Generalized Anxiety DisorderGeneralized anxiety disorder is an emotional state that causes discomfort. It is the degree and the longevity of this anxiety that categorizes the type of disorder that is being experienced. Anxiety is normal with relation to stress it prepares us to be cautious and alert to possible harm such as looking both ways before crossing a street for fear of being hit by a car, but when the anxiety is magnified causing a constant state of worry that effects living an every day normal life this can become debilitating. Generalized anxiety disorder alters the thoughts of an individual causing negative thinking and fear which is associated with those thoughts. The What if, factor comes into play; What if the house burns down? What if I get ill and die? What if I lose my job? What if I cannot financially make ends meet? Daily life is plagued with distress that is not directed by any one thought but a general feeling of dread and fear.
The persistent sensation of apprehension concerning the unknown becomes unbearable and may lead to physical symptoms of trembling, muscular aches, abdominal upsets, dizziness, and irritability, headaches, insomnia, fatigue, heart palpitations or difficulty with concentration. Depression may occur as the individual feels powerless to grasp some form of control over their life. They don’t feel secure, they don’t feel at peace they are tormented by the ‘What ifs’.
To have some form of gauge to determine if your anxiety is more than just normal and could be boarder line or full blown generalized anxiety disorder you need to decipher how long, how intense and how often these feelings of unknown or exaggerated fear control your life. Your symptoms may come and go over periods of days so that you are looking at having good days and having bad days. All in all if the bad days outweigh the good days over a six month period it becomes a situation where you need to seek professional help. If left to fester and grow this can continue to escalate and move into anxiety disorders that are even more difficult to maintain any acceptable quality of life.
They may not realize that it is a documented and recognized problem by the medical profession, or fear being outcast as damaged goods or maybe labeled as mentally disabled, they may not know how or where to seek help or possibly feel it is a financial burden that they cannot afford when what they have been living with for so long has become tolerable as a way of life for them.
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If you would rather seek specialists that are in your geographical area just click here and type in your zip code for a list of specialists in your area. This service is provided by ADAA, Anxiety Disorders Association of America. ________________________________________________________________ Other Related Links
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