GAD: When worry is an illness

Is it just a regular run of stress, or are you struggling with generalized anxiety disorder?

Updated:: 2009-09-23 22:13

Published:: 2008-02-05 00:00

By: Lola Augustine Brown

Generalized anxiety disorder: Diagnosis, symptoms treatment and self-care

Everybody worries to some extent, but for some, worry reaches excessive and uncontrollable levels. It can cause physical symptoms and take over your life. People who worry this much may be suffering from generalized anxiety disorder, commonly known as GAD, an underdiagnosed condition that affects about 2.1 per cent of Canadians each year, according to the Anxiety Disorders Association of Canada.

What distinguishes regular worrywarts from GAD sufferers is a matter of degree. "The key thing is that they [GAD sufferers] worry a lot and they constantly expect things to go badly or bad things to happen," says Dr. John Walker, PhD, clinical psychologist at the Anxiety Disorders Program at St. Boniface General Hospital in Winnipeg. "Often, people focus on one or two areas, e.g., they worry a lot about family and children, or their finances."

GAD diagnosis and symptoms
Fortunately, awareness about this condition is growing and the prognosis for sufferers is good -- provided you can get a diagnosis. Many people find out that they have GAD only after visiting their doctor with concerns about physical symptoms such as chronic fatigue, stomach pains, headaches or heart palpitations. Visiting your family doctor should be your first step in distinguishing whether you suffer from GAD.

Treatment and self-care
Certain medications effectively treat GAD but Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has been shown to have more long-lasting results. Rather than treating symptoms with medication, CBT teaches people to make their worry more manageable.

Yoga and meditation are highly recommended for people suffering from GAD, as these practices teach you to calm your body and live in the moment. Exercise has also been shown to be highly beneficial in managing symptoms. The key thing is to seek help, so you know what you are dealing with and how to manage it.

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