Generalised Anxiety Disorder
Generalised anxiety disorder
People suffering from Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) are usually described as chronic worriers.
They live in a bothering constant state of anxiety and worry that are very difficult to cope with; this state can be also called “free floating anxiety” .
Usually the person believes that being so anxious is a specific characteristic of his/her personality.
Somatic symptoms
Another important feature of GAD is a very strong somatic component, that can become content of their worries.
People suffering from Generalised Anxiety Disorder are not able to relax and they often experience intense physiological symptoms, such as:
- restlessness;
- tiredness;
- problems in concentrating;
- irritability;
- muscle tension;
- sleep problems.
To diagnose GAD, worry must be present almost every day for at least 6 months and the content of worries must be generalised and not limited to a specific topic. Worries content indeed are usually very catastrophic and the can be related to every little daily task.
The person usually recognises that the worries are excessive, intrusive and they bring a significant disturbance in their everyday life.
Generalised anxiety disorder: treatment
GAD treatment is different depending on its intensity and disturbance in everyday life.
For moderate-severe intensity, pharmacotherapy with SSRI combined with psychotherapy is usually recommended.
Cognitive Behaviour therapy for GAD will help you in recognising the impact of your behavioural and/or thinking paths on your feeling states and will encourage the use of alternative coping skills.
In parallel, relaxation techniques can be applied to better induce a relaxation state.