Generalized anxiety disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder occurs when you feel worried and stressed about many everyday events and activities. Often the things you are worried about are small or not important. This type of worry disrupts your life most days. Everyone gets worried or anxious at times. But people with generalized anxiety disorder have more than normal everyday worries.

Many people who have generalized anxiety disorder have physical symptoms. These can include having headaches or being tired all the time.

Anyone can get generalized anxiety disorder at any age. But it usually starts when you are a child or teen. Most people with this disorder have felt nervous or anxious as long as they can remember. Women are twice as likely as men to have the problem.

Generalized anxiety disorder can make you feel worried and stressed about many things almost every day. You may have a hard time controlling your worry.

Symptoms include:

• Feeling tired or cranky. You may have a hard time concentrating.
• Having headaches or muscle aches.
• Feeling shaky, sweating, or having hot flashes.
• Feeling lightheaded, sick to your stomach, or out of breath.
• Feeling like you can't relax. Or being startled easily.
• Having problems falling or staying asleep.

To find out if you have this problem, your doctor will ask questions about your symptoms and how long you have had them. Your doctor will also do a physical exam, ask questions about your medical history, and ask questions about medicines you are taking. This information helps your doctor find out whether you have any other condition.

To be diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, you must have more worry and stress than normal. You must feel worried and stressed about many things almost every day. And these feelings must last for at least 6 months. You will also have some physical symptoms. The worry, stress, and physical symptoms might make it hard for you to do normal activities such as going to work every day or doing grocery shopping.

Counseling and medicine can both work to treat anxiety. The two are often used along with lifestyle changes.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of counseling that's used to help treat anxiety. In CBT, you learn how to notice and replace thoughts that make you feel worried. It also can help you learn how to relax when you worry.

Applied relaxation therapy may also be used. Your counselor might ask you to imagine a calming situation. This can help you relax.

Medicines can help. These medicines are often also used for depression. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are often tried first. But there are other medicines that your doctor may use. You may need to try a few medicines to find one that works well.

Many people feel better by getting regular exercise, eating healthy meals, and getting good sleep. Mindfulness—focusing on things in the present moment—also can help reduce your anxiety.

• Get at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week. Walking is a good choice. You also may want to do other activities, such as running, swimming, cycling, or playing tennis or team sports.
• Learn and do relaxation exercises, such as deep breathing.
• Go to bed at the same time every night. Try for 8 to 10 hours of sleep a night.
• Avoid alcohol, marijuana, and illegal drugs.
• Find a counselor who uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
• Don't isolate yourself. Let those closest to you help you. Find someone you can trust and confide in. Talk to that person.
• Be safe with medicines. Take your medicines exactly as prescribed. Call your doctor if you think you are having a problem with your medicine.
• Practice healthy thinking. How you think can affect how you feel and act. Ask yourself if your thoughts are helpful or unhelpful. If they are unhelpful, you can learn how to change them.
• Recognize and accept your anxiety. When you feel anxious, say to yourself, "This is not an emergency. I feel uncomfortable, but I am not in danger. I can keep going even if I feel anxious."