Generalized anxiety disorder – causes, side effects and treatments at NaturalPedia.com

Tuesday, March 27, 2018 by Zoey Sky

People occasionally feel anxious or worried, especially when dealing with stressful situations such as taking an exam, performing in public, or during a job interview.

In most cases, this kind of anxiety can make you feel more alert and focused. It can also help you finish tasks faster.

However, people with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) may constantly feel anxious and worried. These intense feelings are not limited to certain stress-filled events, and these worries are usually intense and persistent, which can interfere with their daily lives.

Individuals with GAD have worries that may be linked to various aspects of normal life such as family, health, school, or work, instead of just a single concern. For example, a minor thing such as a ruined dish or a missed bus stop can cause anxiety, which will spiral into uncontrollable worries and the notion that a horrible thing is going to happen.

Known side effects of generalized anxiety disorder

People who have generalized anxiety disorder don’t always experience the same symptoms. However, lots of people may go through a combination of emotional, behavioral, and physical symptoms that regularly get worse during stressful moments.

The emotional symptoms of GAD may include:

Endless worries running through your mind
Feeling like your anxiety is uncontrollable and that you can’t stop worrying
Having intrusive thoughts about things that cause your anxiety and being unable to avoid thinking about them
The inability to deal with uncertainty and the need to know what will happen in the future
A pervasive feeling of apprehension/dread

The behavioral symptoms of GAD may include:

Avoiding situations that cause anxiety
Difficulty concentrating/focusing on tasks
Inability to relax, enjoy quiet time, or be alone
Postponing things because you feel overwhelmed

The physical symptoms of GAD may include:

Feeling edgy, restless, or jumpy
Feeling tense, muscle tightness, or body aches
Stomach problems, nausea, diarrhea
Struggling to fall asleep or staying asleep because you can’t stop worrying

Anxiety disorders may occur at any stage of life, but they usually start during the middle age. Women are 60 percent more likely to have an anxiety disorder than men.

Stressful life experiences can increase the risk of developing GAD. Symptoms may manifest right away or after several years. A serious medical condition or a substance abuse problem can also cause GAD.

Body systems harmed by generalized anxiety disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder may cause the following complications:

Depression – Anxiety disorder and depression often occur together, and they have similar symptoms. These two disorders can be hard to tell apart. Both may cause agitation, insomnia, the inability to concentrate, and feelings of anxiety.
Physical illness – GAD increases your risk of developing certain illnesses. Chronic stress, which can be linked to anxiety, can weaken the immune system and make you more susceptible to infections like colds, the flu, and other viral and bacterial diseases.
Substance abuse – People with GAD are at higher risk of addiction to various substances like alcohol, nicotine, and other drugs.
Suicide – Over 90 percent of people who die by suicide were diagnosed with a mental illness such as anxiety.

Food items or nutrients that may prevent generalized anxiety disorder

The following foods or nutrients can help prevent generalized anxiety disorder:

Avocados, eggs, milk, and meat are rich in B vitamins that may help prevent anxiety.
Blueberries and peaches have nutrients that relieve stress and have a calming effect.
Oats can increase serotonin production. It is also high in fiber, which helps minimize blood sugar spikes that may influence your mood.
Whole grains are full of magnesium and tryptophan, an amino acid that the body converts to serotonin that can calm and improve your mood.

Treatments, management plans for generalized anxiety disorder

Treatments for generalized anxiety disorder include anti-anxiety medication, biofeedback, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and relaxation techniques.

Where to learn more

Summary

People with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) may constantly feel anxious and worried. These intense feelings are not limited to certain stress-filled events, and these worries are usually intense and persistent, which can interfere with their daily lives.

People who have generalized anxiety disorder don’t always experience the same symptoms. However, as lost of people may go through a combination of emotional, behavioral, and physical symptoms that regularly. These symptoms can get worse during stressful moments.

The emotional symptoms of GAD may include the inability to deal with uncertainty and the need to know what will happen in the future, endless worries running through your mind, and feeling like your anxiety is uncontrollable and that you can’t stop worrying.

The behavioral symptoms of GAD may include avoiding situations that cause anxiety; inability to relax, enjoy quiet time, or be alone; and difficulty concentrating/focusing on tasks.

The physical symptoms of GAD may include feeling tense, muscle tightness or body aches; struggling to fall asleep or staying asleep because you can’t stop worrying; and feeling edgy, restless, or jumpy.

Generalized anxiety disorder may cause the following complications: depression, physical illness, substance abuse, and suicide.

The following foods or nutrients can help prevent generalized anxiety disorder: avocados, blueberries, eggs, milk, meat, oats, peaches, and whole grains.

Treatments for generalized anxiety disorder include anti-anxiety medication, biofeedback, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and relaxation techniques.

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