Generalized Anxiety Disorder - Types Of Anxiety Disorders: Mental Health

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Generalized anxiety disorder

The experience: A woman, 47, knows that she's a worrier. It's not that she worries about anything in particular; rather, she finds something to worry about in any number of situations. She's anxious about driving in the rain, a job review, her children's grades at school, and so on. She wishes she could stop "sweating the small stuff," but she can't help it. She often has trouble sleeping because her muscles are tense and her mind can't relax. Her psychologist believes that she has generalized anxiety disorder and suggests continuing her therapy while she consults with a psychiatrist about taking a prescription medication.

Symptoms: For this disorder to be present, there must be at least six months of excessive worrying or feeling anxious about several events or activities on most days of the week. People with generalized anxiety disorder have at least three of the following symptoms: fatigue, difficulty concentrating or holding a thought, irritability, muscle tension, sleep disturbance, restlessness, or feeling keyed up or on edge. In the case of other anxiety disorders, the focus of the worry is something specific, such as the fear of certain animals (specific phobia) or a persistent, debilitating fear of germs (obsessive-compulsive disorder). With this disorder, the source of the worry changes, but the worry itself is present most of the time and is significant enough to interfere with the individual's ability to function normally. Generalized anxiety disorder is often accompanied by depression, substance abuse, or another anxiety disorder (see "Do you have generalized anxiety disorder?" and "What if you are just plain worried?").

Cause: As with other anxiety disorders, certain abnormalities in the brain seem to predispose a person to generalized anxiety disorder. One is a low level of GABA, a neurotransmitter that blocks the release of other neurotransmitters, thus modulating nerve impulses. Another is a low level of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affects mood and sleep. Just how these chemical messengers influence anxiety is unknown, but anti-anxiety drugs and antidepressants that increase their levels relieve symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder.

Brain imaging studies of people with generalized anxiety disorder reveal other abnormalities: increased activity in the cortex and decreased activity in the basal ganglia. Although the precise implications are not clear, in general, such abnormalities indicate a problem with brain function that may prime the pump for an overreaction to stress. Because generalized anxiety disorder tends to run in families, experts believe that genes are at least partly responsible. Symptoms also surface or worsen under stress.

Prevalence: About 3% of people have generalized anxiety disorder, and 5% will develop it at some point in their lives.

Who's at risk: People with a family history of generalized anxiety disorder or other mood disorders such as depression, as well as those who have another mood disorder themselves. Half of the adults who seek treatment had symptoms of anxiety as children or adolescents. Generalized anxiety disorder affects twice as many women as men. It usually appears between childhood and middle age.

Effective treatments: Various anti-anxiety drugs and antidepressants, as well as cognitive behavioral therapy and some other forms of therapy.

Last updated:	September 05, 2008