What is generalized anxiety disorder?
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a mental condition where the patient suffers from prolonged excessive anxiety and worry that are difficult to control. In the DSM-IV, the disease is classified as an anxiety disorder.
Generalized anxiety disorder symptoms
For those who suffer from generalized anxiety disorder, the frequency, intensity and duration of care are not in proportion to their actual source. The stresses are the daily affairs of the road. These often worry about work, money and health (from others). Also makes a person are often excessive worry about on time for appointments, the cleaning of the house and the orderliness of the workplace. There are also physical symptoms: cool, clammy hands, hyperactivity, difficulty swallowing, problems with the gastrointestinal tract, diarrhea, feeling jittery, muscle tension, nausea and sweating. Moreover betroffene gets tired easily and has trouble sleeping. He is often irritable and complains about a tense feeling. The diagnosis is not easy, because the condition can also be a sign of other anxiety disorders such as panic disorder, major depressive disorder, or abuse of drugs or medicines.
Generalized anxiety disorders occur in approximately four percent of the population, which is twice as common in women as in men. The disorder often develops in childhood and can persist for many years, with varying strength. During periods of stress, the disorder can worsen suddenly.
Generalized anxiety disorder treatment
Psychotherapy
The best treatments for anxiety disorders are often behavioral treatments based on exposure (gradual exposure to the anxiety-causing factors) and treatments from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. However, this treatment has only the intended effect as underlie the anxiety psychic conflicts. Often this is not the case, so that drug therapy is necessary.
Generalized anxiety disorder medication
Until the eighties, anxiety disorders were primarily treated with benzodiazepines. These are very effective means. Disadvantages of these agents are the sedative effect, and in particular the occurrence of tolerance and the risk of addiction. They work through their interaction with the GABA-A receptor. Examples include diazepam (Valium), oxazepam (Seresta), lorazepam (Temesta), bromazepam (Lexotanil), and alprazolam (brand name: Xanax). Benzodiazepines are suitable for short-term treatment of anxiety, for the treatment of acute phase of anxiety and sleeping problems.
Today we consider the types of antidepressants SSRIs and SNRIs as drugs of first choice. Examples include paroxetine (Paxil), citalopram (Cipramil), fluvoxamine (Fevarin), fluoxetine (Prozac) and venlafaxine (Effexor). These agents are generally well tolerated. The action of these agents occurs only after a few weeks.
Barbiturates and other agents for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder often: buspirone (Buspar), clomipramine (Anafranil), moclobemide (Aurorix) and phenelzine (Nardil).
A recent development is the discovery that some antiepileptic drugs also have an anxiety-reducing effect; For example, gabapentin and pregabalin.