What Is a Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

Generalized anxiety disorder, also abbreviated as GAD, is characterized by a pattern of frequent, constant worry and anxiety. Often, generalized anxiety disorder is developed through stressful life situations and anxiety behavior that you learned over time, which can be difficult to unlearn. Generalized anxiety disorder can be developed at any point in your life; however, generalized anxiety disorder is more common in women than in men.

Symptoms

Generalized anxiety disorder has an array of symptoms, which can vary from person to person. These include difficulty with concentration and controlling your amount of worry, an out-of-proportional level of anxiety and worry, excessive sweating, palpitations, shortness of breath, fatigue, irritability, muscle tension, restlessness, sleep disturbances, stomach and intestinal symptoms. You may experience one or more symptoms, and the level of severity can change over time.

Drug Therapy

One option to treat generalized anxiety disorder is drug therapy. The most commonly prescribed treatment is antidepressants, which increase the amount of specific neurotransmitters absorbed and thus reduce symptoms. Examples of antidepressants that can be used for generalized anxiety disorders are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI). If antidepressants do not work for you, benzodiazepines are another option; however, benzodiazepines have the risk of becoming addictive. Beta blockers also can reduce levels of anxiety by relieving tremors and the cardiac reaction.

Behavioral Therapy

If you do not want to use medications to relieve your symptoms, behavioral therapy is another option. Cognitive behavioral therapy, which can help change distorted perceptions that cause severe anxiety, can be done with the help of a therapist. Cognitive behavioral therapy needs to be completed over time, and effects may not be immediate. Other options include relaxation therapy and using pleasant mental imagery, which can aid in dealing with immediate anxiety attacks.