Causes of Generalized Anxiety Disorder
People who feel overly worried or anxious daily might be suffering from generalized anxiety disorder or GAD. Symptoms include extreme anxiety or worry about normal situations. Around 4 million adult Americans are estimated to suffer from GAD each year.
People with GAD are anxious about everyday situations and may agonize over money matters, work or school responsibilities, their health and the safety of their family. As a result, people afflicted with GAD have high stress levels, are often depressed or gloomy and rarely participate in social activities.
The root cause of this disorder is still unknown to us. Based on doctors and researchers work however, there seems to be several factors that play a role in the development of generalized anxiety disorder. Number one on their list is heredity. It seems that an individual is more likely to suffer from GAD if his or her parents were constant “worriers”.
The environment is another factor in the development of GAD. Highly stressful events such as abuse, divorce, death of a loved one, or losing a job can cause intense anxiety, fear or terror. These feelings can worsen or linger on if they are left unaddressed. A person may subconsciously replay these feelings whenever they are stressed, and this just leads to a cycle of anxiety. According to MedicineNet.com, a lot of people make the situation worse by relying on food, nicotine, or caffeine to deal with their negative emotions.
Lastly, brain chemicals may be another factor in the development of GAD. Abnormal levels of neurotransmitters in the brain had been correlated with anxiety disorders. Neurotransmitters are responsible for sending and receiving of information in the brain and a high level of it is speculated to somehow confuse our brain’s perception. If this happens, a person who experiences slight stress would start to feel intense fear because the brain is sending the wrong signals to the body.
Brain chemicals can be balanced by following a specific diet and developing a healthy lifestyle. In rare cases, medication or natural supplements may be prescribed. Just remember that GAD is common and women are more likely to experience its symptoms than men.
Genes and past experiences may not be altered but we can still control our lifestyle to lessen the effects of anxiety disorders. We can choose to have a nutritious diet, exercise regularly, get plenty of rest and deal with stress in a healthy way to prevent feelings of anxiety and worry. Lifestyle and behavior modification may be the most effective method to stop the symptoms of GAD from interfering with the daily live of millions of people.