What Are The Symptoms Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

If you find yourself worrying about things that, in reality, are unlikely to take place or you often feel worried, anxious or tense all day when there is really no reason to, then you may well be showing some of the symptoms of GAD.

All of us have worries and fears about parts of our day to day lives but if your worrying is constant enough to get in the way of your life, preventing you from relaxing and preventing you from carrying on normally you may have developed generalized anxiety disorder.

GAD is a fairly common problem that affects millions of people throughout the world. It tends to manifest itself as chronic worrying or anxiety, general nervousness and tension with sufferers finding it very difficult to switch off and relax.

When you suffer from generalized anxiety disorder your anxiety isn't related to any specific thing, event or occasion. You can feel anxious all the time and your anxiety can colour every part of your life. The feeling is, however, no where near as intense as, for example, a panic attack but instead is a long lasting feeling of general anxiety that makes a normal life impossible.

The condition is both mentally and physically debilitating, it saps your energy, destroying any sense of feeling good and generally wearing you down. You will probably worry about the same things as other people such as health, family, money and work but your worries will be exaggerated out of all proportion.

Your worries will be constantly repeating in your head, you won't be able to switch them off.

People with generalized anxiety disorder will go through their days in a constant state of anxiety, thinking the worst of every situation even when there are no grounds for their anxieties.

Being worried or concerned about things is a normal part of our lives but it is when the worrying gets out of hand and begins to get in the way of our normal life that you have a problem. Excessive worrying, intrusive thoughts that keep appearing in your head are symptoms of Generalized Anxiety. The anxiety can become debilitating actually preventing you from finding a solution.

The symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder can be different from hour to hour and day to day. You will experience good days and bad days, you may find that your worrying is worse first thing while for others, late at night will be the worst time their worries. Not everyone experiences the same symptoms but most people with GAD have some or all of the following symptoms of GAD.

Worries continuously running through your mind. Intrusive, irrational thoughts with anxiety popping into your head at any time.

An inability to cope with uncertainty, a need to know exactly what is likely to happen in the future.

A sense that your anxiety is out of control, that you can't stop yourself from worrying.

An all encompassing feeling of fear or apprehension.

Feeling tense all the time with muscle pain from the tension.

Trouble sleeping either difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.

An inability to relax, as if your brain can't switch off.

Unable to enjoy being alone.

You put things off because you feel completely overwhelmed by life and avoid social situations where you feel anxiety.

You have difficulty concentrating on things.

You feel nervous and edgy a lot, jumping at sudden sounds.

You might start to suffer stomach problems, diarrhoea and sickness.

It is always worth getting a professional diagnosis and getting yourself checked over. Generally speaking, if you have tended to worry or be anxious in the past you could well have developed GAD but similar symptoms can also be caused by other medical conditions and medication

General Anxiety Disorder can be treated successfully and people go on to make a full recovery!

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Generalized Anxiety Disorder In Children

A few weeks ago I knew I was in for it. I left talk radio on as my ten year old and I were on our way to grandma's house. It seemed like a harmless enough story about the discovery of water on the moon. I've learned to tune away quickly from stories about global climate change, swine flu and war, but this didn't seem like a dangerous topic. I mean it's not even about something on this world!

But then one of scientists happened to mention in passing that knowing which planets might have water might be useful since our planet only had a limited time to exist. "Or, in case one of those world destroying comets happens to be spotted heading our way," the moderator joked. And right then I knew I was in for it.

You see I'm the father of a ten year old with GAD: Generalized Anxiety Disorder. So for the next three weeks I was bombarded by questions about how long the Earth had to live. How would we get off of Earth when the comet came? Could we survive in space? Would Grandma be able to go on the space ship too, even though she smokes? How would we know if a comet or meteorite was headed our way? Could we stop it somehow from hitting the Earth? Etc. Etc.

When you live with generalized anxiety disorder in children you get used to spending hours putting out fires like this. It doesn't take much to get them going. This hyperactive worrying is really the main part of generalized anxiety disorder in children but here are some of the other typical symptoms to watch out for if you think your kid might have GAD:

Stomachaches and Headaches

Children with generalized anxiety disorder literally worry themselves sick. They often, especially on school days, complain of stomachaches. Because school is the focus of most kids' lives, GAD children worry about the things that happen there: will they make friends, keep friends, do well on tests, do well in sports, etc. My kid is on a first name basis with the school nurse-Rosie if you're wondering-and his stomachaches tend to happen on Sunday nights because school starts the next day, and on Thursdays, because Fridays are test days. It's like clockwork.

Trouble Sleeping

Insomnia is another problem that is worst on Sundays and Thursdays but it is pretty much a problem every night. A barking dog, the creak of the house, the wind blowing on the gate outside, a screeching car-any of those are enough to keep him awake. It is not unusual for me to see the light on in his room and come in to find him awake and doing nothing in particular. I used to not believe him when he said he never sleeps but now I know the truth about this slight exaggeration.

Irritability and Hyperactivity

Finally, anxiety disorder children are always seemingly wound up and tend to be very testy. This is partly because they are tired from not sleeping but also because worrying about everything, as we adults well know, can really wear you down. It's like when you are working on a big project that you are barely keeping up with. Everything seems more irritating and you are much more likely to lash out at the smallest of triggers. They are like this all the time.

If these symptoms seem to describe one of your children then you should know that there are treatments for anxiety disorder children. Although this is a condition that is likely to be with them for their whole lives, there are techniques you can learn that will help them to cope with their conditions. So don't despair. Learn more about anxiety disorders and how to treat them.

Tom Tait is focused on helping those with panic attacks. Here is more information on Anxiety Stress Disorder. There is even more information about Panic Attacks on the website Panic Attacks.

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