Conditions & Diseases: Psychological

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Introduction & Overview
Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Signs & Symptoms
Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Treatment Options

Generalized Anxiety Disorder Introduction & Overview

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by an excessive or unrealistic anxiety and worry over multiple life circumstances accompanied by involuntary hyperactivity, motor tension, vigilance and scanning (Borkovec and Inz). Anxiety is a normal emotional and physical response to stressful, dangerous or threatening situations or events with a beneficial effect in every day life. It helps the individual to be motivated and appropriately respond to danger.

There are several criteria that has to be met in order for a generalized anxiety disorder diagnosis to be established:
1). Excessive anxiety and worry occurs at least 4 days out of 7 for at least 6 months.
2). The individual cannot control the worry.
3). Excessive anxiety and worry are associated with at least three of the following symptoms: (1) restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge, (2) being easily fatigued, (3) difficulty concentrating or mind going blank, (4) irritability, (5) muscle tension, and (6) sleep disturbance.

Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive anxiety and worry usually over future events, the person predicts that something bad is about to happen and he and she cannot control it. The person is constantly tormented by the unpredictable and uncontrollable nature of the distressful events and by his or hers inability to control them.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, people suffering from generalized anxiety disorder anticipate disaster and are overly concerned about health issues, money, family problems, and work, since they are unable to stop worrying. Among children and adolescents, anxiety and worry is focused on the quality of their performance or competence in school or sport events whether or not their performance is being evaluated by others. Children that suffer from this disorder are usually over conforming, perfectionist, unsure of themselves, and tend to redo tasks due to their excessive dissatisfaction with a “less-than-perfect performance." They display an overzealous need to receive approval and seek excessive reassurance about their performance and other worries.

People that suffer from generalized anxiety disorder also develop a set of beliefs about worry. Worrying becomes a coping strategy. Worrying is believed to prevent future bad events from happening. This leads to the impossibility of effectively solving potential problems. Those that suffer from generalized anxiety disorder are caught in a vicious cycle of exaggerated worry and physical distress that lead to dysfunctional, maladaptive coping skills that cause more worrying.

Generalized anxiety disorder can affect every aspect of a person’s life from the social life and work setting to the family life. According to the Anxiety Disorder Association of America (ADAA), seven out of ten people that suffer from generalized anxiety disorder have their relationship with their spouse or other significant person in their life affected by the chronic anxiety, while two thirds reported that the disorder has a negative impact on their friendships.

Generalized anxiety disorder prevalence among the U.S. population age 18 to 54 is about 2.8 percent (four million). The lifetime prevalence is about 5 percent. This disorder affects women more often than men. Most of those that suffer from generalized anxiety disorder report that they felt anxious and nervous all their lives. The average onset age is around the age of 20.

Those that suffer from generalized anxiety disorder develop co-occurring disorders. More than half suffer from a mood disorder (usually depression), while others develop other anxiety disorders or addictions.

Studies suggest that individuals that develop generalized anxiety disorder might have a biological predisposition to be anxious. However, the actual disorder may develop when a biologically prone person experiences an environment characterized by unpredictability and lack of control (such as dysfunctional families where there are aggressive behaviors, abuse, or substance abuse related problems).

Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Introduction & Overview
Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Signs & Symptoms
Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Treatment Options

Article by Alina Morrow,
MS Psychology
Medical Writer
OmniMedicalSearch.com