Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Unrelenting and excessive worrying that is both disruptive and repetitive. This is the simplest definition for generalized anxiety disorder, a psychological problem that affects millions of people worldwide. Although encountered in all group ages, generalized anxiety disorder usually appears between twenty and thirty years of age. However, the number of children and teenagers suffering from the condition is pretty high too. A relevant aspect here is that generalized anxiety disorder seldom starts abruptly in older age, and people who experience it in the elderly years have it as a chronic ailment that started much earlier. Regular worries don't represent symptoms of this disorder as they are part of normal daily life.

People who suffer from generalized anxiety disorder are normally capable of carrying on with their activities, but they are full of exaggerated tension and dread all the time even when there is nothing to cause their worrying. Nevertheless, the intensity of the physiological and psychological symptoms could interfere with normal tasks performed at work or with the person's social, family and emotional life. There are many treatments available for generalized anxiety disorder and, although drugs seem like the easy way to keeping things under control, they are not. Anti-anxiety medication treats the symptoms but leaves you just as exposed to panic attacks and excessive worrying once the treatment is over.

Psychotherapy should normally help a patient diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, on the one condition that he/she be an active participant to the treatment. Therapy, regardless of its nature, should teach people how to self-soothe and eliminate the thoughts that keep the constant tension in their minds and bodies. Positive thinking, neuro-linguistic programing, interesting activities that keep one busy, breathing techniques, yoga, meditation and so on will do the trick when it comes to reducing the level of anxiety. It is also worth mentioning the fact that the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder are more intense during certain moments of the day or on some days of the week.

People suffering from generalized anxiety disorder have all the chances of recovery if the right treatment or approach to the ailment is taken. However, there are cases of patients who remain trapped in the vicious circle for years on end, either because of the incorrect choice of therapy or because they cannot put into practice the techniques they learn in therapy sessions. Therefore, individual factors such as determination, self-awareness, perseverance in finding a treatment will significantly contribute to the level of mental health.