Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Driving into work on what started as a routine morning, my chest began to feel very heavy and I was overcome with a sense of anxiousness and unexplainable doom. Within moments I began to feel dizzy and lightheaded, unsure of what was happening I pulled my car into a parking lot and tried to collect myself. I was shaking, experiencing heart palpitations and felt a feeling of complete loss of focus and control. I had never felt anything like this before and panic began to consume my thoughts. The symptoms lasted for approximately 20 minutes and subsided as quickly and inexplicably as they had come. Certain something was very wrong I made an appointment to be seen by my physician, after explaining the episode to my …show more content…
Some diagnosed may experience one or all of the symptoms associated with the disorder. A person with this disorder may encounter pain in the back or chest, fatigue, lightheadedness, sweating, restlessness, severe anxiety, fear, repeatedly going over thoughts, hypervigilance, irritability, lack of or impaired concentration or unwanted thoughts, emotional distress, excessive worry, difficulty falling asleep, headache, nausea, sensation of an abnormal heartbeat, trembling or inability to focus. Additionally, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders for someone to be diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder they must meet a certain criteria of symptoms, the DSM-5 criteria for generalized anxiety disorder include: “Excessive anxiety and worry about events or activities most days of the week for at least six months, difficulty controlling your feelings of worry, at least three of the following symptoms in adults and one of the following in children: restlessness, fatigue, trouble concentrating, irritability, muscle tension or sleep problems, anxiety or worry that causes you significant distress or interferes with your daily life, anxiety that isn't related to another mental health condition, such as panic attacks or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, or a medical condition.” (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and …show more content…
Nevertheless, the two main treatments used for generalized anxiety disorder are psychotherapy and prescription medications. Each person with generalized anxiety disorder must be evaluated then a treatment plan can be made which can include one or both forms of treatment. Therapy treatment options include: mindfulness therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, talk therapy that focuses on changing a person's thoughts in order to change their behavior and feelings, psychoanalysis, and psychotherapy to treat mental disorders. Prescription medication treatments for generalized anxiety disorders include: antidepressants which prevent or relieve depression and elevate mood and anxiolytics. When medications are prescribed for generalized anxiety disorder or related conditions they fall into a specific classification of medications such as serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRIs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), Benzodiazepines, Beta blockers and Tricyclic Antidepressants. Some well-known brands used to treat GAD include but are not limited to Klonopin, Valium, Elavil, Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Lexapro, Celexa, Effexor, Cymbalta and Xanax. Physicians capable of diagnosing and treating patients with general anxiety disorder include psychiatrists, pediatricians, primary care providers (PCP), geriatricians
Driving into work on what started as a routine morning, my chest began to feel very heavy and I was overcome with a sense of anxiousness and unexplainable doom. Within moments I began to feel dizzy and lightheaded, unsure of what was happening I pulled my car into a parking lot and tried to collect myself. I was shaking, experiencing heart palpitations and felt a feeling of complete loss of focus and control. I had never felt anything like this before and panic began to consume my thoughts. The symptoms lasted for approximately 20 minutes and subsided as quickly and inexplicably as they had come. Certain something was very wrong I made an appointment to be seen by my physician, after explaining the episode to my …show more content…
Some diagnosed may experience one or all of the symptoms associated with the disorder. A person with this disorder may encounter pain in the back or chest, fatigue, lightheadedness, sweating, restlessness, severe anxiety, fear, repeatedly going over thoughts, hypervigilance, irritability, lack of or impaired concentration or unwanted thoughts, emotional distress, excessive worry, difficulty falling asleep, headache, nausea, sensation of an abnormal heartbeat, trembling or inability to focus. Additionally, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders for someone to be diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder they must meet a certain criteria of symptoms, the DSM-5 criteria for generalized anxiety disorder include: “Excessive anxiety and worry about events or activities most days of the week for at least six months, difficulty controlling your feelings of worry, at least three of the following symptoms in adults and one of the following in children: restlessness, fatigue, trouble concentrating, irritability, muscle tension or sleep problems, anxiety or worry that causes you significant distress or interferes with your daily life, anxiety that isn't related to another mental health condition, such as panic attacks or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, or a medical condition.” (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and …show more content…
Nevertheless, the two main treatments used for generalized anxiety disorder are psychotherapy and prescription medications. Each person with generalized anxiety disorder must be evaluated then a treatment plan can be made which can include one or both forms of treatment. Therapy treatment options include: mindfulness therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, talk therapy that focuses on changing a person's thoughts in order to change their behavior and feelings, psychoanalysis, and psychotherapy to treat mental disorders. Prescription medication treatments for generalized anxiety disorders include: antidepressants which prevent or relieve depression and elevate mood and anxiolytics. When medications are prescribed for generalized anxiety disorder or related conditions they fall into a specific classification of medications such as serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRIs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), Benzodiazepines, Beta blockers and Tricyclic Antidepressants. Some well-known brands used to treat GAD include but are not limited to Klonopin, Valium, Elavil, Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Lexapro, Celexa, Effexor, Cymbalta and Xanax. Physicians capable of diagnosing and treating patients with general anxiety disorder include psychiatrists, pediatricians, primary care providers (PCP), geriatricians