Generalized anxiety disorder can manifest itself during childhood or adulthood.  It has similar symptoms as a panic disorder and other types of social anxiety disorder.

However, they are all different conditions.

Coping with an anxiety disorder is a difficult, long term, process.  It can be accompanied by other panic or mood disorders. However, in most cases, generalized anxiety disorder can successfully treated with a combination of anxiety medications and psychotherapy.

In addition, lifestyle changes coping skills and relaxation techniques are a useful supplement to medical care.

Symptoms Of General Anxiety Disorder

The anxiety symptoms associated with general anxiety disorder can include:

• Incessant worrying or obsession
• Constant restlessness
• Fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating
• Irritability
• Muscle tension
• Trembling
• Insomnia
• Sweating
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Shortness of breath
• Heart Palpitations

Even though there may be brief periods of time where you feel that your anxiety does not rule your life, you continue to experience feelings of anxiety even if there is not really a reason for the feeling.  Most people with a generalized anxiety disorder are constantly haunted by a sense of foreboding.

They are always waiting for “the other shoe to drop.”

Many people with generalized anxiety disorder can’t recall when they last felt relaxed or at ease.

Common Risk Factors For General Anxiety Disorder

Several risk factors tend to increase the risk of developing general anxiety disorder, including, but not limited to:

Being Female. Women are twice as likely to develop generalized anxiety disorder as their male counterparts.

Childhood Abuse Or Trauma. If a patient suffered from abuse or other trauma as a child, even if they only witnessed the trauma, they are at higher risk of generalized anxiety disorder at some point in life.

Chronic Or Serious Illness. Having a chronic health condition or serious illness such as cancer can cause significant worry about the future, your treatment and your finances.

Stressful Lifestyle. Where the patient anticipates a stressful or important event, he or she may experience a higher anxiety level.  However, with an anxiety sufferer, even smaller events chronically trigger excess anxiety.

Personality Type. People with Type A personalities are more prone to anxiety disorders than are others. In addition, other personality disorders may be linked to generalized anxiety disorder.

Genetic Makeup. Generalized anxiety disorder may run in families for psychological and well a physiological reasons.  If family members have had a history of anxiety, depression or panic attacks, you may have a predisposition to having an anxiety disorder as well.

Drug And Alcohol Abuse. Substance abuse can aggravate generalized anxiety disorder. Caffeine and nicotine also may have an effect on anxiety.

See A Physician For Generalized Anxiety Disorder

While it is true that some anxiety is a normal part of everyday life, it is important to see a physician if you are experiencing one or more of the following:

Worrying Too Much. If you feel like you’re worrying too much, the you probably are.  If your worrying is causing problems at work, home or other parts of your life, then it is time to see a doctor.

Feelings Of Depression. If you feel depressed or are using drugs or alcohol as an escape, or you have other concerns along with anxiety.  You may need to seek depression treatment because generalized anxiety disorder and feelings of depression often accompany each other.

Suicidal Thoughts. If you are having suicidal thoughts, you need to seek help immediately.  You are supposed to seek help because something is wrong and it is not your fault.

Your anxiety is not going to go away on its own.  In fact, unless you get help, it is likely to get worse.

Go ahead and seek medical help now because anxiety is easier to successfully treat the earlier it is caught.

How Can Your Doctor Help You?

When you seek medical treatment for generalized anxiety disorder, your physician will perform a physical examination and ask you a series of questions.

If you have already considered the answers, then you will have more time to spend on other aspects of treatment.

Here are some of the most common questions:

1. What are your symptoms?  How severe are your symptoms? (Give examples)
2. Does your anxiety seem to be continuous or occasional?
3. How long ago did you first notice your anxiety?
4. What triggers your anxiety.  What seems to make it better or worse?
5. Have you been diagnosed with any other mental health condition?
6. What, if any, physical or mental health conditions do you have?
7. Did you have, or witness, a traumatic experience recently or in the past?
8. Do you use alcohol, medications, or illegal drugs?  If so, how often?  (Do not be afraid to answer this question truthfully as your physician is not interested in reporting you to the police).
9. Do you have relatives with anxiety or depression?

In order to diagnose you with generalized anxiety disorder, your physician must examine the following criteria:

1. Excessive anxiety and worry most days of the week that has persisted for at least six months.
2. Inability or difficulty controlling worry.
3. Anxiety or worry that interferes with your daily life.
4. Anxiety that isn’t related to another mental health condition (ie panic attacks, drug and alcohol abuse, or post-traumatic stress disorder).
5. Three of the following:  restlessness, fatigue, trouble concentrating, irritability, muscle tension or insomnia.

