Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Worry

We all worry from time to time.  However, some people struggle with more chronic patterns of worry, as well as being tense, stressed out, and negative.

People may struggle with worrying negative thoughts, physiological symptoms of anxiety, such as stomach upset or muscle tension, and avoidant behavior, such as procrastination or not taking professional risks like trying a new job.

In treatment we address these components and how they interact.  Patients learn to get more distance from their worrying thoughts, to manage physiological symtoms, and to overcome what we call "worry behavior."

What is Worry?

Worrying is a lasting preoccupation with past or future bad events. It is a type of thinking that makes you feel as if you were reliving a past event or living out a future one, and you cannot stop those thoughts from occurring. Such thoughts are often characterized by the phrases "If only..." and "What if..."

Worry bothers almost everyone periodically, but for some it becomes a way of life. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is much more than the normal anxiety people experience day to day. It's chronic and exaggerated worry and tension. Having this disorder means always anticipating disaster, often worrying excessively about health, money, family, or work. Sometimes, though, the source of the worry is hard to pinpoint. Simply the thought of getting through the day provokes anxiety.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms

  1. You experience excessive anxiety and worry more days than not for at least six months about a number of events or activities
  2. You find it difficult to control the worry
  3. You experience three or more of these symptoms in association with the worry:
 
  • Restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge
  • Being easily fatigued
  • Problems concentrating
  • Irritability
  • Muscle tension
  • Sleep disturbance

Case Studies

Deb, age 34, is a worrier. She is restless, irritable and has difficulty concentrating. She worries that she worries so much and isn't always sure what it is that she is worried about. She can't let her husband or children leave the house without making them call her regularly to reassure her that they are okay. Her husband is growing weary of her fretting. Her children can't understand what all the fuss is about. Their impatience with her only makes her worry more.

Doug, age 46, has a lot going for him. He’s a successful businessman and has a loving family, He’s got money in the bank, good health, lots of friends, yet was constantly worried. Will he get fired? If that happened, how would he put his children through college? What if he got seriously ill or had an accident? Doug couldn’t concentrate on the positive aspects of his life, just the worries. It made him irritable and he slept poorly, which added to his anxiety.

Treatment

The hallmark of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is an intense focus on thought processes and belief systems. The overall goals of the approach are to help people identify problematic beliefs and thought patterns, which are often irrational or unrealistic, and replace them with a more rational and realistic views. This is done in a supportive environment and helps the client through a path of self-discovery and change.