by Molly Johnson

Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. It helps one deal with a tense situation in the office, study harder for an exam, keep focused on an important speech. In moderation, it helps us cope. But when anxiety becomes an excessive, irrational dread of everyday situations, it has become a disabling disorder. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), there are actually 5 major types of anxiety disorders. They are:

1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder
2. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
3. Panic Disorder
4. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
5. Social Anxiety Disorder

According to the NIMH, people with generalized anxiety disorder, go through the day filled with exaggerated worry or tension, even though there is nothing to provoke it. Most people can’t get rid of their worry, even though they realize the situation does not really require this much worry. Often they have trouble relaxing or sleeping, and they startle easily. Medically, they diagnose GAD when a person suffers this way for more then 6 months.

If you suffer from this, one important thing to realize, is that this is a real disease and you are not alone.

While 40 million Americans suffer from anxiety disorders, almost 7 million Americans suffer from GAD. Women are twice as likely as men to suffer this disease, and the risk is highest between childhood and middle age.

Treatment The medical community believes that the primary treatment for all anxiety disorders is medications and/or psychotherapy.

Unfortunately, medication does not cure the anxiety disorder, it can only keep the disease under control, making things more comfortable.

The principal medications used are anti-depressants, anti-anxiety drugs, and beta blockers. From my own personal experience, I found that these medications were very expensive and they all had very unpleasant side effects. Depending on the drugs, some of the side effects include: nausea, dizziness, headaches, increased urination, weight gain, dry mouth, or increased sweating. Some of them, also cause people to become dependent on these drugs, and all of the ones I took recommend not drinking alcohol

Psychotherapy is used less frequently then medication, although according to the NIMH, there is evidence that the benefit can last longer then medication. There are various forms of psychotherapy, but the most popular is called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. They say this takes about 12 weeks, and it can be repeated if the anxiety comes back.

My Personal Experience

I suffered from panic anxiety attacks for several years. They came without warning, and when they hit, I would feel like I couldn’t breathe and the world was closing in on me. They were very painful and I stopped driving, flying, or seeing friends to avoid them from occurring. I found that medications helped me feel better but did not stop my panic anxiety attacks. Because of the expense and side effects, I eventually stopped using the drugs. I also tried deep breathing and exercise, both of which also helped me feel better, but neither of which stopped my attacks. In the end, after several years, I did find a way to stop them, and for this, I am eternally grateful.

After years of suffering, Molly found a way to stop her anxiety attacks. To find out how, click on this text

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Molly_Johnson http://EzineArticles.com/?What-is-Generalized-Anxiety-Disorder&id=2084510

by Jocelyn Snider

Generalized anxiety disorder is diagnosed if symptoms are present in most days than not for more than six moths.

Generalized anxiety disorder is one of the common anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders are the term covering several different forms of abnormal, pathological anxiety, fear, phobia and nervous condition, which may come on all of a sudden or gradually, over a period of several years and may impair or prevent the pursuing of normal daily routines.

The essential characteristic of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is excessive uncontrollable worry about everyday things. This constant worry affects daily functioning and can cause physical symptoms. GAD is usually difficult to diagnose for it lacks some of the dramatic symptoms, like unprovoked panic attacks, that are seen with other anxiety disorders. To be able to diagnose Generalized Anxiety Disorder, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms must be present more days than not for at least 6 months.

The diagnostic criteria for Generalized Anxiety Disorder symptoms are:

- Excessive anxiety and worry (apprehension), occurring more days than not for a period of at least 6 months, about numerous events or activities.

-The person with GAD finds it hard to control the worry.

-The anxiety and worry are associated with three or more of the following six symptoms, with at least some symptoms are present for more than 6 months in most days than not (at least one is required for children):

-restlessness or feeling tense or on the edge

-easily fatigued

-difficulty concentrating or mind going blank

-irritability

-muscle tension and muscle aches

-difficulty falling or staying asleep, or restless unsatisfying sleep

-difficulty swallowing -trembling, sweating

-nausea, light-headedness

-feeling out of breath

The focus of anxiety and worry is not limited to, or the anxiety or worry is not about having a panic attack, being embarrassed in the public, being contaminated, gaining weight, having multiple physical complaints, or having a serious illness, and the anxiety, and worry do not occur exclusively during post traumatic disorder.

The anxiety, worry, or physical symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of everyday activities.

The disturbance is not due to the direct physiological effect of substance, such as alcohol and drug abuse, or medical condition, and does not occur exclusively during a mood disorder, a psychotic disorder, or a pervasive developmental disorder.

When the anxiety level of people with GAD is mild, they can still function socially and keep a job. Even if they don’t avoid certain situations as a result of their disorder, they may have difficulty doing the simplest daily activities if there anxiety is severe. The disorder comes on gradually and can begin at any age, but the risk is highest between childhood and middle age.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder is commonly treated with medication or cognitive-behavioral therapy. Several drugs are used to treat anxiety disorders and these include: benzodiazepines and antidepressants, and Quetiapine.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/how-to-generalized-anxiety-disorder-752346.html

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/how-to-generalized-anxiety-disorder-752346.html

About the Author
Learn about  social anxiety treatment  and  how to control anxiety  at the  Health And Nutrition  site.