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Ashima Sharda Mahindra • 21 Jul 2024

What Is Generalized Anxiety Disorder In Adults? Know Symptoms and Easy Ways To Treat

GAD is characterized by excessive, frequent, and unrealistic worry about everyday things like your work or health

A generalized anxiety disorder or GAD is completely different from normal feelings of anxiousness. While most of us feel anxious about certain happenings and things in our lives, GAD happens when you get too overwhelmed with problems and anxiety. According to experts, people suffering from this mental health condition worry uncontrollably about common occurrences and situations. It is also known as chronic anxiety neurosis.
Studies say GAD is characterized by excessive, frequent, and unrealistic worry about everyday things like your work or health. Most people with GAD have one or more other psychiatric conditions, which include:
  • Major depression
  • Specific phobias
  • Social anxiety disorder
  • Panic disorder
Statistics GAD affects around 3 per cent of the population across the world with women twice as likely to be affected by the condition as men.

Signs and symptoms of GAD

According to doctors, symptoms of GAD may fluctuate over time and are often worse during times you experience stress. A few physical and mental health signs and symptoms of this disorder include:
  • Getting overwhelmed and perceiving situations as more threatening than they are
  • Having difficulty in letting go of worries
  • Not able to concentrate on anything
  • Not able to sleep properly
  • Difficulty in handling uncertain situations
  • Increased irritability, nervousness, overthinking, and difficulty relaxing
  • Massive fatigue and exhaustion
  • Muscle tension
  • Twitching or trembling in arms and legs
  • Sweating profusely
  • Chronic stomachaches, diarrhoea, or other gastrointestinal issues
  • Always feeling shaky or weak
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Dryness in mouth
  • Always getting easily startled
  • Neurological symptoms like numbness or tingling in different parts of the body

What causes GAD?

Even though mental health experts say they do not know the exact cause of GAD they think it is a combination of genetic, biological, and environmental factors that leads to the condition. Studies have revealed that you are more likely to have GAD if you have a first-degree biological relative like your parents or sibling having it.
Several areas of your brain and biological processes play a key role in fear and anxiety. Even though more studies are going on to learn about these complex processes, scientists have found that the following environmental factors may put you at higher risk for developing GAD:
  • Experiencing a traumatic event
  • Being in a stressful environment
  • Having to manage a chronic illness
  • Experiencing abuse as a child
  • Excessive intake of caffeine or tobacco, which can make existing anxiety worse
Studies say those living with GAD also experience activation in certain areas of their brain associated with mental activity and introspective thinking when they encounter situations that could cause worry.

Ways to treat GAD

A few ways to treat GAD include:

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

Also known as CBT, this involves talking to a mental health professional who helps you change your thinking and behaviours. Therapy has largely been successful in lowering anxiety symptoms within 12 months after treatment.
In these sessions, you will learn to recognize and manage your anxious thoughts.

Medications

Your doctor may also prescribe medication to treat GAD, which includes:
  • Antidepressants
  • Anti-anxiety medications
  • Lifestyle changes
Many people also find relief by adopting a certain lifestyle or behavioural changes, which include exercising, eating a nutritious diet, getting enough sleep, practicing yoga and meditation, and talking to friends and family.