What Are the Causes of General Anxiety Disorder?

Worrying about a test or an upcoming performance review may be normal. But if your worries and fears extend to situations that may not exist or even happen, it might be a medical condition. When your thoughts begin to interrupt your normal life and lead to physical symptoms, you may have General Anxiety Disorder.

General Anxiety Disorder

• The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders IV (DSM-IV) defines General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) as excessive anxiety and worry, combined with an inability to control your emotions or relax because of those feelings. In GAD, symptoms are present for at least six months and are not part of another mental disorder. These symptoms include irritability, heavy muscle tension, concentration problems, sleeping difficulties and fatigue. Symptoms must also cause clinically significant distress when performing daily functions.

Genetics

• No single cause has been associated with GAD, but risk factors and evidence have linked possible causes. The Health Center website reports that 20 percent of people diagnosed with GAD also have blood relatives with the same condition. Ten percent of GAD patients also have a major depression disorder. Twin studies showed an overlap of up to 33 percent of genes associated with neuroticism.

Physiological Causes

• The Mental Health Channel says irregular levels of neurotransmitters, the chemicals responsible for transmitting information throughout the brain, have been associated with GAD. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and serotonin are supposed to reduce anxiety, while norepinephrine increases may indicate anxiety. If there is more norepinephrine present and less GABA or serotonin during anxious moments, the physical and mental symptoms can persist longer than normal.

Environmental Stressors

• Environmental stressors may not cause GAD, but they can heighten and trigger the chemical imbalances. Work stress, lack of sleep and family stress are all risk factors associated with GAD. Excessive stress may bring on thoughts and worries beyond the norm in people with GAD. For example, not finishing a small task at work before leaving for the day can cause someone with GAD to obsess the rest of the night that he or she will fired or cause great harm to the company Such thoughts can lead to excessive sweating, fidgeting and an inability to sleep because of the incomplete task.

Treatment

• Benzodiazepines have been prescribed for GAD patients because they help eliminate associated physical symptoms such as muscle tension. Selective Serotonin Re-Uptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are also prescribed to maintain the chemical balance in the brain during anxious moments. Medications such as Lexapro help the brain produce more serotonin to ease anxiety.Psychotherapy may also be recommended for patients. Therapists can teach patients behavioral modification techniques and cognitive processing that can help manage situations that trigger GAD symptoms. For example, relaxation techniques and positive thoughts to reduce stress after work can help patients sleep better at night with less worry.