Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Written by: Cassie Sieradzky

General Anxiety Disorder is a psychological disorder that is characterized by extreme worry over every day experiences that is hard to control and interferes with daily functioning. The excessive worry happens more days than not for at least 6 months. The disorder often starts in the teen years or young adulthood, but can be seen from childhood throughout adulthood. Individuals with GAD may have trouble concentrating, they struggle to control their worries, feel easily tired, and may be irritable or on edge. These are some commonalities of the disorder, however children and adults diagnosed with GAD do have some differences regarding their worries.

Children with GAD tend to worry excessively about their performance in school or sports and catastrophes like war and hurricanes. Adults with GAD tend to have anxiety over health, finances, job security, being late, and everyday responsibilities. Children and adults may also suffer from physical symptoms like headaches and other unexplained pains. About 2.7% of adults have had GAD in the past year and about 5.7% of all U.S adults will experience GAD at some point in their lives.

GAD can be treated with psychotherapy, medication, or both. Cognitive behavioral therapy is particularly successful in treating GAD. CBT teaches the patient how to think, behave, and react differently in situations that result in anxiety or worried. The goal is to curve the maladaptive thinking patterns associated with the disorder. Medications such as SSRIs and other medications that regulate serotonin help alleviate the symptoms of GAD.

If you or a loved one appears to be suffering from GAD, the licensed psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy can assist you. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

Sources:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder: When Worry Gets Out of Control. (n.d.). Retrieved January  29, 2018, from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad/index.shtml

Generalized Anxiety Disorder. (n.d.). Retrieved January 29, 2018, from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/generalized-anxiety-disorder.shtml