Generalized Anxiety Research Paper

What is an anxiety disorder?- Anxiety is “a mental health disorder characterized by feelings of worry or fear that are strong enough to interfere with one's daily activities...” Anxiety disorders involve more than temporary fear or worry. There are numerous disorders involving anxiety, which includes: social phobia, panic disorder, separation anxiety disorder, etc.

Anxiety affects each one of us from time to time. It just seems to come with the territory. Most often, though, we simply manage to shake it off and get on with our life with no real harm done.

Anxiety is the most common mental health disorder in the United States and women are over twice as likely to suffer from anxiety than men (Kessler et al., 2005). The symptoms of anxiety can be life disrupting; affecting personal and professional relationships, sleep, appetite, health, and overall quality of life. The causes of anxiety seem ever-present and there is no indication the situation is going to improve in the immediate future. Global politics, war, domestic terrorism, rising health care costs, and economic instability are but a few of the surfeit anxiety causing stressors individuals must endure while also managing daily pressures of everyday life.

Odds are you or someone you know suffers from an anxiety disorder, this comes at no surprise however, because according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America a whopping 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population suffer from these disorders. According to helpguide.org there are six types of anxiety disorders, they consist of generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder, phobias, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Within some of these disorders are different more specific disorders that can be diagnosed as well. For the most part all of these disorders come with their own signs, symptoms, caustations, and treatments, leaving a visit to a mental health professional as the best

Rachel is a forty-six year old, African American. Rachel suffers from generalized anxiety disorder. She lives with her two college-age daughters in a dangerous neighborhood on the south side of Chicago. Rachel only leaves the house typically between two and four times a month, usually to get her monthly haircut, gets a few items at the grocery store, or goes see her primary doctor. Whenever she needs something, food or otherwise, she has one of her daughters go do it for her. In the past two years, she has held one job for less than a month. Her daughters help pay household bills when they can, but it’s just not enough. Rachel’s bills are piling up, debt collectors keep calling, and it doesn’t faze her.

Generalized anxiety disorder(GAD) is much more than the normal anxiety people experience everyday. It is a chronic condition that is chracterized by excessive worry and anxiety, even though there aren't any reasonable explanations for the cause. It is diagnosed when a person spends a least 6 months worrying excessively about numerous everyday problems.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is an ailment that affects relatively 5% of the general population (Neurobiology and Genetics, 2011). GAD is a mental illness that can be difficult to understand or to describe. It is also very hard to diagnose because most people who are experiencing it believe that it is normal to worry about issues at that level. People with Generalized Anxiety Disorder have extreme fear and concern about even the littlest issues in their lives. They believe that something will always go wrong (NIH). There are times when these fears can keep these people from completing every day activities. There are also many symptoms that come along with this disorder. For instance, people with Generalized Anxiety Disorder have problems sleeping, headaches, fatigue, trembling, lightheadedness, and many other problems (NIH). GAD can make a big impact on a person’s life so it is important for them to get all the information they can about it in order to improve their quality

Although the treatment of choice for Generalized Anxiety Disorder is Cognitive Therapy Disorder, medications administration is often accompanied. Medications can consist of Anti-depressants, buspirone, benzodiazepines or other medications such as pregabalin, opipramol, and hydroxyzine which are not well studied. The first line medications in treatment are Anti-depressants or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). Which are one of the safest among the prescribed medications for generalized anxiety disorder. Benzodiazepines are often prescribed with the antidepressant because of the length of time it takes for the antidepressant to take effect (mayoclinic, 2017). Side effects

Ever since I was little, I’ve found difficulty in the most simple tasks. Talking to the server at any given restaurant, asking the teacher for a bathroom pass, or even getting up to throw something away at lunch. I had a really hard time talking to people or having attention drawn to me. I couldn’t communicate with anyone, and every time I was left alone I always thought something would happen. I would always worry about drawing too much attention, or looking a certain way, or getting the worst possible outcome no matter what I try to do. I thought that all of my fears were dumb and that I was being over dramatic about everything. I was always worrying about something, and it was futile. I got nowhere making myself worry

When an individual is diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) there are various symptoms that the individual will experience for at least 3 months. Some symptoms may include sleep disturbances, eating disturbances like loss of appetite or overeating, lack of concentration, shaking, an increasing heart rate, and possibly vomiting or nausea. Although some may experience these symptoms, but the core symptoms are fatigue or tiredness, muscle tension, headaches, and being moody or irritable. The number one core symptom is excessive worrying, which can be about anything and everything without having a significant reason.

When a person feels as if their world is crashing down, and the person has worries that are uncontrollable that lead to impairing social functioning ( Oltmanns & Emery, 2008). This disorder is called generalized anxiety disorder. The extreme worry and anxiety are symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. In a popular news article in the Washington Post a girl named Ashely wrote about her experience living with generalized anxiety disorder, and how the disorder affect her throughout different life stages. The article talked about how hard it is to live with generalized anxiety disorder. Ashely who wrote the article for the Washington Post has a long of different options for treating her disorder that include psychotherapy, cognitive behavior therapy or medications.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), is a common form of anxiety. According to a 2005 report in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, GAD affects 3.1 percent of adult’s every year. People with GAD are excessively worrying about everyday things, (school, money, health, relationships, job, etc.) which could cause physical symptoms and interfere with a person’s ability to function normally. Symptoms of GAD include: excessive worry, restlessness, irritability, muscle tension, headaches, sweating, difficulty concentrating, nausea, tiredness, trouble falling or staying asleep, being easily startled, etc. Generalized anxiety disorder can occur at any age, but the people affected most are between the ages of 19-60 and are usually women. The exact cause of GAD

The difference between social anxiety disorder and other disorders is that a person is capable of enjoying themselves. This is because they are not impacted as severely physically since their fear is only stimulated in the event that they will have to be

“During a panic attack, the first thing you want to do is get out of the situation that is causing it. However, since most professors find it disrespectful to leave during class, I had to sit for an hour and half in this agonizing state…It was as if I had terminal cancer that could not be cured.” (Gregg, 2015). This account, told through the eyes of Stacy Gregg, a once anxious college student, personifies the unrelenting and paralyzing symptoms that can come along with generalized anxiety disorder (also known

Generalized anxiety disorder must have been something that Tomas had to experience. Tomas must of have something to help him cope and get through this disorder he buildup from worrying to much. Developing cancer was probably something that was unexpected for him to develop through the stages of him being worried all of the time. Couldn't image how difficult it was for him and his family knowing that he was developing cancer, having a stroke, and other medical problems that he has had. The sociocultural perspective: societal and multicultural factors , this developed in March 1979 after a classical study being done called “three miles Island mothers” still display high levels of anxiety and depression. Most powerful form of societal stress is