Generalized Anxiety Disorder Treatment

What Is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

GAD is a type of anxiety disorder that causes people to experience uncontrollable, excessive, and persistent worry about everyday things and often co-occurs with major depression.

Signs and Symptoms

Healthcare providers typically diagnose GAD when symptoms occur on most days for at least six months. Generalized anxiety disorder symptoms begin gradually and may include:

• Excessive or persistent worry about everyday occurrences.
• Overthinking plans and solutions for worst-case scenarios.
• Difficulty handling uncertainty.
• Indecisiveness or fear of making the wrong decision.
• Inability to relax.
• Difficulty concentrating or maintaining focus.

Physical signs and symptoms may include:

• Feeling restless, irritable, or on edge.
• Difficulty sleeping despite fatigue.
• Muscle tension and headaches.
• Trembling and twitching.
• Nervousness and being easily startled.
• Nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting.

GAD Causes and Risk Factors

The exact cause of GAD is unknown, but it can arise from a combination of risk factors, such as:

• Gender (women are about twice as likely to experience GAD than men).
• Personality (those with neuroticism and fearfulness are more likely to experience GAD).
• Genetic predisposition.
• Family history of GAD.
• Brain chemistry.
• Social influences.
• Life experiences (e.g., trauma and learned behaviors).
• Lifestyle factors (e.g., caffeine, job stressors, relationship stressors).
• Social media exposure.

How Is Generalized Anxiety Disorder Diagnosed?

Healthcare providers and mental health professionals diagnose GAD using criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR) book by the American Psychiatry Association. These criteria include:

• Excessive anxiety or worry for six or more months.
• Inability or difficulty controlling the worry.
• The anxiety or distress disrupts or impairs daily functioning.
• The anxiety is caused or exacerbated by a known thyroid or substance use disorder.

In addition to these general assessments, your healthcare provider or mental health professional may also order one or more of the following tests to identify or rule out medical conditions that could be contributing to your symptoms:

• Thyroid blood test
  Your thyroid regulates feel-good hormones like serotonin. When it’s not functioning properly, these hormone levels can become erratic, causing anxiety or even panic attacks.
• Blood glucose test
  Anxiety and blood glucose are interrelated. Problems with one can exacerbate the other.
• Echocardiogram (EKG)
  Anxiety can negatively impact the electrical activity of your heart, causing a rapid heart rate and increased blood pressure.
• Toxicology screen (drug test)
  It is well-known that substance misuse can alter your brain chemistry, leading to feelings of anxiety and depression.

How to Treat Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder treatment typically involves psychotherapy (talk therapy), medication, or a combination of both and depends on your unique needs.

Individual therapy is a safe place to discuss your feelings and emotions and identify issues causing your emotional distress. Beach House provides the following treatment modalities to help you discover new and helpful ways to cope with stress and its impact on your daily life:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
• Psychoanalysis
• Motivational Interviewing

Depending on your medical history, current health, and diagnosis, your healthcare provider or mental health professional may also prescribe an antidepressant medication as part of your GAD treatment.

Get Help for GAD Today

Beach House Center for Recovery offers several mental health treatment programs to help you find healing, hope, and a path to a brighter tomorrow.

Contact us today to get started.