Everyone at one time or another experiences Anxiety, like when facing a deadline, flying, or preparing for a presentation – but this is what we should call “stress.” For many people, anxiety arises for no reason at all. Sometimes just thinking about decreasing stress can cause anxiety!
The difference between “normal” worrying and an anxiety disorder is that your troubling thoughts become:
- Excessive, going to extremes.
- Intrusive, invading your daily activities.
- Persistent, no matter what you try to quiet them.
- Disruptive, as you react to the possibility of worst case scenarios.
We all worry from time to time, but people with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) experience distress that is greater than what their situation calls for. They think the worst and find it difficult to get through their day or even their job because of their worrisome thoughts.
GAD tends to be hereditary, but no one knows exactly why. Stress and environmental factors also play a role but it is unclear to what extent. [Learn more]
Anxiety disorders affect 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18% of the population.
(NIMH.org)
40
million
66.6%
Panic disorder is twice as common in women as men.
70%
Over 70% of your body’s systems are utilized during a panic attack, resulting in fatigue and multiple symptoms.
59%
59.2% of patients experiencing depression also have anxiety.
Related Diagnoses
Anxiety is often misdiagnosed or exists alongside other disorders, making it challenging to treat effectively. You may actually have an anxiety disorder if you believe you have struggled in the past with:
- Depressed mood
- Worrisome thoughts
- Overthinking
- Poor attention
- Disrupted sleep / insomnia
- PTSD
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