persistent basis. Note whether the time you spend worrying has increased over time and if you worry daily; these are signs that you may be developing generalized anxiety disorder.
