Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by persistent and consuming feelings of nervousness, tension and apprehension. The individual is preoccupied with worries that strike others as excessive and without sufficient cause. Restlessness, irritability and sleep difficulties are also common features of GAD. Physical manifestations of GAD include pain or pressure in the chest, butterflies or discomfort in the stomach, trembling, sweating not brought on by heat, and feeling tired.

The Generalized Anxiety Cycle

Cognitive Therapy Treatment for GAD

Cognitive therapy teaches clients specific techniques to reduce worry and alleviate physical symptoms that accompany GAD. Cognitive strategies help clients interrupt their constant worrying and evaluate the likelihood and severity of the negative predictions in their thinking. Relaxation strategies enable clients to counteract the unpleasant physical manifestations of anxiety. Mindfulness strategies help the client live more in the present rather than in their imagined, threatening future.