A common anxiety disorder is the appearance of excessive and uncontrollable anxiety or worry about various things and conditions. This condition will interfere with the daily activities of the sufferer.
Generalized anxiety disorders can occur in anyone, but are more common in older persons over the age of 30. When experiencing this condition, the sufferer generally can not explain why he feels excessive anxiety or worry.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder Definition
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is an excessive and persistent anxiety against many things. This disorder is different from regular anxiety. Everyone must have been worried about something. For example, when facing an exam or conducting a job interview. This kind of anxiety is normal.
While GAD sufferers are often afraid of natural disasters and worry too much about financial conditions, health, family, work, or other things. GAD sufferers have difficulty controlling their anxiety. As a result, such high levels of anxiety will also affect their daily lives.
GAD is more common in women than men and is more common in 35–59 year olds.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms
Anxiety is natural, especially if there are certain pressures or conditions. However, if anxiety and worry become uncontrollable, excessive, even to the point of disrupting daily activities, then it could be a sign you are experiencing a general anxiety disorder.
Common symptoms of anxiety disorders that can be recognized include:
- The appearance of excessive anxiety and worry over various uncharacterant conditions.
- The appearance of excessive thoughts about plans and solutions for every worst possibility does not necessarily arise.
- Easily offended, restless, nervous, and cornered.
- Hesitant, afraid, and difficult to make a decision.
- It’s hard to concentrate.
Generalized anxiety disorders can also cause physical symptoms, such as feeling tired, sleep disorders, headaches, shaking, excessive sweating, and nausea, abdominal pain, and recurrent diarrhea.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder Risk Factors
Psychiatrists suspect the condition may occur due to a combination of a number of factors, for example:
- Have experienced trauma, such as domestic violence and bullying.
- Excessive activity in the part of the brain that controls emotions and behavior.
- Unbalanced serotonin and noradrenaline compounds in the brains of sufferers.
- Hereditary factors. Those with close relatives with generalized anxiety disorders had a five times greater risk of experiencing similar conditions.
- Gender. Women are also believed to be more susceptible to this disorder.
- Have used illegal drugs or consumed alco**hol.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder Causes
Unfortunately, the exact cause of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is still unclear. Several factors are thought to play a role, including:
- Excessive activity in areas of the brain involved in emotional and behavioral regulation.
- Imbalances of brain chemicals, namely, serotonin and noradrenaline, are involved in mood control and regulation.
- Genetic factors, family history can also increase the risk of disorders.
- Have a history of experiencing traumatic or stressful events, such as domestic violence or child abuse.
- Experiencing long-term painful conditions, such as arthritis.
- Have a history of alco**hol or drug addiction.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder Treatment
Treatment for generalized anxiety disorder includes 2 steps, through:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Drugs that can balance the content of natural chemical compounds in the brain.
Generalized anxiety disorders can cause many complications, including increasing the risk of other psychological disorders. This anxiety disorder will greatly interfere with daily activities. In children it can mainly cause serious negative life problems if left untreated.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder Prevention
General anxiety disorders cannot be predicted or prevented directly, but there are several ways that can be done to reduce anxiety disorders, namely:
Exercise regularly
Exercising regularly two or three times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes is essential. The types of exercises that are done can be various such as running, going to the gym, playing football, swimming and so on. The main goal is to feel tired. Thus, it can help reduce the adrenaline hormone that the body produces in a stressful state. Our body’s reaction during exercise resembles our body’s reaction when stressed, i.e. The heart rate gets faster, the body sweats and the breath become heavy. So that our body learns to deal with these reactions and can cope with stress attacks well.
Healthy and balanced diet
A healthy and balanced diet consists of the consumption of whole grains, vegetables and omega 3. Avoid consumption of foods with high carbohydrate content such as bread and pasta made from wheat flour because it increases insulin levels. High insulin levels can cause inflammation in the body that negatively affects the brain.
Avoid coffee consumption
Coffee is highly discouraged for people who are anxious or restless because coffee can increase your heart rate.
Other ways
- Take regular relaxation exercises, such as meditation, yoga, or tai chi.
- Do relaxing activities that you like, such as playing music, gardening, knitting, or painting.
- Stay away from alco**hol and illegal drugs.
