GAD Goes Hand in Hand With Other Disorders
GAD or generalized anxiety disorder is a condition that is characterized by excessive worrying and anxiety over any number of things that are typically not topics of concern for the average person.
Someone afflicted with GAD will typically find daily events cause him or her to be overwrought with anxiety. In addition, the level of stress and worry that they associate with practically everything is excessive. This high level of anxiety tends to cause social, work and relationship problems for those affected with the illness.
An important fact has been discovered that almost all people who suffer from GAD are also afflicted with other disorders. These disorders can range from a variety of mental illnesses such as obsessive-compulsive disorder to depression. They may also suffer from extreme phobias or substance abuse. What complicates this further is that substance abuse especially, tends to exacerbate generalized anxiety disorder. Many of the symptoms that are typical of GAD are also common to many other mental illnesses.
They include:
Fatigue
Excess worry
Irritability
Nausea
Feeling on edge
Unrealistic world views
Sweats
Difficulty concentrating
Frequent urination
Trembling
Sleep problems
Headaches
Tense muscles
Unrealistic problem solving capabilities
The causes of GAD are the same as the causes of many other mental illnesses. Heredity tends to contribute to the illness. Chemical imbalances in the brain are another cause. Events in a person’s life that are particularly traumatic or stressful can also lead to GAD. Such events can also worsen the anxiety level of someone with GAD, particularly things like high stress or withdrawal from dependencies.
Even the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder is similar to other mental disorders. The medications prescribed for it are also prescribed for other such illnesses. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, relaxation techniques and biofeedback are all used for this category of illnesses. Luckily this also means that if a patient is treated for GAD, accompanying disorders like depression, phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorder may also improve.
If you are at risk for GAD, have family members with the illness or have been diagnosed with it, good medical insurance is a must. Even if you presently have group medical insurance, you may be paying too much for it or it may have too many limitations in place to be beneficial to you when you really need it. Anyone with GAD faces treatment that will likely continue for a lifetime, as there is no “cure” for the condition. Therefore it is important to have medical insurance that will meet your needs.