Life can be unpredictable. This is especially true in a city like Los Angeles, home to the film and television industry, one of the most unpredictable industries in the world. Even if a person isn’t involved in that industry, the unpredictability of life can still cause anxiety to some degree.
It’s normal to experience occasional anxiety once in a while. In many cases, there are legitimate reasons to be anxious. People worry about their loved ones, their bills, and the direction of their careers. There are unavoidable things in life that people may worry about, and occasional feelings of fear and anxiety are perfectly normal.
But what’s not normal is a persistent feeling of anxiety. Most people worry for a while, but then it fades. But for some people, a feeling of anxiety or dread is their default emotional state, whether or not they have things to be anxious over. When that happens, it can be debilitating.
However, it’s not uncommon for a person to have this persistent feeling of worry. The National Institute of Mental Health reported that the prevalence of Generalized Anxiety Disorder in adults is around 5.7 percent.
At Luxe Recovery LA, we treat a range of conditions, including substance use disorder (SUD), process addiction, and mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety, in a luxurious facility located in one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in Los Angeles.
An Overview of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
GAD is a mental health condition that is characterized by persistent, excessive, and, in some cases, irrational worry over various aspects of life, such as work, relationships, health, or other everyday situations.
Anxiety is normally a response to an external stressor, and once the stressor has been resolved, the anxiety fades away. With GAD, the worry is chronic. It doesn’t fade, and it can interfere with day-to-day living.
What Are the Causes of GAD?
It’s not fully understood what causes GAD. It’s believed that the causes of GAD may include environmental, psychological, biological, and genetic factors. Individuals with a family history of mental health concerns are more likely to develop mental health issues of their own.
Biologically, aberrations in neurotransmitter levels, especially in serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, can contribute to the development of GAD as these neurotransmitters play a key role in mood, emotional regulation, and stress response.
Trauma, chronic stress, and childhood adversity can also contribute to the development of GAD. Maladaptive thought patterns, unhealthy coping mechanisms, and cognitive biases can help main anxiety symptoms.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of GAD?
GAD can come with a plethora of symptoms. These symptoms may include:
Cognitive Symptoms
Other than the constant and uncontrollable worry, people who have GAD can also experience intrusive thoughts and difficulty concentrating. Many people who have this form of anxiety may have difficulty making decisions.
As with every kind of anxiety, people diagnosed with GAD will anticipate the worst-case scenario regardless of the situation.
Emotional Symptoms
The persistent anxiety that people who have GAD feel can cause people to be restless and irritable. They constantly feel on edge and are more easily startled as a result. Mood swings are also common with this disorder.
Physical Symptoms
Anxiety symptoms can manifest in physical ways as well. Physical symptoms of anxiety may include muscle tension, headaches, fatigue, sleep disturbances such as insomnia, gastrointestinal issues, sweating, trembling or shaking, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, and dizziness.
Behavioral Symptoms
Because many people who have an anxiety or panic disorder worry about their triggers, many take measures to avoid situations where they may trigger their GAD symptoms. Many people who have GAD also engage in repetitive behaviors like checking things multiple times. They may also seek constant validation.
What Are the Treatment Options for this Type of Anxiety Disorder?
While the symptoms of this disorder can feel overwhelming, there are a few options that people have to treat GAD. Some of these options to alleviate the anxiety and worry that’s so common with this condition include:
Medication for Anxiety
One way that people treat anxiety is through medication. However, it should be noted that anti-anxiety medication may take weeks to start working. This is because everyone’s brain chemistry is different, and it can take time to find the right dosage that will reduce anxiety symptoms.
That said, it’s often the case that people with GAD find that medication, when taken as prescribed by a mental health professional and not misused, can profoundly reduce the symptoms of anxiety.
Medications that can help relieve symptoms of chronic anxiety include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).
Benzodiazepines may be prescribed to combat anxiety in the short term, but they carry a risk of misuse and may not be the best treatment option for long-term management.
Therapy
One of the most effective therapeutic modalities for treating people with Generalized Anxiety Disorder is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT can help people identify and address the negative thought patterns (cognitive distortions) and behaviors that can contribute to anxiety.
