GAD, or Generalized Anxiety Disorder is one that affects about 5.7% of US adults at some point in their life. It is characterized as chronic, uncontrollable worrying that occurs on most days for at least 6 months and must be diagnosed by a healthcare provider. People end up with GAD for a variety of reasons including genetic factors, medical conditions and illness, or as a side effect.
Some symptoms include nausea, generally being on edge, twitching or shaking, hot flashes, and frequent urination. It has been described by people with GAD as almost a habit of worrying, or worrying to the point where it becomes considered a part of who they are. Luckily, there are many ways to go when looking for options for treatment. There has been success in alleviation of symptoms through medicine, counseling, lifestyle changes, and certain treatment programs.
In terms of medicine, there are several that could be prescribed to you by a healthcare provider. A common one is an SSRI or a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor. This drug essentially stops your body from re-absorbing serotonin after it is sent out, making it more readily available for use. SSRIs take around two to six weeks to show changes in anxiety levels and do not work for everyone. The overall idea is to take the medication consistently for around six months to a year, then slowly reduce the amount taken over time. There are also SNRIs, which are selective norepinephrine re-uptake inhibitors that work very similarly to SSRIs. Additionally, there are some medicines that are either not as extensively researched or not specifically for anxiety but can help to treat it, such as Pregabalin, Buspirone, or Opipramol. Another more common one is Benzodiazepines, which are fast-effect sedatives, but also pose a risk of the patient becoming dependent on them. However, there are plenty of routes of treatment that do not require medicine if that is not preferred.
In addition to counseling and learning of self-soothing methods, Attention Modification Program (AMP) and Computerized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CCBT) have also shown significant effectiveness in a study done by Nader Amir and Charles T. Taylor. Their study specifically looks at these two programs done in combination. Over six weeks and twelve modules, 79% of their participants no longer met DSM-IV criteria and 36% showed improvement. AMP is a newer treatment using images that are subjectively seen as neutral by the patient and images that are seen as anxiety-inducing. They are displayed at the same time in different areas of the patients sight. It was shown in another study from the American Journal of Psychiatry that at first, subjects would spend more time looking at the triggering images, but by experiencing irritation looking at those images, there was a rewarding feeling coming from looking at the neutral images. Over time, the researchers observed a switch in attention, with participants looking longer at the neutral images. CCBT is just the computer accessible version of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, where patients learn about "(a) Psychoeducation (three modules); (b) Cognitive Restructuring (two modules); (c) Exposure [to triggers] (two modules); (d) Breathing and Relaxation (one module); (e) Activity Scheduling (one module); and (f) Relapse Prevention (one module)," (Amir, Taylor).
Together and done independently, online, these showed significantly positive results, and posed a more accessible way for people to receive treatment for GAD. While this particular combination of treatments may not be available in this exact format, it may be helpful to try one or both. The best first step is to get in contact with a mental health provider that can help you find which options are right for you.
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Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board
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