Generalized anxiety is excessive worry about many different things in every day life like work, family, finances, and school. The worry is disproportionate to the situation and may not be warranted at all. It interferes with work, school, or social life and has to last for 6 months or longer.

WHAT IS GAD?

COMMON SYMPTOMS:

  • Rumination and obsessive thoughts about every day things in the future or past

  • Feeling constantly on edge, tense, or restless

  • Muscle tension, headaches, trembling, or twitching

  • Difficulty falling/staying asleep, restless sleep

  • Trouble concentrating or paying attention

  • Easily tired, irritable

TREATMENT FOR GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER

COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (CBT):

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an evidenced based, short-term, practical type of therapy that focuses on what you are experiencing right now, rather than spending a lot of time on the past. The goal is to help you build skills so you can better understand and manage your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors on your own.

In CBT, you will learn to notice unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors that can increase anxiety. Together, we will practice questioning these thoughts and finding more balanced, realistic ways of looking at situations. You will also learn new coping strategies and healthier behaviors to help you feel more in control.

CBT is very hands-on and skill-based. You may be asked to practice techniques between sessions, such as writing down thoughts, testing out new coping skills, listening to worry scripts, or using mindfulness exercises. These tools are meant to help you apply what you learn in therapy to your everyday life.

MEDICATION:

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are first-choice options for treating generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

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COMBINED CBT & MEDICATION:

A combination of CBT and SSRI or SNRI medication is often effective.