Anxiety disorders are undoubtedly among the most common types of emotional disorders affecting a very large portion of the world’s population. These disorders are different from the everyday normal feelings of nervousness. They are dangerous and can worsen with time. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) falls in this category. GAD takes worrying to a whole new level. Individuals afflicted with this condition undergo exaggerated and excessive worry and tension. They always expect the worst possible outcome despite there being no evidence for their concern. GAD affects individuals of all ages, but those who are at most risk are in the ages of childhood and middle age. Things like family problems, health and money, are their main focus. As a result, their daily routines and functions get interfered with (ADAA, 2014).
Specialists do not have a conclusive cause for GAD, but evidence points towards genetics being one of them. Studies suggest moderate heritability, from as low as 15% to as high as 30%. Nonetheless, no definite gene has been branded as responsible. The general belief is that there exists a commonality for basing anxiety and other related disorders like depression on genetics. Another factor is environmental. Studies indicated a relationship between the development of GAD and dysfunctional couples; especially in female partners. These relationships contained physical or verbal abuse and serious squabbles and arguments. The imbalanced partners then transferred this energy within the relationships in the family. Past physical trauma, over controlling families, and role reversals with primary caretakers are some of the posited causes (Rygh & Sanderson, 2004).
The rate at which GAD develops is slow; beginning in teen years or young adulthood. Despite the clear knowledge that they are indeed overreacting to situations, GAD patients cannot relax their concerns. Their focus waivers from one worry to another. They also become easily irritable and experience long stretches of fatigue accompanied by muscle aches and tension. They also experience insomnia i.e. they cannot stay asleep, fall asleep, and they have unsatisfactory sleep. Other physical symptoms include trouble swallowing, excessive sweating, nausea, headaches, lightheadedness, panic attacks, frequent bathroom visits, and feeling out of breath. Depending on the anxiety level, GAD patients can function socially and even perform at work (NIMH, 2014).
GAD patients are difficult to diagnose. The reason for the uncertainty is as a result of the ambiguous symptoms. GAD symptoms are common in other psychiatric disorders such as, eating disorder, somatization disorder, hypochondriasis disorder and other anxiety disorders. However, specialists can spot other psychological disorders and conclude the existence of GAD because particular medical conditions, usually, coexist with GAD. These conditions include major depressive disorder, social phobia, attention-deficit, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes and heart disease (Rygh & Sanderson, 2004).
Treatment for Gad is either pharmacological or psychological. However, a combination of both has a better chance of positive treatment and management of the condition. In psychological treatments, Cognitive Behavioral Techniques get applied. The techniques include relaxation exercises like progressive muscle relaxation, pleasant relaxation imagery, and diaphragmatic breathing. Self-monitoring also helps. Patients can assess their external situations, feelings, thoughts and behaviors in order to control them. Another CBT is gradual stimulus control, where a patient sets aside a specific time and location dedicated to worrying. The clients also get encouraged to keep a regular diary of records of their worries, the feared outcomes and the actual results. Patients also get taught how to develop an increased capacity for tolerance and acceptance of uncertainty in their daily lives. Clients develop positive outlooks towards problems through perceiving the normalcy of problems in life and viewing problems as opportunities instead of threats. Therapists also expose clients to mental imagery that is threatening, in order for the client to face their fear. Patients suffering from Gad also undergo training in emotional skills. The clients develop techniques that help understand and regulate their conditions. These techniques include identification and differentiation of emotions, understanding the motivations behind emotions, and enhancing awareness of emotions (Behar, DiMarco, Hekler, Mohlman, & Staples, 2009). Medications used in the treatment include benzodiazepine and Buspirone. Benzodiazepine provides immediate anxiety relief but suffers from a large list of side effects. These include fatigue, while abrupt withdrawal results in anxiety, agitation nausea, tremors and seizures. Therefore, specialists recommend buspirone due to its reduced side effects. In all case scenarios, therapists advocate the psychological approach as the main line of treatment for GAD before the use of psychopharmacological treatment. That, however, does not apply in conditions where the patients capacity to function has been severely impaired by the disorder.
Apart from professional care, GAD can also be managed through self-help home-based methods. Due to the absence of professionals in these methods, people underestimate their potential. Used side by side to complement professional care received, these methods can, in fact, speed up recovery. Meditations and other stress management techniques like aerobics and calming exercises are some of the methods available to individuals with GAD. To further augment the results of therapy received, the patients can involve themselves in self-help groups. Regular meetings and internet chat rooms offer a platform through which patients get to share their experiences with anxiety (Grohol, 2004). A supportive family offers a GAD patient the stability and reliance they need to weather through their condition to eventually get better.
In conclusion, GAD is an anxiety disorder that if treated with psychological and psychopharmacological approaches coupled with a positive attitude and effective support group, can be managed.
References
Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). (2014). Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Retrieved from http://www.adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad
Behar, E., DiMarco, I. D., Hekler, E. B., Mohlman, J, & Staples, A. M. (2009). Current theoretical models of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): Conceptual review and treatment implications. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 23, 1011-1023. Retrieved from www.designinghealth.org/uploads/1/3/8/4/13844497/gad_paper.pdf
Grohol, J. M. (2004, June 24). Generalized Anxiety Disorder Treatment. Retrieved from http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx24t.htm
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). (2014). Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad/index.shtml
Rygh, J. L., & Sanderson, W. C. (2004).Treating Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Evidence-Based Strategies, Tools, and Techniques. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
