Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time. You may feel anxious before an exam or a job interview or when speaking in front of a large crowd of people. However, if these feelings of anxiety are ongoing, excessive, or occur for no apparent reason this may be an anxiety disorder.
Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterised by excessive, constant, and uncontrollable worry about everyday things. This worry may be related to work, school, or relationships, or may occur without any identifiable cause or reason. This can lead people with GAD to avoid situations they think will cause anxiety, and can have a negative impact on their relationships and performance at school or work. They may also experience physical symptoms of anxiety such as increased heart rate, shortness of breath, dizziness, and nausea.
GAD can be caused by a combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors. Risk factors include exposure to stress, early learning, certain personality characteristics, and a family history of GAD.
- Excessive anxiety and worry
- Difficulty controlling worry
- Restlessness
- Feeling 'on edge' or jumpy
- Fatigue and low energy
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability
- Increased muscle aches or soreness
- Difficulty sleeping
- Upset stomach or nausea
- Overthinking plans and situations
- Indecisiveness
- Difficulty with uncertainty
There are a number of effective treatments for GAD. The two main treatment approaches are medication and psychological therapy.
Medication:
Antidepressants can be effective in the treatment of GAD. Ideally these medications are used in combination with talk therapy. You may need to trial several types and different doses of medication with your doctor to find one that is effective for you.
Psychological Therapy:
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the most effective psychological therapy for the treatment of GAD. CBT is a structured form of talk therapy which combines cognitive and behavioural therapies. CBT is based on the idea that our feelings are influenced by our thoughts and behaviours. In CBT clients learn to change their thoughts, beliefs, and behaviours in order to reduce anxiety and manage their worries.
Other Ways to Manage Generalised Anxiety Disorder:
There are other ways in which you can reduce general anxiety and stress. Eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, practising breathing exercises and relaxation techniques, and spending time outside are all effective ways to improve your mood and reduce stress and anxiety.
In Hope and Help for Your Nerves, Dr. Claire Weekes offers the results of years of experience treating real patients - including some who thought they would never recover. With her simple, step-by-step guidance, you will learn how to understand and analyze your own symptoms of anxiety and find the power to regain control of your nerves and your life.
The dedicated team at Anxiety.org is committed to making mental health information accessible, inclusive, easy-to-find, and easy-to-understand.
This website provides the latest and most relevant information by working directly with distinguished doctors, therapists, scientists, and specialists to help individuals find out more about anxiety and explore various treatment options.
Anxiety NZ are a non-profit, registered charity. This service was started in 1980 and offers a team of Specialist Psychologists, Doctors, Psychotherapists, Peer Support Facilitators and Helpline Workers. This organisation has helped thousands of children, adolescents and adults in Aotearoa build resilience and recover from anxiety, depression, OCD and phobias.
Their aim is to improve the recognition of anxiety disorders in Aotearoa, provide treatment and support to people with anxiety related conditions and their families.
In this TED talk, Anxiety researcher Olivia Remes talks about that "someone" inside of your head that points out every little negative thing you could think about yourself - an issue that every person who suffers with anxiety experiences. She then follows this by laying out the roadmap to getting rid of that "someone" and how that begins with being kinder to ourselves and to others.
Small Steps is a New Zealand website designed to help you learn how to ‘calm your mind’ and to improve your wellbeing. They provide great information and videos on techniques to reduce anxiety and stress, such as deep breathing and mindfulness exercises. The website also contains general information on stress and anxiety, and how you can help others who are experiencing these thoughts and feelings.
The Australian Centre for Clinical Intervention (CCI) has an amazing collection of information sheets, worksheets, and self help resources to help you learn more about anxiety disorders and ways to reduce anxiety.
This Youtube video created by ‘Osmosis’ provides a 5 minute overview of GAD. It outlines what GAD is, the symptoms, causes, DSM-5 criteria for diagnosis, and treatment options.
In this TED video Dr. Jen Gunter explains what anxiety is and what anxiety disorders are. She shares the common symptoms, the difference between normal anxiety and an anxiety disorder, how the ‘fight or flight response’ works, and some common treatments for anxiety disorders.