Another treatment option is exposure therapy. In this form of therapy, people are gradually exposed to their triggers in a controlled environment. The hope is that with gradual exposure, people become desensitized to their fears and worries.
A treatment plan for GAD can also include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT is focused on helping people accept uncomfortable thoughts and feelings without trying to control or eliminate them.
It helps give people a clear understanding of their values and act on them even when they are being affected by anxiety.
Lifestyle Adjustments
Some lifestyle changes, such as eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, limiting caffeine and alcohol consumption, and avoiding hard drugs, can contribute to a person’s overall well-being.
Exercise
Exercise can release endorphins, which are mood enhancers, as well as reduce the levels of cortisol and adrenaline, both of which are stress hormones. Because of this, it can improve mood and help manage anxiety.
Exercise can also be used as a distraction from anxious thoughts. This is because exercise typically forces people to be in the present moment and not think about their anxious thoughts. Exercise can also help improve a person’s quality of sleep.
Good Sleep
Getting good sleep can be crucial for managing the symptoms of anxiety disorders in several ways. Sleep is vital for cognitive functions like paying attention, making decisions, concentrating, and solving problems.
Getting good sleep can also help the brain’s ability to regulate emotions, which reduces emotional reactivity and makes it easier to cope with stressful situations without getting overwhelmed by anxiety.
The brain also regulates neurotransmitters that are responsible for mood and stress response during sleep. As such, getting enough sleep is vital for balancing neurotransmitters, and balanced levels can reduce the possibility of heightened anxiety.
Clean Diet
There are numerous ways that a balanced diet can help with managing anxiety. First, limiting caffeine intake can be necessary as caffeine is a stimulant that can exacerbate anxiety symptoms. Alcohol can disrupt sleep patterns.
That’s not to say that caffeine and alcohol should be avoided entirely. Caffeine is usually rich in antioxidants, and alcohol can help people relax. However, both substances should be taken in moderation.
Nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, especially B6, B12, and folate, magnesium, zinc, and antioxidants can help optimize brain function and neurotransmitter production.
A clean diet also includes drinking water. Dehydration can affect cognitive performance, energy levels, and mood, which can contribute to feelings of anxiety.
Mindfulness and Relaxation
Mindfulness techniques such as meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing exercises, and yoga can help people manage stress and relax. This can help get GAD symptoms under control.
Support Groups
Treatment of GAD or any other mental health disorders may include having an individual attend support groups. Support groups can be helpful as they can validate a person’s experience and help them connect with other people who have had similar struggles.
Connecting with others who have had their struggles can be important as they can help others learn. Support groups can often be a place in which people share their coping strategies. Learning from others can help people gain insight into their condition.
It also shouldn’t be downplayed that seeing people who have been able to live with their symptoms can be an invaluable source of hope, especially for people just starting their recovery journey.
These groups can also provide people with a source of emotional support. Individuals with GAD can express their fears, thoughts, and feelings without worrying that they’re being judged.
In return, they’ll be met with empathy and encouragement. This can help individuals with GAD feel less alone and give them a sense of belonging.
Self-Care
Acts of self-care can help a person manage their anxiety. These acts can include establishing and maintaining boundaries. Boundaries can help people avoid situations that would overwhelm them and trigger their anxiety.
These boundaries should also extend to internet use. Many people engage in ‘doom scrolling’ when they consume a large amount of news online.
The problem is that a lot of the news that is consumed is negative, often talking about climate change, a humanitarian crisis, or something else that can trigger anxiety. Limiting screen time, especially before bed, can help people get good sleep and relax.
Another act of self-care is doing something enjoyable, like a hobby or an interest that brings joy.
We Want to Help You Manage the Symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety is a normal part of life. It’s an emotion that everyone feels at some point. But it can be debilitating when it never goes away. Living with GAD can be difficult as anxiety can often get in the way of going out and enjoying what life has to offer.
At Luxe Recovery LA, we want to help you feel less anxious so you’re not so apprehensive that you can’t live your life. Plenty of people live with GAD and they’re able to do so on their own terms. We want to help you be one of those people. Contact us now and we can start your recovery. We take most forms of insurance.
