Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Types And Treatment

“Anxiety” the term itself is always overused in our average daily life. Many people associate day-to-day agitations with anxiety. The National Institute of Mental Health (2018) helps shed some light to express better what anxiety is, declaring :

…anxiety disorders involve more than temporary worry or fear. For a person with an anxiety disorder, the anxiety does not go away and can get worse over time. The symptoms can interfere with daily activities such as job performance, school work, and relationships.

There are a myriad of different types of anxieties that people can experience. GAD is one of the most recurring conditions. Doctors have not pinpointed it as one factor in all the patient’s lives but have concluded that it is unique and shaped by their own environment, interactions, and other components. Mayo Clinic (2017) adds possible elements such as genetics, development and personality, differences in brain chemistry and function, and more. As they observe there are numerous parts to why GAD occurs.

Most of the time GAD can be noticed by superfluous amounts of worry or fear. However, this is not the only symptom for GAD. Here are some other ways to tell if someone has the disorder mentally: overthinking, inability to concentrate or relax, indecisiveness, and others. Physically it pertains to the body by fatigue, trouble sleeping, sweating, tension, irritability, and nervousness. But there has also been some differentiation between children and teens to adults. There are certain categories where adults or teens may have struggles towards. (ADAA, 2020) Overall the main key to Generalized Anxiety Disorder is that there is an unproductive source of fear.

Cases of GAD not attended to can lead to secondary depression among other things. Fortunately, secondary depression likelihood is truncated with treatment. (HealthEngine, 2003) And on that note, here is a study conducted on GADs on untreated :

The diagnostic stability and long-term prognosis of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) remain the subjects of considerable controversy. We report the results of an investigation of the long-term outcome of an original sample of 44 subjects who participated in a medication trial. Subjects were reinterviewed approximately 16 months after completion of the study, using structured interviews. Fifty percent continued to fulfill criteria for GAD. … The results also suggest that GAD symptoms are not simply the result of a subject’s recent negative experiences, and that life satisfaction measures are an accurate reflection of GAD outcome. (Mancuso et al., 1993)

This helps show what can occur when GAD goes untreated.

If one has Generalized Anxiety Disorder there are a variety of different prescribed medications that doctors and other medical professionals recommend for people suffering from GAD. This however is not the only solution recommended. Anxiety and Depression Association of America (2020) emphasizes:

A number of types of treatment can help with GAD. Supportive and interpersonal therapy can help… and specifically targets thoughts, physical symptoms and behaviors including the over-preparation, planning and avoidance that characterizes GAD…There are a number of medication choices for GAD, usually the SSRIs either alone or in combination with therapy… Relaxation techniques, meditation, yoga, exercise, and other alternative treatments may also become part of a treatment plan.

This is also supported and reiterated here :

Treatment decisions are based on how significantly generalized anxiety disorder is affecting your ability to function in your daily life. The two main treatments for generalized anxiety disorder are psychotherapy and medications. You may benefit most from a combination of the two. It may take some trial and error to discover which treatments work best for you. (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2017)

As it stated up above are many ways people cope and are treated to help improve their mentality.

As far as a real-life experience, I myself have dealt with GAD. In the past, I had it pretty bad. I could hardly function and would break down going to school. I dealt with it, not by medication or therapy. I simply prayed and pressed forward with my life. I have come to realize many people can have GAD without knowing it. I, fortunately, was able to cope with it, but many suffer from it without getting treatment and can get depression.

References

1. ADAA. (2020). Anxiety Treatment. Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Retrieved from https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad/treatments
2. HealthEngine. (2003). Generalised anxiety disorder. HealthEngine. Retrieved from https://healthengine.com.au/info/generalised-anxiety-disorder-gad#:~:text=If%20the%20condition%20remains%20untreated%2C%20the%20prognosis%20is%20poor.,developing%20secondary%20depression%20is%20reduced.
3. Mancuso, D. M., Townsend, M. H., & Mercante, D. E. (1993). Long-term follow-up of generalized anxiety disorder. Comprehensive psychiatry, 34(6), 441–446. Received from https://doi.org/10.1016/0010-440x(93)90072-c
4. Mayo Clinic Staff. (2017). Generalized anxiety disorder. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/generalized-anxiety-disorder/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20361045
5. NIH. (2018). Anxiety Disorders. National Institute of Mental Health. Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml