Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the psychiatric disorders that affects a growing group of people of all ages. Read more about it.
Fear appears in every person. Thanks to it, we are able to avoid many dangers. Since the dawn of humanity, humans have been exposed to many threats, and therefore have developed certain defense mechanisms. Feelings of fear and anxiety are among them, but sometimes they are unrelated to real danger. Then we encounter various mental disorders, and one of them is generalized anxiety.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder – What You Need to Know?
Generalized anxiety disorder is associated not only with the feelings of people suffering from this disorder but also with characteristic somatic symptoms. In medical terminology, it appears relatively as a separate mental illness.
Causes of Generalized Anxiety
The development of anxiety disorders is not only supported by difficult life experiences and traumas but also by a fast-paced life and certain psychological states. Each of us is exposed to a multitude of stimuli with potentially harmful effects on the psyche, but not everyone can cope with them. Excessive overload of the nervous system in combination with certain character traits and lack of support from the environment may be one of the reasons for the development of various anxiety disorders.
Generalized anxiety disorder is a chronic illness that requires appropriate treatment and support from a therapist. Psychotherapy, behavioral and cognitive therapy, and properly chosen medication help reduce troublesome symptoms and facilitate normal functioning in society.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder – Symptoms
It is difficult to describe what a person experiencing constant fear in situations that do not cause unpleasant feelings to others feels. It is assumed that we can speak of generalized anxiety if symptoms persist for at least 6 months, causing strong, unjustified fear, and constant worries.
People diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder often suffer from other mental disorders such as depression, social phobia, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Sick people cannot control their symptoms, which causes a gradual withdrawal from normal life and succumbing to anxiety at home and outside. Typical symptoms of generalized anxiety include:
- Insomnia,
- fatigue,
- frequent feeling of anxiety dizziness,
- nervousness,
- irritability,
- and fluctuating moods,
- excessive muscle tension,
- palpitations,
- digestive system disorders,
- a general feeling of illness.
People suffering from generalized anxiety disorder stop functioning normally in society, which affects their mental health and leads to a worsening of symptoms.
Important! Symptoms typical for generalized anxiety can be alleviated with appropriate treatment, so it is essential to seek professional help.
In brief, generalized anxiety disorder is a serious psychiatric condition that disrupts normal functioning. The symptoms of the nervous system and somatic symptoms associated with generalized anxiety can vary in severity and patients may not be able to cope with them on their own. An indirect consequence of the disease is the loss of joy in life and the development of other mental illnesses, including depression.