GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER (GAD)

We all worry, especially with new events.  However, this anxiety is often daily, is constant and creates an inability to relax, disrupts sleep, and can be very disruptive to living a balanced life. Often reported as ‘constant butterflies in my stomach’ or feelings of restlessness,  some sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating, feeling tense or keyed up.  These symptoms can utilize valuable energy that often is used to worry about past or future events, and often keep you from experiencing the present.  Left untreated can possibly lead to stomach problems and other physiological disorders, relationship issues, and less productivity at work or school.  With avoidance often the only tool to cope, your world becomes smaller and less rewarding.  CBT will help you to shift worry thinking patterns and useless waste of energy over issues often exaggerated by distorted thinking.

POSSIBLE REASONS FOR ONSET

• This disorder often runs in families
• Having experienced trauma
• Life experiences the set in place distorted thoughts about the world, yourself and others and future

RESOURCES

National Institute of Mental Health

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad

Anxiety & Depression Association of America

https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad

BOOKS

The Worry Workbook for Teens, Jamie A. Micco, Ph.D.

The Anxiety & Worry Workbook David A. Clark Ph.D., Aaron T. Beck, M.D.