People who feel overly worried or anxious daily might be suffering from generalized anxiety disorder or GAD. Symptoms include extreme anxiety or worry about normal situations. Around 4 million adult Americans are estimated to suffer from GAD each year.
GAD sufferers are unable to refrain from worrying about common situations and may be disturbed about work and school duties, money matters and family affairs. People afflicted with an anxiety disorder are normally stressed and depressed and may avoid social interactions.
The disorder has no known root cause but doctors and researchers infer that some factors contribute to the disorder’s development. As with many diseases and disorders, GAD is seen to stem from genetics. It seems that parents who are regular “worriers” pass their trait to their offspring.
Environmental factors can also be a cause of anxiety disorders. Stressful events such as abuse, divorce, moving, changing jobs or losing a loved one can trigger real fear, dread and anxiety, but this can worsen if it is left unaddressed. The person can get into the habit of feeling difficult feelings all over again whenever they are stressed, and this can perpetuate the cycle of anxiety. MedicineNet.com reports that many people turn to food, nicotine or caffeine to manage their feelings, but this often makes the situation worse.
The neurochemical composition of the brain is also seen as a cause of generalized anxiety disorder. Abnormal levels of neurotransmitters are linked with anxiety disorders. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that relay signals in the brain and an imbalance of it can affect the type of signals the brain is sending and receiving. This can translate to a slightly stressful situation triggering an intense fear response in a person. The person then will start to associate fear with that situation. This happens because the brain is producing the wrong signals so the person has a distorted perception of the situation.
A healthy lifestyle and sound nutrition can easily balance abnormal neurotransmitter levels. Medicine or natural supplements may be prescribed in serious cases. It is important to take note that GAD is a common disorder; and it affects more women than men.
Even though family history and environmental factors may not change, there are several ways to reduce the effects of GAD and other anxiety disorders. Making healthy food choices, getting enough rest, maintaining a regular exercise schedule, and controlling stress in a healthy way can help to reduce feelings of fear, worry and overwhelm on a regular basis. Lifestyle and behavior modification may be the best option for the millions of people suffering from daily anxiety problems, and may be necessary when generalized anxiety disorder symptoms and related anxiety problems are interfering with daily life.
If you’ve ever suffered from a panic disorder when socializing with people, or have fear of leaving your home, there is hope. A non-pharmaceutical anxiety treatment that can help you to free yourself from the fearful thoughts that may lead to panic attacks.