Anxiety Go Away!

Worry is a part of our lives. We all worry over one thing or the other. This common feeling “worry” takes the form of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) if it becomes uncontrollable, excessive and irrational. In GAD, worries take disproportionate forms and become damaging for a person’s social, economic, mental and physical wellbeing.

Prevalence of GAD is around 3% in developed world. It affects about 6.8 million American adults. The disorder sets in gradually and unnoticeably. Onset may begin any time from childhood to adulthood. Data shows women are two to three times more prone to suffer from Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Diagnosis Of GAD

GAD symptoms are general and may go unnoticed for a long time before warranting attention. A person with GAD feels tensed and stressed persistently. Even if the sufferer realizes that the cause of worry is insignificant, he has no control over it and he keeps on worrying. Such suffering is diagnosed as Generalized Anxiety disorder if –

1. Uncontrollable worry and anxiety have been occurring for at least six months, reasons of worry being daily events or activities such as work or school performance, financial matters, relationship etc.

2. Such anxiety and worry is presented with at least three of the following six symptoms (in children, even one is enough) – insomnia or difficulty sleeping, restlessness, irritability, muscle tension, getting fatigued easily and difficulty in concentrating.

Additionally, some individuals may experience nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, frequent urination, sweating, trembling, breathlessness, dizziness, and hot flashes. These symptoms keeps on fluctuating and the person may feel absolutely normal at some time of day or for some days together.

Three Modes Of Treatment

Treatment of GAD involves medication and psychotherapy. The three types of medication generally prescribed for GAD are:

Buspirone – It is the safest drug for GAD, as it has no sedating or habit forming side effects. It is relatively mild and reduces the anxiety symptoms but does not eliminate them completely. People with controlled cases of GAD can greatly benefit from this drug.
Benzodiazepines – This is a fast acting medicine used against uncontrolled and paralyzing cases of GAD. This drug has the capacity to act within 30-60 minutes. Physical and psychological dependence after few weeks of use is its major disadvantage. Therefore it should be used with caution and only under medical supervision.
Antidepressants – Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly used antidepressants. They act by influencing brain chemistry to block reabsorption of neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. They act relatively slowly and may take weeks to provide relief. Nausea and insomnia are the commonly reported side effects.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is used to treat the patient psychotherapeutically. In it the thought process of the person is analyzed and modified by a Psychopath. Negative thinking and distorted imagination that contribute to anxiety are identified. Deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation are taught to control arousal of intense fear and stress. CBT teaches behavioral strategies to tackle anxiety situations head on and skills to feel more in control and confident in everyday life.

Also, herbal products such as kava and valerian reportedly alleviate anxiety symptoms. However, their effectiveness and safety for treating Generalized Anxiety Disorder is yet to be validated.