Excessive Worrying & Generalised Anxiety Disorder Treatment
Worrying too much? It is normal to worry a little but if you are troubled by constant worries it is possible that you may have generalized anxiety disorder. We offer excessive worrying counselling services in Melbourne or online for all sorts of anxiety or worry issues.
The difference between “normal” worriers and people who are are considered to have an anxiety disorder, is that GAD sufferers worry about worrying.
Worry definition
Worrying has been defined as a string of negative thoughts that are mainly verbal and efforts at problem solving.
How many people are affected by worrying too much?
According to the American Psychiatric Association (1994), generalised anxiety affects up to 12% of the population. Excessive worrying is the most prevalent anxiety disorder.
Who tends to be worrying too much?
Excessive worrying is more common in women than men, with two thirds of sufferers being women. American Psychiatric Association (1994).
What is Generalised Anxiety?
People who have GAD experience persistent and excessive worry and have been worried most of the time for at least 6 months. They worry about at least two topics.
GAD sufferers tend to have chronic worries about real life situations such as: finances, the health of family members, housework, being late for appointments and losing one’s job. Children tend to worry excessively about their academic performance and/or sporting prowess or natural or man made disasters (e.g. September 11).
Their worrying is so that great that they experience at least 3 of the following symptoms:
- restlessness or edginess
- fatigue
- impaired concentration or mind going blank
- irritability
- muscle tension
- disturbed sleep
The chronic worry is not about another disorder such as e.g. OCD or social phobia, or the possibility of having a panic attack ( as in panic disorder)etc
The excessive worrying is not caused by a medical illness or due to substances.
The anxiety, physical symptoms or worrying causes the sufferer a lot of distress or impacts significantly on their ability to work , socialise or go about their life.
Information from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, American Psychiatric Association
People who are troubled by chronic worries develop coping behaviours such as:
- seeking reassurance from others
- searching the internet for information
- drinking alcohol
- distraction
However, these coping behaviours may backfire and trigger even more worrying. Even if they don’t trigger more worries , these behaviours maintain the person’s psychological disorder, as they don’t learn they have ability to control their worrying within themselves.
How to Stop Worrying
People can learn how to manage their worries more effectively. The CBT psychological treatment of GAD encompasses information, relaxation training, cognitive therapy, exposure therapy and problem solving training. Melbourne Clinical psychologist Catherine Madigan can be contacted on 0429883671
Medication Treatment of Excessive Worrying
SSSRIs used to treat generalized anxiety include:
- Paroxetine
- Escitalopram
- Sertraline
SNRIs to manage worrying include:
- Venlafaxine
During the COVID-19 (Corona virus) period, Medicare rebates are available for all Australians for online video consultations and phone counselling. Therefore, If you do not wish to attend face to face sessions, you can still receive treatment either online or via phone. Call now on 0429 88 3671 to make an appointment.
Please note, it is important to consult a qualified mental health practitioner such as e.g. a psychologist or psychiatrist to confirm any diagnosis you think you might have. You must not rely on the information on this site as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. No assurance can be given that the information on this site will always include the most recent developments or research with respect to a particular topic.
