Generalized anxiety disorder

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Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is an anxiety disorder involving excessive stress and worry that occurs during normal, everyday activities without any stimulus necessarily triggering the anxiety. The anxiety is often irrational, superfluous, or radical, yet it is irrepressible for the afflicted individual.

GAD is a chronic illness in which the anxiety is ongoing for six months or longer. Psychologically, the afflicted person is tormented by exaggerated and unrealistic worry, even with ordinary tasks. Constant thoughts of worry can pertain to finances, employment, health, family, school, and relationships.

Physical symptoms include uneasiness; irritability; twitching, trembling, or fidgeting; perspiration; hot flashes; headaches; muscles aches or tension; fatigue; nausea; lightheadedness; trouble breathing; difficulty swallowing; frequent urination; tiredness; and insomnia. Individuals may experience trouble concentrating and relaxing, and may become easily distressed or apprehensive. Levels of functionality in day-to-day routines range based on the severity of the illness; some afflicted persons can hold down a job and complete school despite their anxiety, while others have difficulty maintaining employment due to their constant anxiety.

GAD is one of the most common mental illnesses in the country; it affects 6.8 million Americans and has a lifetime prevalence of 5% in the adult population. GAD can arise in childhood to middle adulthood and tends to be genetic, but is also believed to be triggered by an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain or as a result of traumatic experiences. GAD typically occurs before the age of 40 and affects twice as many women than men.

GAD almost always co-occurs with other anxiety disorders, depression, and/or substance abuse, all of which must be treated separately. Treatment for GAD has extensively evolved due to thorough research and investigation, and the most recent characterization is defined in the 1994 publication of APA (DSM-IV). Stress management, relaxation techniques, cognitive behavioral therapy, and prescribed medication are commonly administered to afflicted individuals and should be followed for the recommended length of time in order for treatment to be effective.