Online Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder
In this blog, I’ll be discussing the basics of generalized anxiety disorder. If you want help with generalized anxiety disorder, reach out now for a complimentary consultation for online therapy in California or online therapy in Michigan.
Everyone has Moments of Anxiety
Worry and anxiety are issues everyone deals with. These feelings are common. It’s a normal emotion everyone experiences. A person with zero worries in their life would be outside the norm. This would be the same as if I met someone who said they are never happy. Experiencing worry and anxiety is normal.
It is normal to worry about your job, health or the health of family members, financial issues, and events. Major events include life transitions like a new job, moving, as well as preparing for board exams, and planning for a wedding. Being anxious in these situations is common and normal.
If feelings of anxiety and worry are common, when does it become a problem? There are criteria for generalized anxiety disorder. The criteria below are from the DSM-5. Consult a professional if you feel like you meet the criteria.
Criteria for Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Excessive anxiety and worry occur more days than not for at least six months. Excessive anxiety and worry surround multiple topics, events, or activities.
Feeling worried about issues for weeks to a couple of months is normal. If your worry is more than six months, the anxiety may be a problem worth talking to a professional. Worrying about one or two issues is normal. Worry about multiple issues may be a problem.
The worry and anxiety are hard to control.
A common term from clients is their mind spins or they go down the rabbit hole. Their mind runs away from them. They worry and stress for hours on end. They do not have any control over their mind spinning and it continues to spin. When they do notice their mind is spinning, they have difficulty stopping it.
You experience at least 3 of the following physical or cognitive symptoms: Restlessness, more tired than usual, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and difficulty with sleep.
Clients feel on edge. They may feel like they have a racing heart or chest pressure. It is hard to focus on one thing at a time. They may snap at people for insignificant issues. People may have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, being restless at night, or feeling tired after getting 8 hours of sleep.
Anxiety is not explained better by another mental disorder.
Another mental disorder may be a better explanation. Examples may include social phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Anxiety causes significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other areas of functioning.
This is an important criteria. Anxiety can become a problem when it starts to interfere with your life. How is anxiety affecting your life? Does it stop you from living a life worth living? Does it stop you from doing necessary daily activities? Anxiety must be causing distress in your life.
Anxiety is not related to the physiological effects of substances or any other medical condition.
Substances, as well as medical conditions, may cause symptoms of anxiety. Street drugs may cause feelings of anxiety include cocaine, Adderall, meth, LSD, and caffeine. Medical conditions may cause anxiety include tumors, hormones, infectious disease, malnutrition, chronic disease, and chronic pain conditions. Your primary care provider should be the first person to talk to. Your primary care provider would be able to rule out any medical conditions that contribute to feelings of anxiety.
Online Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Traditional treatment options for anxiety include psychotherapy, as well as medication. If you feel this blog speaks to you, reach out for support today. I provide online therapy in California or online therapy in Michigan.
My name is Chris Rabanera. I provide online therapy in California and online therapy in Michigan. Issues I work with include work stress and burnout syndrome, anxiety, depression, personal and professional relationships, family dynamics, grief, and life transitions.
