The Best Treatment for Generalized Anxiety

Worry and fear are natural emotions that everyone undergoes when a situation is out of their control. But incessant worry and fear can develop further and cause generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), which makes it impossible for a person to relax and function effectively. If you're a victim of generalized anxiety, there are several treatments available. However, self-help incorporated with therapy, are the most recommended.

Symptoms

• Generalized anxiety triggers multiple symptoms, which are categorized as physical and psychological. Physical symptoms include--muscles aches or soreness, nausea and diarrhea, insomnia or oversleeping, fatigue, restlessness and edginess. Psychological symptoms include--agitation and irritability, inability to concentrate, fear of rejection and of losing control, persistent fear and an inability to control anxiety. If you have been worrying and have experienced a combination of other symptoms every day for the past six months, you may have generalized anxiety. For example: your friend was laid-off from her job and you believe the same will happen to you though there is no proof that your job is in jeopardy. You lay awake all night worrying about it and you fear going to work every day, thinking you will lose your job. Your morale at work is inevitably affected and you start arriving late for work and soon start incurring missed days. You see nothing but doom around you.

Self help

• You can improve your anxiety by applying some self-help techniques. Learn how to channel your anxiety into a positive by learning to accept situations for what they are, especially the ones you cannot change. Certain habits can trigger GAD, such as excessive caffeine, improper diet, lack of exercise and isolation. Start drinking less (or no) caffeine, develop a balanced diet and exercise routine, and seek the support of your family and friends.

  Apply your physical senses to stimulate your nerves and quiet your turbulent mind. See--go to the park, walk around a beautiful neighborhood or look at memorable photos. Hear--go to the beach and listen to the ocean waves rippling up the shore, or listen to calming music. Smell--breathe in fresh air, or the aroma of scented candles and flowers. Taste--prepare and eat meals that you find delicious, or indulge in your favorite dessert and slowly savor the taste. Touch--get a massage, cuddle up in a cozy blanket, or stroke your beloved pet.

Therapy

• Therapy is another common treatment for GAD. It is highly recommended for patients because it does not include the side-effects prescription medications often cause. Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most applied method in anxiety therapy. It looks at how you view the world and yourself. The therapist also helps you locate the source of your anxiety by applying certain techniques:

  Education--through education you are taught about anxiety so you can learn to differentiate between helpful worry and unhelpful worry. You learn more about GAD so you can develop an acceptance of it. Monitoring--you are taught how to keep track of your anxiety; how to detect what triggers it, and how to monitor the length and severity of your attacks. Physical Control--by breathing in and out, and relaxing your muscles, you learn how to control your physical responses when you become anxious. Cognitive control--you are taught how to change the thinking patterns that are responsible for your GAD, and how to view each attack realistically so you are aware that your mind and not the situation is often to blame for your condition. Behavioral--you face your fears and tackle them by developing a fearless attitude toward your anxiety so you can be more in control of yourself.