Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Worry is a common reaction to transitions and facing new experiences. People (approximately 7% of people in the U.S.) experience GAD worry excessively and it becomes a habit where they are anxious about being anxious. GAD is accompanied by anxious thoughts about the future, feelings of anxiety, and body symptoms such as muscle aches, tension, soreness, difficulty sleeping, irritability, poor concentration and restlessness. People with GAD report more recent life stressors such as conflict with other people, changes in their work and additional demands placed on them. People suffering from anxiety need to harness their strengths to increase their problem solving ability. Cognitive behavioral therapy has been shown to decrease one’s anxiety by changing one’s framework in how they are viewing events, learning how to bring their physical intensity to a more relaxed place, and increasing their goal-focused behavior.