Generalized Anxiety Disorder: When you just can't stop worrying

Worry all the time

Do you worry excessively? Is worrying disrupting the rest of your life? Do you worry about all sorts of things and have a negative view of the future?

Answering "Yes" to these questions can indicate a significant issue regarding how you are coping, and how anxiety is affecting you.

Anxiety Disorder

Generalized Anxiety Disorder is a condition characterized by an individual's pre-occupation with worry and anxiety. The worrying is extensive and disruptive to daily life and it continues even when attempts are made to stop it. The anxious thoughts can intrude on the mind, even after some control has been gained over them.

The level of worry and tension associated with this condition is not normal, and the anxious thoughts are often not rational and not connected with any actual anxiety-producing event or circumstance. Instead, the incessant worrying may be about a variety of things with no particular focus, and are often linked to day-to-day life circumstances such as job responsibilities, finance, health, safety and the well-being of family members. The worry may also be connected to minor things like car repairs, being late for appointments, or household chores.

Getting Help

If you believe you have worry and anxiety to the degree mentioned, it is important that you seek some professional help or support. Seeing your GP can be a good start, in order to accurately determine the extent of your symptoms and to see if you may have Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Treatments that are available for this condition include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, as well as Counselling for anxiety. Self-help techniques are also useful and can easily accompany professional treatment. Dirk Hansen can provide counselling for anxiety - and you can contact him by clicking here.

Free from worrying

The key aspect of treatment for this particular anxiety disorder is to better understand the thoughts that are driving the worry and tension, and to learn to test those thoughts and assumptions. This can be done by looking more clearly at 'evidence' i.e., objective factors tied to the reality of your situation and circumstances. Having a better understanding of how your thoughts work and how they are linked to your emotions can be a good first step in gaining relief from incessant worry and tension.