Generalized Anxiety Disorder or GAD is characterized by:-
Excessive/ exaggerated anxiety and worry about everyday life events. People with symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder tend to always expect disaster and cannot stop worrying about:-
- health,
- money/finance/wealth,
- family,
- work,
- office/school.
In people with GAD, the worry often is unrealistic or out of proportion for the situation. Daily life becomes a constant state of worry, fear and dread. Eventually, the anxiety so dominates the person’s thinking that it interferes with daily functioning, including work, office, school, social activities and relationships.
GAD will affect the way of thinking of the affected person and the outward symptoms of GAD are:-
- Excessive, continuous worry and tension,
- An unrealistic view of problems,
- Restlessness or a feeling of being “edgy”,
- Irritability,
- Muscle tension,
- Headaches,
- Sweating,
- Difficulty in concentrating,
- Nausea,
- The need to go to the bathroom frequently,
- Tiredness,
- Trouble in falling or staying asleep,
- Trembling and
- Being easily startled.
People with GAD will also have other anxiety disorders, such as panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and phobias, suffer from depression, and/or abuse drugs or alcohol.
The cause of GAD is not exactly known. However, a number of factors as explained below, are the probable causes of GAD:-
Genetics: Family history plays a vital part in increasing the possibility of a person developing GAD. - Brain chemistry: GAD has been associated with abnormal levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are special chemical messengers which help in moving information from one nerve cell to another. When the neurotransmitters are out of balance, messages cannot get through the brain properly. This will alter the way the brain reacts in certain situations, leading to anxiety.
- Environmental factors:- (1).Trauma and(2}. Stressful events, such as:- abuse,death or separation of a loved one,divorce,changing jobs or schools, loss of job, retirement
will 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 anxiety.
To get rid of anxiety:-
- The patients must get medical check ups and confirm that the physical conditions/ symptoms are only related to their anxiety and they must be prepared to get rid of anxiety and
- they must try to forget sad events which happened in the past and
- they must not worry about day to day and future events. They can do simple exercises and meditation to keep their minds calm and
- they must erase from their minds a guilty or disappointed feeling that they had taken some wrong decision and incurred financial loss and
- they must stop thinking and fearing that their financial and family status is unsecured and
- they must stop comparing with others who are in a better financial, wealth and family conditions and
- they must look down on many people who are in worse conditions and
- they must have their mind diverted in some useful recreation, social service or some religious activities.
