People with Generalized Anxiety Disorder worry a lot about a wide range of things over long periods of time. You might find it difficult to function at home or work because of your worries. People with Generalised Anxiety Disorder worry about the same kinds of things as everyone else, except they worry more often and for a longer time.
The main things people worry about are health, finances, family, work, relationships. People who have GAD sometimes even worry about worrying, they might worry so much that they worry that it might be harmful to them.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder can lead to symptoms in your body, your feelings, your thinking and your behaviour.
The causes of GAD are complex and vary from person to person. Some people might be more likely to experience anxiety because of their genetic or physiological make-up or because they experienced a lot of stress or uncertainty in their lives. It often starts around adolescence and affects both men and women. The early stages of our lives, between 10 and 20, can be times of uncertainty and changes in our independence and the responsibilities we might have.
Sometimes late on in life we might experience a significant change such as a relationship breakdown, children leaving home, bereavement, accident or illness, redundancy or retirement that can make the world feel very uncertain again. Excessive worry can be experienced at any point in a person’s life but it is often linked to increased uncertainty.
Some people who worry a lot may feel that it is just part of them and that it will never go away. However even if you think you have always been a worrier you can still learn to understand it better so that it doesn’t interfere with your life so much. Therapy can help you keep your worries in proportion. The most effective treatment for Generalised Anxiety Disorder is a psychological therapy called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
CBT can help you change the thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations and behaviours that may be keeping your worry going. CBT can help you identify different types of worry, your beliefs about worry and deal with problem that you may be experiencing in your life more effectively. Over time you can start to feel more in control of your worries and your life.
We offer help to deal with a range of issues including:
If you need urgent help and are worried that you can’t keep yourself safe, City and Hackney has a 24-hour Crisis helpline on 0800 073 0006 or you can get help at your local Accident and Emergency department.