Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, with around 40 million Americans experiencing it each year. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) affects 6.8 million adults, and women are twice as likely to be affected than men. People with GAD are likely to experience symptoms of restlessness, irritability, muscle tension, sleeping problems, difficulty controlling worrying, and being easily fatigued. If you have GAD, you can probably agree that these symptoms can be exhausting if not treated. Below are some very common situations that many people with GAD experience often:
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- Lots of worrying. Whether it be regarding health, injury, illness, work, family, finances, social factors and more, people with GAD tend to worry about a variety of different topics. Typically, people with GAD hold a belief that worrying will help them solve certain problems.
- Negative emotions are more intense for them. Since emotions can spark a host of worrisome thoughts, negative emotions are very intense for people with GAD. For example, if a person becomes angry at someone with GAD, they may hold onto that pain for much longer than the other person might, and they may also replay that situation in their head various times to figure out what they did to cause the situation or to understand why the situation occurred or what could have been done differently.
- Trying several (but not always effective) strategies for dealing with worrying. Many people with GAD report avoidance, distraction, rumination, masking/hiding emotions and soothing one’s emotions to better cope with their thoughts and feelings. A lot of people with GAD must use more effort to regulate their emotions, but some of these tactics can be more harmful than helpful.
- Difficulty carrying out daily tasks. It can be very difficult to concentrate on a task when you have a major event going on in your life. For someone with GAD, anything that stimulates their anxiety and worry can make daily tasks difficult to accomplish. Most people with GAD want to focus on the day ahead of them, but many find it difficult to “get rid of” worries.
A 2011 publication titled “Generalised Anxiety Disorder in Adults: Management in Primary, Secondary, and Community Care” found that many people with GAD feel intense pressure, leading them to feel as though they cannot effectively cope. If you haven’t done so already, call a reputable treatment center today to learn more about how you can manage your anxiety and be on your way towards a happier, healthier life.
If you’re seeking a mental health and/or substance abuse recovery treatment center, call us today at 855-545-9124. Avalon Malibu is a world-renowned, California state-licensed treatment center with licensed, experienced professionals who care about your recovery. Make the decision to place your health and happiness as top priority and call us for a consultation.
