What is generalized anxiety disorder?

We all worry. It's a normal part of life. But when you have generalized anxiety disorder, you worry about lots of things. You have a hard time not worrying. This worry or anxiety interferes with your relationships, work or school, and other areas of your life.

You may worry most days about things like money, health, work, or friends. That may make you feel tired, tense, or cranky. It can make it hard to think. It may get in the way of healthy sleep.

Counseling and medicine can both work to treat anxiety. They are often used together with lifestyle changes, such as getting enough sleep. Treatment can include a type of counseling called cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT. It helps you notice and replace thoughts that make you worry. You also might have counseling along with those closest to you so that they can help.

Having anxiety can be upsetting. Some people might feel less worried and stressed after a couple of months of treatment. But for other people, it might take longer to feel better.

Reaching out to people for help is important. Try not to isolate yourself. Let your family and friends help you. Find someone you can trust and confide in. Talk to that person.

When you know what anxiety is—and how you can get help for it—you can start to learn new ways of thinking. This can help you cope and work through your anxiety.

Generalized anxiety disorder can make you feel worried and stressed about a lot of things almost every day. You may have a hard time controlling your worry and may feel tired and cranky. You also may feel shaky or sweaty and startle easily. It's also common to have trouble sleeping.

Generalized anxiety disorder can be treated with counseling, medicines, or both. Counseling includes cognitive-behavioral therapy and relaxation therapy. Medicines include antidepressants and benzodiazepines. Getting plenty of exercise and sleep can also help.

To find out if you have this problem, your doctor will ask questions about your symptoms and how long you have had them. Your doctor will also do a physical exam, ask questions about your medical history, and ask questions about medicines you are taking. This information helps your doctor find out whether you have any other condition.

To be diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, you must have more worry and stress than normal. You must feel worried and stressed about many things almost every day. And these feelings must last for at least 6 months. You will also have some physical symptoms. The worry, stress, and physical symptoms might make it hard for you to do normal activities such as going to work every day or doing grocery shopping.

A healthy lifestyle may help with anxiety. Try to be active, eat a healthy diet, and get enough rest. Learn relaxation techniques and how to handle negative thoughts. Avoid alcohol, marijuana, and illegal drugs. Find a counselor who uses cognitive-behavioral therapy. Don't isolate yourself, and let friends and family help you.

We all worry. It's a normal part of life. But when you have generalized anxiety disorder, you worry about lots of things and have a hard time stopping your worry. This worry or anxiety interferes with your relationships, work, and life.

The cause of generalized anxiety disorder is not known. Some studies show that it might be passed down through families. Several things can cause symptoms of anxiety. They include some health problems, some medicines, too much caffeine, and illegal drugs such as cocaine.