In our previous post, we highlighted the signs and symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder. In keeping with the theme of sharing what you need to know about the most common mental illnesses, let’s turn today to another of the most diagnosed psychiatric disorder in the United States: Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

At different points, most everyone has experienced symptoms of anxiety or panic: a racing heart, rapid, shallow breathing, that clawing feeling of the walls closing in, and the absolute inability to just rest and relax. For most of us, fortunately, this feeling goes away on its own after a short time. For others, though, anxiety and panic can arise just about any time and is much harder to get rid of.

Believe it or not, symptoms of anxiety and panic were designed to be helpful! Anxiety is, at its root, our body’s response to a potential threat to our safety—formulated to help us recognize when we might need to run, hide, or fight. Unfortunately, our brains have a hard time differentiating between a real threat (being chased by a bear) to an imagined one (watching a scary movie) or a perceived one (being alone in a dark house and hearing a creak in another room). Anxiety can also be a response to situations that we believe are overwhelming, or potentially embarrassing, such as a presentation at work or getting ready to take a big test.

When anxiety starts to become a problem is when we find ourselves trying to avoid situations that provoke the feeling: skipping work to avoid giving a presentation, procrastinating studying for a big test, using drugs or alcohol to numb the symptoms, not leaving the house for fear of something bad happening while you’re out. While avoiding the scary or overwhelming situation makes us feel less anxious in the short-term, avoidance ultimately leads to the fear and anxiety about those situations growing until the very thought of the situation provokes a sense of panic.

The key to recognizing when “everyday” anxiety becomes more serious is when your feelings of worry, tension, or panic feel constant, difficult to control, or are out of proportion to what’s happening around you. Though worry may focus mostly on one area of your life, in most cases, it impacts how you think about your work or school performance, your perception of your personal relationships, your financial situation, and/ or your health.

At some point in their lives, 1 in 18 American adults meet diagnostic criteria for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Women are roughly twice as likely to have GAD. Symptoms tend to peak in adults between ages 30 and 59, though rates of GAD are rising steadily in younger adults, too. Unfortunately, over 40% of adults who meet criteria for GAD do not seek treatment for their symptoms. Many people who are diagnosed with anxiety also have depression or other mental illnesses at the same time. (References for this data are listed at the end of the post if you’d like more information.)

Determining whether you’re just feeling unusually nervous, or whether you may have Generalized Anxiety Disorder, requires careful discussion with a therapist, counselor, psychiatrist, or other healthcare professional who will assess your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. When diagnosing someone with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, clinicians are looking for someone who:

1.     Feels anxious or worries most days for at least six months.
-The worry might shift from one topic to another but rarely lets up completely.

2.    Finds it difficult to stop or control their worrying.
-Even when things are going fine, their mind may keep searching for something to be anxious about.

3   Notices physical or emotional symptoms connected to the anxiety, such as:

1. Feeling restless, tense, or “on edge”
2. Getting tired easily
3. Trouble focusing, or feeling like the mind goes blank
4. Irritability or feeling short-tempered
5. Tight muscles or body aches
6. Difficulty falling or staying asleep, or restless sleep

4.   These symptoms can make it harder to relax, concentrate, or enjoy daily life.
-For a diagnosis, they need to be present most days and cause noticeable distress or disruption in work, school, or relationships.

5.   The anxiety isn’t caused by substances, medical conditions, or another mental health disorder.

Fortunately, Generalized Anxiety Disorder is very treatable with a variety of therapeutic treatment modalities. In some cases, your therapist may recommend you talk with your doctor or a psychiatrist for medication management, but this is not necessary for most people living with anxiety. Talking with a therapist can help you learn ways to retrain your brain to cope with anxious thoughts, and change your behaviors so that you can confront stressful situations with confidence. If you are ready to talk with Megan or Kristi about your symptoms of anxiety and how it impacts your life, give us a call today at (336) 427-9022. Our intake team will work with you to verify your insurance and schedule your first session within a couple of weeks.