Anxiety Counseling Monmouth County NJ
The normal worries of everyday life can usually be controlled or ‘switched off’. Worrying can be constructive if it helps you to work out possible solutions to a problem. However, some people are troubled by excessive worry and anxiety that seems difficult to control. This type of excessive worrying is known as generalised anxiety disorder (GAD).
Worries associated with GAD are distressing, last a long time and may appear for no apparent reason. GAD is characterised by a feeling of apprehension and constant irrational worrying about potential threats to the person and their loved ones.
The main feature of GAD is excessive anxiety and worry, occurring more days than not for at least six months. Worries are often about a variety of minor issues and events that are unlikely to occur. Generally, the worries are future oriented -– about what might happen rather than what is happening. Even when there is no cause for alarm, a person with GAD might worry about health, finances, family issues, and work or study performance.
Generalised anxiety disorder affects about five per cent of the population and onset can be at an early age – one third of people with GAD experience onset in childhood or adolescence. GAD may occur following a stressful life event or a period of high stress. It is more likely to develop if a person is predisposed to high anxiety due to a combination of genetic factors and environmental influences.
Generalised anxiety disorder is often chronic (ongoing), but may have only a moderate impact on a person’s ability to function in daily life and so can often remain undetected and undiagnosed. There are various self-help strategies you can use to reduce your tendency to worry. You can also seek professional treatment.
Symptoms of generalised anxiety disorder
People with generalised anxiety disorder experience several mental, emotional and physical symptoms, including:
- excessive and unreasonable worry over events or activities, such as work, school or health
- excessive worry about their capacity and confidence to deal with situations
- inability to control or stop their worrying
- feelings of apprehension
- muscle tension
- restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge
- being easily fatigued
- tension headaches
- problems with concentration or having their mind go blank
- irritability
- shallow, uneven breathing
- increase in heart rate and blood pressure
- sweating
- feeling nauseous or sick
- trembling and shaking
- sleep disturbance (such as difficulty falling or staying asleep, or restless unsatisfying sleep).
