Download Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Generalised Anxiety
Disorder (GAD)
A fact sheet produced by the Mental Health Information Service
What Is Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)?
Generalised Anxiety Disorder is one of the ‘anxiety disorders’. A person with GAD is in a
state of constant anxiety over many aspects of their life - relationships, work, health, family
and/or finances. Just about anything that a person can think about - they worry about.
The concerns are ongoing, extreme and unrealistic. The person feels worried and anxious
most of the time.
What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a normal response in a scary, dangerous or unknown situation. Anxiety involves
the physical and psychological reaction that is necessary to prepare a body for either
running away or fighting if necessary - known as the ‘fight or flight response. This was
certainly how we were able to equip ourselves to deal with danger in our distant past. The
autonomic nervous system prepares the body to cope with danger by releasing adrenaline
which in turn increases blood pressure and puts the body and senses into a state of
intense awareness, increased sensitivity and hyper alertness. When the body triggers off
this response the person essentially feels "nervous". You would have felt this when you
had an exam coming up or had to give a talk or found yourself having to cross a very busy
road. The nervous system puts your body in an alert state so that you can be at your best
to deal with what it interprets as a dangerous or life threatening situation.
These days, however, events that trigger the flight or fight response are not usually life
threatening or dangerous. Our stresses are more likely to involve meeting a deadline at
work, being stuck in traffic or finding our bills are piling up. The flight or fight response
doesn't help us with these modern day stresses. Anxiety becomes a problem when it is so
constant, so pervasive that it interferes with our lives. If a person is always feeling
nervous, then they are constantly getting the internal message that something is "wrong".
They have difficulty relaxing enough to get on with day-to-day responsibilities and
commitments. If anxiety is constant it has a detrimental effect on a persons physical health.
It is physically stressful for a body to feel anxious all the time. The flight or fight response
decreases the effectiveness of the immune system - thus a person is more vulnerable to
becoming sick.
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What Are The Symptoms Of GAD?
Symptoms associated with generalised anxiety disorder include:
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mind becomes alert
heart rate increases, blood pressure rises, sweating increases
muscles tense
mouth gets dry, increased thirst
breathing rate increases
immune response decreases
feelings of fear and apprehension, as if you are going ‘crazy’ or about to die
feeling sick or nauseous
trembling and shaking, restlessness
butterflies in the stomach
startling easily, irritability
frequent urination
sleeping difficulties
feeling out of control
In the long term, if anxiety goes untreated, the following symptoms can become a problem:
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fatigue, depression, insomnia
jumping at sudden noises
feeling ‘burnt out’ at work or at home
muscle aches and pains, such as migraines, from persistent tension
trouble concentrating
losing interest in activities usually enjoyed - socialising etc.
digestion and stomach problems
feeling overwhelmed
feeling demoralised
ongoing difficulties with relationships
If you notice these symptoms or the general symptoms associated with anxiety then it is
important to speak to someone about it and to seek help.
What Causes GAD?
An absolute cause for GAD is not known. Researchers have studies the following
possibilities:
a) An imbalance of certain brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) could be at the source of
GAD. Certain chemicals control the fight or fight response in times of a real emergency. A
change in the balance of these chemicals could lead to someone always being in a state of
readiness for an emergency even when none exists. Some researchers think people can
inherit a predisposition to chemical imbalances.
b) Certain personality traits, such as being sensitive and emotional can make people more
vulnerable to anxiety. Being a sensitive person often leads the caring, empathic person to
over concern and worry about lots of things beyond their control and/or responsibility.
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c) Anxiety may onset particularly during periods of high level stress; in some cases the
body may not be able to stop the physiological response after the stress has gone. Having
to deal with a lot of stress all at once, or in seemingly endless succession, can stretch the
mind and body's ability to cope and make a person vulnerable to developing GAD.
What Treatment Is Available?
Various talking therapies can be helpful in lessening anxiety problems, one example is
Cognitive Therapy - this aims to change thinking patterns - negative thought patterns that
trigger anxiety are substituted for positive ones. Psychodynamic Therapy seeks to find the
underlying cause of the anxiety so the person can learn to deal with problems more
effectively. Another way to deal with anxiety is to prevent or interrupt the fight or flight
response. This can be done by learning body/muscle relaxation techniques and learning to
control breathing. Medication is also available if the anxiety is severe. However therapy is
shown to be more effective than medication in the long term.
How Can I Help Myself?
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avoid stimulants and depressants such as alcohol, caffeine, tobacco and illicit drugs
as these can trigger the fight or flight reaction or make it worse
try to ‘contain’ worrying by permitting yourself to worry for only a short time each
day. At other times, use distraction or relaxation techniques to reduce worrying
join a self-help or support group
schedule regular pleasant outings and events
Where to Seek Help
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See your local GP
Call your local Community Health Centre (listed in White Pages)
Australian Psychological Society (APS), ph 1800 333 497 for a referral to a
psychologist in your area.
Anxiety Disorders Alliance, tel 1300 974 992
Call the Mental Health Information Service, tel 1300 974 991 for services in your
area
Family and Friends
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learn about the disorder
recognise and praise small accomplishments
modify your expectations of the person during stressful times
measure progress on the basis of individual improvement, avoid comparing the
anxious person to other people
maintain your own support network of relatives and friends to help you cope with
stress
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Further Reading
Anxiety Cure: An Eight-Step Program for Getting Well, by Robert L DuPont, Elizabeth
DuPont Spencer and Caroline M DuPont, John Wiley& Sons, 2003
ISBN: 0471464872
Anxiety Cure for Kids: A Guide for Parents, by Robert L DuPont, Elizabeth DuPont Spencer
and Caroline M DuPont, John Wiley& Sons, 2003 , ISBN: 0471263613
Anxiety, Phobias, and Panic: A Step-by-Step Guide for Regaining Control of Your Life, by
Reneau Z Peurifoy, Warner Books, 2005, ISBN: 0446692778
References
Anxiety Disorders Association of America
http://www.adaa.org/GettingHelp/HelpAFamilyMember.asp
Anxiety Disorders Alliance
www.mentalhealth.asn.au/ada
Disclaimer
The information provided is to be used for educational purposes only. It should not be used
as a substitute for seeking professional care in the diagnosis and treatment of mental
health disorders. Information may be reproduced with an acknowledgement to the Mental
Health Association NSW. This, and other fact sheets are available for download from
www.mentalhealth.asn.au. This fact sheet was last updated in June 2005
Mental Health Information Service
Mental Health Association NSW Inc
Level 5
80 William Street
East Sydney NSW 2011
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Phone: 1300 794 991
Fax:
(02) 9339 6066
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.mentalhealth.asn.au