ArticlesBase.com - Free Articles Directory
Free Online Articles Directory
07.10.2008 Sign In Register Hello Guest
Email:
Password:
Remember Me 
forgot your password?


How To Tell If You Have A Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Author: John Morris Author Ranking Gold | Posted: 20-10-2006 | Comments: 0 | Views: 153 | Rating:  (50) Article Popularity - Green (?) Got a Question? Ask.
Sign Up Now!

Many disorders exist for anxiety. They range from post-traumatic stress disorder to extreme reactions to phobias. One of the most commonly experienced forms of the problem is what medical practitioners have coined "Generalized Anxiety Disorder". GAD is very common and the good things is not that hard to see the symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder in a person and help them to deal with it.

Basically, the key symptom is excessive anxiety and worry. As noted, some level of anxiety and worry is entirely natural. Worry is the way our body warnings us of risks and possible problems, we all have experienced these warnings and many times they save our lives. Not having an ability to experience anxiety would surely be far more destructive than experiencing normal anxiety levels. Elevated anxiety disorders, Of course, can be debilitating. When ones worries become out of whack with reality and are disproportionate or excessive, a problem is present.

Diagnostic Criteria

Lets take a closer look at the DSM diagnostic criteria for a Generalized Anxiety Disorder. As noted, it first requires excessive anxiety and worry. It also requires that these worries most occur more days than not for a period of at least six months, about a number of events or activities In other words, one must be disproportionately worried on a regular basis about a variety of things in order to receive the diagnosis.

Three Of Six Symptoms – restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge – being easily fatigued – difficulty concentrating or mind going blank – irritability – muscle tension – sleep disturbances

Uncontrollability

Thus, being worried a lot does not in and of itself constitute a disorder. There must also be some level of uncontrollability and some other manifestation of the problem. An anxiety disorder, according to the diagnostic volume, cannot be the outgrowth of concerns related to a similar disorder. For instance, having a fear of a panic attack (that is a feature of panic disorder) when one experiences panic attacks would not qualify.

The Heart Of The Matter

If the anxiety becomes distressful enough to impair social or occupational situations and prevent functioning in society, this can be of major concern. This is really the heart of the matter. When the worry and anxiety reach a level that interferes with normal functioning, an anxiety disorder is present. This breakdown applies specifically to a Generalized Anxiety Disorder diagnoses, but it is enlightening with respect to other anxiety disorders. Primary features are still the exact same with excessive worry, experiencing this frequently and uncontrollably.

Rate this Article: Current: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s).

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/how-to-tell-if-you-have-a-generalized-anxiety-disorder-65236.html

Print this Article Print article   Email to a Friend Send to friend   Publish this Article on your Website Publish this Article   Send Author Feedback Author feedback  
About the Author:
For great anxiety related articles and resources check out http://counselingportal.info
Submitting articles has become one of the most popular means of generating quality backlinks and targeted traffic to your website. Join us today - It's Free!

Article Comments

Comment on this article Comment on this article
Your Name
Your Email:
Comment Body
Enter Validation Code: Captcha


Got a Question? Ask.

Ask the community a question about this article:

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the ingredients in Pre-Tense?
By: Ravin | 21-05-2008
What are the ingredients in Pre-Tense?

How does Pre-Tense help to deal with Occasional ...
By: Ravin | 21-05-2008
How does Pre-Tense help to deal with Occasional Nervous Tension?

What is Pre-Tense?
By: Ravin | 21-05-2008
What is Pre-Tense?

Q&A Powered by:
Powered by Yedda 

Latest Non-Fiction Articles

Book Marketing: the Day That is Different for Your Career Strategy
By: Rosey Dow | 06/10/2008
Make an informed decision about the direction of your writing career--print or online, or both.

In the Lap of the Gods 22
By: Steve Morgan | 05/10/2008
For those who have read the other 21 chapters

A Week in the Life of the Single Working Mother
By: Karen Dosw | 03/10/2008
A humorous article about a week in the life of one South African, single mom with two adult children and two little ones.

Why You Should Write for Free
By: Deborah Owen | 01/10/2008
Write for free? I can hear you saying, “Are you nuts?” Write for free, so you can get paid. Read more inside.

Why You Should Write for Free
By: Deborah Owen | 01/10/2008
You asked if they had a job opening. They said no. They told me “no”, too, but I got the job anyway. Read more inside.

Becoming a Reporter is Easy
By: Deborah Owen | 01/10/2008
Do you want to be a reporter? It’s a great way to break into print, and the jobs aren’t that hard to get. Read this article to learn more.

Writing it Down
By: Galina Nemirovsky | 29/09/2008
Lately I’ve developed a compulsion to write everything down. Stringing words together and composing sentences in the shower, I want to write it all down – remember it – capture it. I stare at people in the subway and craft their character descriptions in my head...

The Modern Lily Tomlin
By: Galina Nemirovsky | 29/09/2008
I’m waiting in a conference room that smells like the corner of career aspiration and stale office carpet. The overly heavy and overly bitter receptionist has a voice that is piercing through the makeshift conference room with walls that only go up about 7 feet. Like an annoying hiccup, she keeps repeating “Good morning, Hudson. Your name? Hold please.” Over and over again. She is an extra large version of what the rest of the world has automated already.

More from John Morris

Does Laser Hair Removal Really Work?
By: John Morris | 03/12/2006 | Health
Laser hair removal might not be many people's first choice of hair removal methods, however, it is definitely one that should be given some serious thought. With virtually no pain and extremely long lasting results, it is definitely one of the best around.

Three Easy Ways To Pay Your Way Through College
By: John Morris | 28/10/2006 | Finance
Education today is more expensive than it has ever been. In order to even be able to consider taking some post-secondary education you need to have the financial backing to do so...

Foreclosure Houses Search These For Your First Home
By: John Morris | 28/10/2006 | Finance
Many people are flocking to the foreclosure home market. In it, you are able to buy homes that are quite inexpensive, fix them up, and sell them for a profit or use them for yourself...

Helping Yourself Through Depression
By: John Morris | 28/10/2006 | Health
Those dealing with depression often assume their problem is one of personal weakness and may try to will themselves out of their condition. These efforts, inevitably, are doomed to fail...

Digital Image Format Decides Picture Quality And Storage Space
By: John Morris | 28/10/2006 | Technology
The format that you save your images in can make a huge difference in their final quality as well as limiting what sizes you can print them off at later...

Foreclosure Home Investing
By: John Morris | 28/10/2006 | Finance
Many people have set their sights upon foreclosure home investing because it is so very profitable. There are hundreds of people in every state that buy foreclosed homes and sell them for profits...

Is Consolidating Your Student Loan A Good Idea?
By: John Morris | 28/10/2006 | Finance
Some students leave college and you expect them to heave a sigh of relief because at long last the long hurdle is over. No more sleepless nights studying for lessons, no more academic books to read, no more exams to take and most of all no more tuition fees to be paid...

How To Get Rid Of Anxiety And Panic Through Self-Awareness
By: John Morris | 28/10/2006 | Health
1. Self-awareness We can evolve and develop self awareness as a result. Once you gain self-awareness, you will start to see things in fuller light. Self-awareness is an amazing process, since you have balance and an honest point of view of whom you are, including what type of personality you possess...

Article Categories






Give Feedback

Sign up for our email newsletter

Receive updates, enter your email below