Its normal to feel anxious from time to time, especially if your life is stressful. However, if you have ongoing anxiety that interferes with day to day activities and relationships and this makes it hard to enjoy life, you may have generalized anxiety disorder.
The main symptom is the almost constant presence of worry or tension, even when there is little or no cause. Worries seem to float from one problem to another, such as family or relationship problems, work issues, money, health and other problems.
Even when aware that their worries or fears are stronger than needed, a person with GAD still has difficulty controlling them.
Other symptoms include:
Difficulty concentrating
Fatigue
Irritability
Problems falling or staying asleep, and sleep is often restless and unsatisfying
Restlessness or feeling keyed up or on the edge
Along with the worries and anxieties, a number of physical symptoms may also be present, including muscle tension. Treatment can include psychotherapy, medications or self-help.
Psychotherapy should be oriented toward combating the individuals low-level, ever present anxiety. Such anxiety is often accompanied by poor planning skills, high stress levels and difficulty in relaxing.
Medications should be prescribed if the anxiety symptoms are serious and interfering with normal daily functioning. Psychotherapy and relaxation techniques cant be worked on effectively if the individual is overwhelmed by anxiety or cannot concentrate.
Self-Help methods for the treatment of this disorder are often overlooked by the medical profession because very few professionals are involved in them. Many support groups exist within communities throughout the world which are devoted to helping individuals with this disorder share their common experiences and feelings of anxiety.