Medications For Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Several different types of medications are used to treat generalized anxiety disorder:

Antidepressants. These affect activity of certain neurotransmitters and are commonly used in depression treatment.  These are thought to play a role in anxiety disorders. Common depression medications include Prozac, Paxil, Lexapro, Zoloft, Effexor and Tofranil.

Buspirone (BuSpar). This anxiety medication can be used on an ongoing basis. However, it takes several weeks to become fully effective. You may experience lightheadedness for a period of time after you begin taking it.  Unfortunately, in some cases, it has the opposite of the intended effect including, headaches, nausea, nervousness and insomnia.  If you experience these symptoms, consult your physician.

Benzodiazepines. These are prescribed for short-term relief of anxiety symptoms. These include Klonopin, Ativan), Valium, Librium and Xanax. These medications are generally short term solutions for acute anxiety symptoms. The main disadvantage of these medications is that they are habit forming and cause drowsiness, reduced muscle coordination, lack of balance and memory.

Therapy For Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Counseling or therapy is an essential tool in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder.  It involves working through the underlying life stresses and concerns by making changes in response to them.  Used in conjunction with medication, it can be a very effective treatment for anxiety.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most common type of therapy for generalized anxiety disorder. It is generally a short-term treatment that focuses on teaching you coping skills. You learn to identify negative thoughts and behaviors and replace them with positive ones.

Even if a stressful situation doesn’t change, you change the way you feel about the situation thereby increasing control over your life.

Lifestyle Changes And Self Help For Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Most people need psychotherapy and/or medication to get anxiety under control.  But, certain lifestyle changes can be an effective supplement to medical treatment.  Some of the most common lifestyle changes are:

Exercise. This is a powerful stress reducer and serves to cause your body to create more of the same chemicals that are created through the use of depression medications.  The exercise routine needs to be moderate and daily.  Start slowly and increase the amount and intensity of exercise over a period of time.  With exercise, easy really does it.

Diet. Fatty, sugary and highly processed foods should be avoided.  Some people are more sensitive to refined sugar and processed breads and pastas.  Organic vegetables, whole grain breads and free range meat are good dietary choices.  Eat a lot of fish.

Avoid alcohol and other sedatives. This is self explanatory.

Relaxation Techniques. Visualization techniques, meditation and yoga are examples of relaxation techniques that can ease anxiety.  They are easy to learn and you will eventually look forward to your meditation or yoga workouts.  This should be time that you give yourself permission just for yourself.

Get Plenty Of Sleep. You have to get plenty of sleep for a variety of reasons.  If you are sleep deprived, you cannot think rationally and you will tend to use stimulants such as caffeine. If you are not sleeping well, let your doctor know.

Join An Anxiety Support Group. Part of the anxiety is derived from a feeling that something is wrong with you.  Having the support of other anxiety sufferers can alleviate these feelings.  Search for support groups in your community, and on the Internet.

Take Action. A lot of anxiety is derived from feelings of helplessness.  It certain situations are causing you anxiety, then address them.  Action, any action, is empowering and gives you a sense of control.

Let It Be. I love the Beatles version of the song “Let It Be.”  In fact, I listen to it often.  You cannot control every aspect of your life, nor should you be able to do so.  A certain amount of uncertainty gives the Divine the opportunity to work for you in your life and builds your faith.  As you are a creature with free will, God will not intervene until you let it be.

Break The Cycle. Anxiety often causes paralysis.  When you feel symptoms of anxiety, break the pattern by exercising, meditating or doing something else to change your state of mind.

Stick To Your Treatment. People who seek medical assistance often find rapid recovery from the symptoms of anxiety.  You may be tempted to skip your medicine, support group or therapy session.  Don’t do it.  Take medications as prescribed. Keep therapy appointments. Consistency can make a big difference in regaining control of your life.

Socialize With Others. The worst thing you can do when suffering from generalized anxiety disorder is isolate yourself.  Social interaction and caring relationships can lessen your worries.

Using Alternative Medicine For General Anxiety Disorder

It is not clear how some supplements treat anxiety, but some supplements that have been used to treat anxiety include:

Kava. This herb is reported to relax you without making you feel sedated. Some studies have linked kava to liver problems, so it isn’t a good idea to take it if you have a liver condition, drink alcohol daily or take medications that affect your liver.

Valerian. Most commonly used as a sleep aid, valerian has a sedative effect and may also relieve anxiety.

Vitamin B and Folic Acid. These nutrients may relieve anxiety by affecting the production of chemicals needed for your brain to function (neurotransmitters).

Talk to your doctor before taking herbal remedies or supplements to make sure they’re safe for you and won’t interact with any medications you take.

