What Is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
“Everyone worries from time to time about all kinds of things. Worry itself is quite normal. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a condition of too much worrying. If anxious thoughts seem to be increasing, it may signal a problem. Worry has to do with fears. Sometimes worrying can occur even when there is no clear cause. Fears can be confusing and may not make sense to the person who has them.”~ ₍₁₎
Who Is At Risk?
“GAD affects about 6.8 million American adults, including twice as many women as men. The disorder develops gradually and can begin at any point in the life cycle, although the years of highest risk are between childhood and middle age.” ~₍₂₎
6 Ways to Cope with Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Don’t let anxiety over tomorrow weigh you down today.
- Try to focus on the good things that you’ve done/happened to you – NOT the Negative.
- Don’t dwell on past mistakes…LEARN from them – then MOVE ON – (Allow for true forgiveness for yourself and let go of shame.)
- When anxieties weigh you down, talk to someone that can cheer you up.
- Mild Anxiety / moderate anxiety is extremely common, but goes way beyond just basic anxious feelings that everyone normally feels. It is a clinical condition and is a moderate even mild type of GAD. Nevertheless, it causes extreme emotional stress. Yet talking with a friend or family member might be just what you need to help take the edge of the anxiety.
- Severe Anxiety may require a more clinical talk therapy such as: “Psychotherapy. A type of psychotherapy called cognitive behavior therapy is especially useful for treating GAD. It teaches a person different ways of thinking, behaving, and reacting to situations that help him or her feel less anxious and worried.” ₍₂₎
- Avoid giving into negative Thoughts.
- Meditate on your pass successes. Understanding that anxiety is only a “by-product” of a “condition” has been helpful to some in dealing with its affects.
Anxiety has many faces and many triggers and each person has their own set of fears to overcome. However, the above 6 coping tools may help you deal with anxious periods making them a little more manageable.
I love being the Consumer Ambassador here at Charlotte Behavior Heath Care, but I also blog for other networks like the International Bipolar Foundation, BP Hope Magazine, and Psych Central (the Internet’s largest and oldest independent mental health social network. Since 1995, this award-winning website has been run by mental health professionals offering reliable, trusted information and over 200 support groups to consumers).
At Psych Central, there are a bunch of free NON-clinical screening quizzes. You can use the “Anxiety Screening Quiz.” This quiz can help determine if you might need to see a mental health professional for diagnosis and treatment of an anxiety or panic disorder. It’s not a real screening, only a professional can do that, but if you are —I HATE TO SAY THIS — Worried/Anxious about having Generalized Anxiety Disorder this could help you have the strength and courage to make an appointment with the capable CBHC Staff.
Anxiety Screening Quiz
Consumer ambassador Chato Stewart
References:
₍₁₎ What Is Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Achieve Solutions® is a ValueOptions® website.: https://www.achievesolutions.net/achievesolutions/en/Content.do?centerId=42&contentId=11018&topicId=61
₍₂₎ Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad/index.shtml
₍₃₎ Anxiety Screening Quiz: http://psychcentral.com/quizzes/anxiety.htm