Anxiety 2

Anxiety is a feeling of unease, such as worry or fear that can be mild or severe. Everyone experiences feelings of anxiety at some point in their life. For example, you may feel worried and anxious about sitting an exam or having a medical test or job interview.

Feeling anxious is sometimes perfectly normal. However, people with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) find it hard to control their worries. Their feelings of anxiety are more constant and often affect their daily life.

There are several conditions for which anxiety is the main symptom. Panic disorder, phobias and post-traumatic stress disorder can all cause severe anxiety. These pages are about generalised anxiety disorder (GAD).

Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

GAD is a long-term condition which causes you to feel anxious about a wide range of situations and issues, rather than one specific event.

People with GAD feel anxious most days and often struggle to remember the last time they felt relaxed. GAD can cause both psychological (mental) and physical symptoms. These vary from person to person, but can include feeling irritable or worried and having trouble concentrating or sleeping.

How Common is it?

GAD affects approximately 1 in 20 adults in Britain. Slightly more women are affected than men, and the disorder is most common in people in their 20s.

Outlook

GAD can significantly affect your daily life, making it difficult to perform everyday tasks. However, several different treatments are available to ease your psychological and physical symptoms.

Risk Factors for GAD

You may have GAD if:

• Your worrying significantly affects your daily life, including your job and social life
• Your worries are extremely stressful and upsetting
• You worry about all sorts of things and have a tendency to think the worst
• Your worrying is uncontrollable
• You have felt worried nearly every day for at least six months

Treatment

Treatment can range from medication to counseling; there are extensive choices available to suit you. Contact your doctor or a trusted health care professional for more information. For additional reading on the subject of treatment for anxiety click on this link: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/anxiety-disorders/treatment-of-anxiety-disorders.shtml

This information was taken in part from http://www.nhs.uk/

Disclaimer

All content on this website is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. Always consult your own GP if you’re in any way concerned about your health.

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