General Anxiety Disorder…
This condition involves excessive and unreasonable anxiety and worry that can last for longer periods of time. Signs include restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, shaking, crying, pacing, sweating, rapid breathing, rapid heartbeat, fearfulness and sleep problems.
Who Gets it…
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.
What Causes GAD?
The exact cause of GAD is not fully known, but a number of factors -- including genetics, brain chemistry, and environmental stresses -- appear …show more content…
This means that the tendency to develop GAD may be passed on in families.
• Brain chemistry: GAD has been associated with abnormal functioning of certain nerve cell pathways that connect particular brain regions involved in thinking and emotion. These nerve cell connections depend on chemicals called neurotransmitters that transmit information from one nerve cell to the next. If the pathways that connect particular brain regions do not run efficiently, problems related to mood or anxiety may result. Medicines, psychotherapies, or other treatments that are thought to "tweak" these neurotransmitters may improve the signaling between circuits and help to improve symptoms related to anxiety or depression.
• Environmental factors: Trauma and stressful events, such as abuse, the death of a loved one, divorce, changing jobs or schools, may lead to GAD. GAD also may become worse during periods of stress. The use of and withdrawal from addictive substances, including alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine, can also worsen …show more content…
• Fear of dying.
General symptoms
• Hot flushes or cold chills.
• Numbness or tingling sensations.
Symptoms of Tension…
• Muscle tension or aches and pains.
• Restlessness and inability to relax.
• Feeling keyed up, or on edge, or of mental tension.
• A sensation of a lump in the throat, or difficulty with swallowing.
Other non-specific symptoms…
• Exaggerated response to minor surprises or being startled.
• Difficulty in concentrating, or mind going blank, because of worrying or anxiety.
• Persistent irritability.
• Difficulty getting to sleep because of worrying.
Preventing General Anxiety. general things that everyone can do to lower the risk of developing these conditions.
• There's no way to predict for certain what will cause someone to develop generalized anxiety disorder, but you can take steps to reduce the impact of symptoms if you experience anxiety:
• Get help early. Anxiety, like many other mental health conditions, can be harder to treat if you wait.
• Keep a journal. Keeping track of your personal life can help you and your mental health provider identify what's causing you stress and what seems to help you feel
This condition involves excessive and unreasonable anxiety and worry that can last for longer periods of time. Signs include restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, shaking, crying, pacing, sweating, rapid breathing, rapid heartbeat, fearfulness and sleep problems.
Who Gets it…
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.
What Causes GAD?
The exact cause of GAD is not fully known, but a number of factors -- including genetics, brain chemistry, and environmental stresses -- appear …show more content…
This means that the tendency to develop GAD may be passed on in families.
• Brain chemistry: GAD has been associated with abnormal functioning of certain nerve cell pathways that connect particular brain regions involved in thinking and emotion. These nerve cell connections depend on chemicals called neurotransmitters that transmit information from one nerve cell to the next. If the pathways that connect particular brain regions do not run efficiently, problems related to mood or anxiety may result. Medicines, psychotherapies, or other treatments that are thought to "tweak" these neurotransmitters may improve the signaling between circuits and help to improve symptoms related to anxiety or depression.
• Environmental factors: Trauma and stressful events, such as abuse, the death of a loved one, divorce, changing jobs or schools, may lead to GAD. GAD also may become worse during periods of stress. The use of and withdrawal from addictive substances, including alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine, can also worsen …show more content…
• Fear of dying.
General symptoms
• Hot flushes or cold chills.
• Numbness or tingling sensations.
Symptoms of Tension…
• Muscle tension or aches and pains.
• Restlessness and inability to relax.
• Feeling keyed up, or on edge, or of mental tension.
• A sensation of a lump in the throat, or difficulty with swallowing.
Other non-specific symptoms…
• Exaggerated response to minor surprises or being startled.
• Difficulty in concentrating, or mind going blank, because of worrying or anxiety.
• Persistent irritability.
• Difficulty getting to sleep because of worrying.
Preventing General Anxiety. general things that everyone can do to lower the risk of developing these conditions.
• There's no way to predict for certain what will cause someone to develop generalized anxiety disorder, but you can take steps to reduce the impact of symptoms if you experience anxiety:
• Get help early. Anxiety, like many other mental health conditions, can be harder to treat if you wait.
• Keep a journal. Keeping track of your personal life can help you and your mental health provider identify what's causing you stress and what seems to help you feel