Introduction Generalized anxiety disorder affects around 6.8 million adults with women being twice more likely to be affected than men (Anxiety and Depression Association of American, 2010 -2016). Generalized anxiety disorder is defined by extreme, excessive anxiety which causes individuals to worry about ordinary life events with no apparent reasons for concern. Additionally, people who suffer from generalized anxiety disorder foresee trouble and always expect a disastrous event to occur which causes them to worry about their health, work, school, family, or money. Meanwhile, the anxiety dominates a person’s thinking which interferes with their daily activities.
History, Myths, Past Treatments Presently, anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorders and are considered to be the most treatable illness. In the late eighties, the term "anxiety disorders" did not exist. In fact, most anxiety disorders were recognized as phobias (Anxiety and Depression Association of American, 2010 -2016). Information about anxiety disorders began to surface when researchers found a connection between panic attacks and irregular blood flow in the brain. In addition to their findings, the researchers discovered that anxiety disorders are in fact linked to most common social and health issues. As a result, the researchers found and tested different therapies and medication to treat anxiety disorders. There is a wide variety of myths about anxiety disorders. For example, people often believe that stress is not healthy in a person's everyday life. This statement is completely false as everyone faces stressful situations from time to time. Other myths include avoiding stress-provoked situations, a person only gets anxiety if they are nervous, and anxiety is "in your head," therefore it is not considered an illness. Various treatment methods were used in the past for anxiety. Some treatments that were used earlier were assorted herbs and lotions, and taking baths in freezing rivers. Hydropathy was also used to help with anxiety, as well as spas, and many people chose the aid of a therapist as a solution to their illness.
Signs and Symptoms Particularly, if an individual has generalized anxiety disorder the most common symptoms they experience are fear, worry, and anxiety. Often most people feel restless, tense, and irritable; especially due to the lack of sleep. For example, because of various stresses such as workload, finances, or health issues a person may have a tough time falling to sleep or staying asleep. Additionally, individuals who suffer from anxiety find concentrating difficult as their mind tends to wonder to other stresses, which is mostly about unimportant things. Also, other symptoms may include shortness of breath, dry mouth, nausea, and muscle tension. More importantly, heart palpitation is a sign to recognize.
Neurotransmitters Involved and their Relationship to Signs and Symptoms Since the brain reacts directly to neurotransmitter which is small chemicals inside the body that transmit messages to the brain resulting in many neurotransmitters being related to anxiety disorders. Therefore, according to Dr. Julie Graves (2015), these neurotransmitters include gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), serotonin, and Norepinephrine. The neurotransmitter GABA is the target for medications used to alleviate short-term signs of anxiety. Medication such as Valium, Xanax, and Ativan are usually prescribed to intensify the calming effect that GABA has in the brain. Serotonin plays a significant role in anxiety. It is believed that the drug buspirone helps reduce anxiety by increasing serotonin activity in the brain. Therefore, a natural level of serotonin improves a person’s well-being. The last neurotransmitter is Norepinephrine. Norepinephrine is closely related to the drug epinephrine, commonly known as adrenaline. Stress is mostly linked to high adrenalin levels as well as being in the constant state of fear is comparable to anxiety.
The Diagnosis To diagnose generalized anxiety disorders a health care provider usually performs a physical exam to check for signs that the stress may be associated with another health condition or substance abuse. The primary care provider will also ask specific questions about symptoms the patient is experiencing as well as their medical history. If there is an underlying medical condition the health care provider will then order blood or urine tests. The physician may also perform a gastric reflux test to check the digestive tract, or perform a stress test to determine if the heart is functioning properly. Finally, to assist in determining the diagnosis the health care physician typically uses a psychological questionnaire (Mayo Clinic, 1998 - 2016).
Treatments Available According to the Mayo Clinic (1998-2016), treatment for generalized anxiety disorders usually consists of psychotherapy and medications. Psychotherapy involves working with a therapist or a psychological counselor to help decrease a person's anxiety symptoms. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is the most effective psychotherapy method in treating generalized anxiety disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy is mainly a short-term treatment which helps improve the symptoms associated with stress. For example, the treatment focuses on teaching individual skills to help a person to return gradually to the activities they had been avoiding because of their anxiety. Another method for treating anxiety disorders is medications. However, before taking medication for anxiety, a person should talk with their doctor about what medicine offers the best results if there are any risk factors involved and possible side effects. Antidepressants such as Lexapro, Cymbalta, Effexor XR, and Paxil are commonly prescribed to treat the disorder. Buspirone, which is an anti-anxiety medication, is typically prescribed for someone with an ongoing condition. If a person has acute anxiety, a doctor may prescribe Benzodiazepines, which include Xanax, Librium, Valium, Ativan. Consequently, these medications can be habit-forming, so they are usually suggested for most severe anxiety symptoms.
Role of Patient’s Environment in the Success of Treatment When a person completes treatment for generalized anxiety disorder, they should mostly surround themselves with positive energy such as watching a funny movie or reading a book. Additionally, a person can take a break from everyday stress by getting involved with their community as volunteering creates an excellent support system. In fact, volunteering offers many benefits for giving back to a community. For example, volunteering reduces depression and increases social interaction. Also, volunteering helps reduces stress levels and gives a person a sense of meaning and appreciation in which could be calming. Furthermore, to eliminate distractions such as thoughts that trigger anxiety a person can call a family or friend. Talking on the phone with someone about positive things can also be calming. And finally, if a person enjoys their alone time they can maintain a peaceful environment through yoga, meditating, or listening to music.
Today's Diagnosis and Treatment Methods of the Past. Treatment for generalized anxiety disorder did not come into existence until after 1950 (Calm Clinic, 2009 – 2016). It was around this time that muscle relaxation techniques, and occasionally electroshock as well as tranquilizers were recommended in severe cases of anxiety. Around 1960, there was recognition that anti-depressant medication. However, during the nineties anti-depressant medicines were discovered to work efficiently on anxiety considering the weakened numbers of neurotransmitters. Today, treatment for generalized anxiety disorder consists of medication and psychotherapy. There are also other techniques to treat this disease which include relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation. Also, simple lifestyle changes can improve generalized anxiety disorder. These changes consist of being physically active, avoiding alcohol and sedatives, quitting smoking, cutting back on caffeine, eating a healthy diet, and finally getting plenty of sleep. Also, several herbal remedies have been studied to treat anxiety; however researchers do not have a full understanding of the risk factors and their benefits.
Conclusion
Generalized anxiety disorder is common, but persistent disease, in which a person has exaggerated anxiety and constant worry about daily events with no apparent reason for concern. This disease is two times more common in women than it is in men. Generalized anxiety disorder is defined by a person feeling of fear, uneasiness, irritation, tension, and tiredness. Symptoms include shortness of breath, dry mouth, nausea, and heart palpitations. Generalized anxiety disorders usually have a short-term relapse. The diagnosis of the disease consists of various exams, tests, and ex-rays. Finally, when the disorder is diagnosed, a health care provider will be able to recognize the condition and its implications and begin treatment for the disease.