There are any number of mental disorders in the world. No matter how you look at it these disorders can make life for the sufferer miserable. Anxiety disorders are just as painful as other disorders and Generalized Anxiety Disorder or GAD is a severe form of anxiety disorder.
While anxiety is generally a normal reaction towards dangerous, uncertain, important or threatening situations GAD puts a frightening twist on anxiety. The reaction in Generalized Anxiety Disorder is a pathological anxiety. Here the anxiety is excessive and chronic. Generalized Anxiety Disorder can interfere with the person’s daily life and their activities.
Generalized or \"free-floating\" anxiety as it may also be called does not have to be triggered by a specific object or even a situation. Unlike panic attacks or anxiety attacks a person does not need a memory (known or otherwise), to trigger this disorder. GAD is known to affect 4 million to 5 million adults in America itself.
The sufferers of Generalized Anxiety Disorder are usually both men and women, with women being more affected than men.
Generalized anxiety disorder is associated with the irregular levels of neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that carry messages to the nerve endings in the brain. There are three types of neurotransmitters that are connected with anxiety. They are Norepinephrine, Gamma-aminobutyric acid or GABA, and Serotonin. During a heightened anxiety attack all three of these neurotransmitters interact with each other. A decrease in the levels of serotonin and GABA has the ability to reduce anxiety.
People who suffer from GAD are at risk form certain factors like environmental stresses. Examples of this are school, work, travel and others. Genetics and sleep disorders are another risk that Generalized Anxiety Disorder brings about.
Stressful situations like financial concerns, health, relationships, school problems, work problems can contribute towards Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
While GAD in itself can be a problem, there is usually a correlation between Generalized Anxiety Disorders and other psychiatric disorders. Depression, phobic disorders and panic disorders can also be seen with Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
The symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder include the inability to shake off persistent worries, tendency to feel tired, trouble concentrating, depression, constant tension, lightheadedness, nausea, erratic mood swings, and inability to control your self amongst others.
Should you find yourself afflicted with any or all of these symptoms then it’s best that you receive treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder as soon as you can. Otherwise your condition will deteriorate to the point that you will be unable to lead a fulfilling life. So seek medical attention as possible – remember that Generalized Anxiety Disorder is treatable.
