If you have trouble concentrating on your studies or work due to worry and anxiety, easily fatigued, or suffer from insomnia for a long period of time, you need to suspect generalized anxiety disorder.
Anxiety disorder is a mental disorder that causes a variety of physical and mental symptoms due to unexplained anxiety or excessive anxiety. Typical examples include panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and phobia.
Anxiety disorders that interfere with daily life
Generalized Anxiety Disorder refers to a state of being overly anxious and worried about trivial things in daily life. Of course, the normal category of anxiety is a warning signal to prepare for a dangerous situation, and is a natural emotional response to survival. However, if you experience a lot of physical and mental pain in your daily life due to excessive anxiety and worry, and your quality of life deteriorates significantly, you should suspect generalized anxiety disorder.
The biggest difference between the normal category of anxiety and generalized anxiety disorder is the presence or absence of triggers. If you feel excessively anxious even in the absence of factors, situations, or events that may cause anxiety, you may have generalized anxiety disorder, and it is usually accompanied by physical symptoms. For example, if you are walking on the street for no reason and you are afraid of getting into an accident, you may experience physical symptoms such as rapid breathing, rapid heart rate, or stiff muscles. In particular, if these anxiety symptoms persist for more than 6 months and are unable to control the anxiety on their own and interfere with normal daily life, then you will be diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder.
Occurs due to various causes
Although the cause has not been identified, from a biological point of view, it is believed that generalized anxiety disorder is caused by abnormalities in the neurotransmission system of the brain, especially GABA, serotonin, and norepinephrine neurotransmission systems in the brain. In addition, psychoanalysis considers anxiety as the manifestation of unresolved unconscious conflicts. Also, from a cognitive-behavioral perspective, excessive preoccupation with negative events and distortion of information processing are viewed as causes of generalized anxiety disorder.
Treatment of generalized anxiety disorder is largely divided into drug treatment and non-pharmacological treatment. Antidepressants (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, etc.) are usually used for drug treatment. Anti-anxiety medications (such as benzodiazepines) may also be used for a short period of time. There are people who are reluctant to take drugs due to preconceived notions about psychiatric drugs. Taking drugs according to a doctor’s prescription is effective in preventing drug abuse and side effects and treating diseases at an early stage. Non-pharmacological treatments such as various psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and relaxation techniques can be combined with drug therapy.
Professor Yun Ho-kyung (pictured) of the Department of Psychiatry at Korea University Ansan Hospital said, “Generalized anxiety disorder can be caused by a variety of causes. Although it is a mental disease that is generally difficult to prevent, it can be helpful to control and manage stress through psychological relaxation such as rest and hobbies. In some cases, this can lead to depression, alcohol dependence, drug abuse, etc., so be careful. Early diagnosis and treatment of generalized anxiety disorder, like other psychiatric disorders, are of paramount importance.”