Generalized Anxiety Disorder

What Is Generalized Anxiety Disorder? People who suffer from generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD, worry uncontrollably about common occurrences and situations. The condition may also be called chronic anxiety neurosis. GAD is different than normal feelings of anxiousness. For example, many of us feel anxious about our finances from time to time. But a person who has GAD may worry uncontrollably about his or her finances several times a day for months on end. This can happen even when there is no reason to worry, and even when the individual knows there is no actual cause for concern. What’s more, the anxiety may shift uncontrollably from finances to another topic, such as the welfare of loved ones or the dangers of air travel. This excessive, unrealistic worry can be frightening and can interfere with relationships and daily function. People who suffer from generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD, worry uncontrollably about common occurrences and situations. http://www.clevelandstatecc.edu/talkgreen/viewthread/10640/

The condition may also be called chronic anxiety neurosis. GAD is different than normal feelings of anxiousness. For example, many of us feel anxious about our finances from time to time. But a person who has GAD may worry uncontrollably about his or her finances several times a day for months on end. This can happen even when there is no reason to worry, and even when the individual knows there is no actual cause for concern. What’s more, the anxiety may shift uncontrollably from finances to another topic, such as the welfare of loved ones or the dangers of air travel. This excessive, unrealistic worry can be frightening and can interfere with relationships and daily function. Read more Symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms of GAD include: difficulty concentrating difficulty sleeping irritability fatigue/exhaustion muscle tension repeated stomachaches or diarrhea sweating palms shaking rapid heartbeat alcohol and/or drug abuse Distinguishing GAD from Other Mental Health Issues Anxiety is a common symptom of many mental health conditions, including depression and phobias. GAD is different from these conditions in several ways. People experiencing depression may occasionally feel anxious. People suffering from phobias worry about one particular thing, but people suffering from GAD worry about a number of different topics over a long period of time (six months or more). How Is Generalized Anxiety Disorder Treated? Cognitive Behavioral Therapy This involves meeting regularly to talk with a mental health counselor. The goal is to change your thinking and behaviors. This approach has been successful in achieving permanent change in many patients. In therapy sessions, you will learn how to recognize and control your anxious thoughts. Your therapist will also teach you how to calm yourself when upsetting thoughts arise. Doctors often prescribe medicines along with therapy to treat GAD. Drugs and Medication Different types of medicines are used to treat GAD both in the short-term and for longer periods. Short-term medications relax some of the physical symptoms of anxiety, such as muscle tension and stomach cramping. These are called anti-anxiety medicines. Some common anti-anxiety medications are: alprazolam (Xanax) clonazepam (Klonopin) lorazepam (Ativan) buspirone (Buspar) Anti-anxiety medicines may be habit-forming. They are not intended to be taken for long periods of time. http://uchem.berkeley.edu/forum/read.php?26,465586

 Medicines called antidepressants work well for long-term treatment. Some common antidepressants are: citalopram (Celexa) escitalopram (Lexapro) fluoxetine (Prozac, Prozac Weekly, Sarafem) fluvoxamine (Luvox, Luvox CR) paroxetine (Paxil, Paxil CR, Pexeva) sertraline (Zoloft) venlafaxine (Effexor XR) desvenlafaxine (Pristiq) duloxetine (Cymbalta) bupropion (Wellbutrin, Wellbutrin SR, Wellbutrin XL) These medicines can take a few weeks to start working. They can also have side effects, such as dry mouth and nausea, which bother some people enough to stop taking them. There is also a very low but acknowledged incidence of an increase in suicidal thoughts and actions in young adults at the beginning of treatment with anti-depressants. Stay in close contact with your doctor if you are taking anti-depressants. Make sure you report any mood or thought changes that worry you. Your doctor may prescribe both an anti-anxiety medication and an anti-depressant. If so, you’ll probably only take the anti-anxiety medicine for a few weeks until your anti-depressant starts working, or on an as-needed basis. https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/forums/range/read.php?9,26790