What is a Generalized Anxiety Disorder and how is it treated?

Individuals who suffer from Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) worry excessively and uncontrollably about many everyday concerns.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is often accompanied by trouble sleeping or concentrating, and persistent feelings of irritability, tension, restlessness, weakness, or exhaustion. While these symptoms can be shared by both generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder, panic disorder is associated with recurring panic attacks and worrying about oncoming panic attacks, where individuals with GAD describe their anxiety as being constantly present in their daily lives.

The evidenced-based treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), more specifically Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP).

ERP involves the gradual exposure and habituation to triggering anxiety inducing events (a feared object, situation, or place) to help people learn new ways of coping with their anxiety. It is called “response prevention” because the goal is to modify the habitual unhelpful response/thoughts and replace them with healthier behaviors and thoughts.

Anxiety Institute is a clinical research center specializing in acute anxiety disorders that uses advanced, proven techniques while nurturing the patient in their local home environment. Utilizing the most up-to-date, evidence-based treatments, our intensive services focus on treating teens and young adults, while coaching the parents who guide them. Anxiety Instituted is located in Madison, New Jersey; Greenwich, Connecticut; and McLean, VA.

[dangeiger]

GAD is so pervasive, good description

[luisarrondo]

This is a good overview of GAD, thanks.

[nudgetimbers]

i keep thinking i am going to stop breathing all the time Anxiety really sucks big time

[evelynmerritt]

Shows how pervasive General Anxiety Disorder is, with a great summary of different therapies that can help. Exposure therapy really worked for us.