Preventing Generalized Anxiety Disorder

There is no way that you can be certain that your symptoms of anxiety will deteriorate into generalized anxiety disorder.  However, there are steps that you can take to minimize this possibility:

Seek Medical help Early. The worst thing that can happen is that you will find that you are not suffering from a disorder.  However, as with any ailment, the longer you wait, the harder it is to treat the disorder.

Journal. Journaling is a great way to keep track of your life and notice trends over time that might escape your attention.  If necessary, your physician or mental health provider can use the journal to document the development of a mental health disorder.

Prioritize Your Activities. Manage your time and energy.  Do not try to do too much each day.  A to do list that is consistently longer than five items is a prescription for anxiety.  Learn to delegate.  Learn to say “No.”

Avoid Substance Use. Alcohol, illegal and prescription drugs and even excessive caffeine consumption can lead to increased symptoms of anxiety.  If you are addicted to any substance, quitting increases anxiety. Seek help early to minimize anxiety.

Seek Help Early For General Anxiety Disorder

As with other mental health conditions, generalized anxiety disorder is not completely understood. It may involve naturally occurring brain chemicals and/or have other causes such as genetics, your environment and stress.

Generalized anxiety disorder is a persistent condition that requires ongoing treatment. Fortunately, with treatment, you will not feel anxious all of the time. However, the susceptibility remains, especially during the natural stresses of life.

Anxiety disorders can occur alone or in conjunction with other mental health conditions, such as other anxiety disorders, drug and alcohol abuse and mood disorders.

The good news is that general anxiety disorder is a highly treatable condition through a combination of therapy, lifestyle changes and medication.  Do not suffer in silence.  You will only make things worse if you wait.

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That fuel is fear.

If you have ever experienced being uncomfortable and feeling that something just isn’t right when it comes to your breathing or the way your body seems to be failing you, it is entirely possible you could have been experiencing an anxiety attack symptom.

But, as a former anxiety attack sufferer, I can assure you that anxiety attacks can be controlled, if not eliminated.  Let’s take a look at anxiety attacks.

Let’s take a look at some of the symptoms that usually come with anxiety attacks.

Why Am I Having An Anxiety Attack?

The causes of anxiety attacks vary depending on the individual.

Depression. My anxiety attacks began in conjunction with a state of depression after I lost my mother and mother-in-law within six months of each other.  The intense depression, coupled with a rotator cuff injury that mimicked the symptoms of chest pain, caused me to have panic attacks.

Stress. Stress is also a huge factor in causing anxiety attacks.  Indeed, often stress, coupled with another condition, such as depression, can trigger the attacks.

Medication. Medicine, especially blood pressure medicine is a known trigger of an anxiety attack, and being less than active is known to be a contributor as well.

There is no particular known reason why some people experience these attacks and others do not.  There is also no reason why some sufferers seem to have only one or two attacks while others are plagued with them for a lifetime.

All that is known is that they are the body’s way of dealing with pressure.

What Are The Primary Anxiety Symptoms?

Anxiety attack symptoms vary from person to person.

Fear. The main symptom of an anxiety attack is fear.  It is the fuel that drives the panic attacks.  Once the attack is initiated, the symptoms of the attack cause more fear, which causes the symptoms to intensify.  The cycle repeats itself until the person spirals out of control.

Rapid Heart Beat. This is one of the most common anxiety attack symptom.  It can be found in most anxiety attacks, from the most mild to the most intense.  Because of the association with a heart attack, sufferers often clutch at their chest in fear, when in reality they are experiencing anxiety.

Shortness of Breath.  Because of its association with a heart attack, shortness of breath is another anxiety attack symptom that is experienced along side a rapid heart beat.

Lightheaded or Faint. This happens primarily in crowded area or in places where the sufferer is already hot.  Many sufferers have a phobia about being in a crowded area and fainting.  Often, this fear becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

Fear of Losing Control. This fear manifests itself in response to the other symptoms that precede the attack such as a racing heart, and shortness of breath. It is a natural feeling for us to feel as if we are losing control of our own bodies.

Because many symptoms experienced during an anxiety attack are similar to those of other conditions, it is impossible to determine if you are having an anxiety attack or some other condition.  It is important to see a doctor, so that he can run tests to determine the cause of the symptoms.

Anxiety Attacks Are Unique To The Individual

Everybody is different and may experience varying symptoms based on what their fears may be.

Once they get help treating anxiety, many people live normal lives once they learn to control their attacks. In the end, by visiting a physician to talk about the anxiety attack symptoms that bother you, an anxiety therapy plan can be put in place to help you in effectively overcoming anxiety.  This makes it possible to ensure anxiety attacks do not have precedence over your life.

Related posts:

1. Panic Attacks? Anxiety Help Is Available
2. Anxiety treatment: What To Expect From Anxiety Therapy
3. Anxiety Medications: The Best Drugs For Anxiety Help