What is generalized anxiety disorder? (GAD)

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the main anxiety disorders. It is characterized by excessive and uncontrollable worries and elevated anxiety. In fact, people with GAD experience a vicious cycle of worries and anxiety, as these two reinforce each other. People with GAD also tend to have a difficult time managing uncertainty, and this, in turn, makes them more anxious and worried. GAD is also characterized by the following physical and emotional symptoms: restlessness, irritability, difficulties concentrating, fatigue, difficulties sleeping, and muscle tension. Because GAD is very chronic, treatment can be particularly challenging. This is even the case for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which tends to have high effectiveness in the treatment of other anxiety disorders. Fortunately, newer CBT approaches incorporating mindfulness and emotion regulation are showing more success.

I hope you find this information on GAD helpful. Please keep in mind that the content of this video is solely for educational purposes. If you suspect that you or someone in your life might have GAD - or any other mental health problem for that matter - please reach out to a mental health professional so that they can conduct a proper evaluation. See below for resources:

*Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy (ABCT): http://www.abct.org/Help/
*Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA): https://members.adaa.org/page/FATMain
*Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists

Research covered on this video:
* Dugas et al. (1997). Intolerance of uncertainty and problem orientation in worry. Cognitive Therapy & Research, 21, 593-606
* Gentes & Ruscio (2011). A meta-analysis of the relation of intolerance of uncertainty to symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Clinical Psychology Review, 31, 923-933
* Borkovec et al. (2004). Avoidance theory of worry and generalized anxiety disorder. In R. Heimberg, D. Mennin, & C. Turk (Eds.), Generalized anxiety disorder: Advances in research and practice (pp. 77−108). New York: Guilford.
* Newman & Llera (2011). A novel theory of experiential avoidance in generalized anxiety disorder: A review and synthesis of research supporting a contrast avoidance model of worry. Clinical Psychology Review, 31, 371-382.
* Roemer & Orsillo (2008). An open trial of acceptance-based behavior therapy for generalized anxiety disorder. Behavior Therapy, 38, 72-85
* Mennin et al. (2018). A randomized controlled trial of emotion regulation therapy for generalized anxiety disorder with and without co-occurring depression. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 86, 268-281.
* ADAA's website: https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad

***IMPORTANT***

All videos, comments, and materials are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute clinical advice.
If you, or someone you know, needs help immediately:
- Call 911 or the corresponding local emergency number
- Reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/)
- Reach out to the Trevor Project (https://www.thetrevorproject.org/)

***
I'm the Director of Together CBT, a clinic specializing in cognitive behavioral therapy groups for anxiety in NYC (www.togethercbt.com)

Follow me on Twitter (@DrAmeliaAldao) and Instagram (@Together_CBT)

Видео What is generalized anxiety disorder? (GAD) канала Therapy Corner - Dr. Amelia Aldao