Do you find yourself wondering whether you are suffering from generalized anxiety disorder symptoms? If the symptoms you are experiencing are quite severe it is a possibility.

When trying to determine whether you may have generalized anxiety disorder it is important to keep in mind that worry is a part of normal life. We all worry from time to time.  In fact, in moderate amounts worry and anxiety can actually be helpful. It can help to motivate us to meet deadlines and even respond in an appropriate fashion to real danger.

The main difference between normal worry and the worry associated with generalized anxiety disorder is the severity of the worry and the fact that it can frequently interfere with normal everyday activities.

It is not normal to feel anxious and worried all the time. This is the hallmark of generalized anxiety disorder.

If you find that your worry is interrupting your daily life, you could be suffering from generalized anxiety disorder.

Generalized anxiety disorder symptoms may include:

• Restlessness
• Impatience
• Difficulty concentrating
• Feeling keyed up
• Experiencing a lump in your throat
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Being easily distracted
• Trouble sleeping
• Muscle tension
• Stomach disturbances
• Nausea
• Headaches
• Shortness of breath
• Diarrhea

While the worry and anxiety associated with this disorder can be consuming it can also be confusing. Many individuals may experience times in which their worries do not seem to consume them but they still feel somewhat anxious. They may feel as though they are on edge most of the time.

Generalized anxiety disorder onset can vary from one individual to the next. In some cases, it can be present from an early age or it may not appear until later in life. Typically the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder appear more slowly than with other anxiety disorders. Quite frequently, individuals who suffer from generalized anxiety disorder may find it difficult to remember when they last felt at ease or relaxed.

The exact cause of generalized anxiety disorder is not really known. Researchers do know that certain factors can contribute to GAD. These factors include:

• Certain medical conditions such as an overactive thyroid gland, which can produce anxiety

• Coping with a serious illness

• Stress-A buildup of stress in certain life situations can result in excessive anxiety and worry.

• Personality-Some people with certain personality types are simply more prone to anxiety disorders.

• Heredity-In some cases, GAD appears to run in families.

As a result certain risk factors can result in an increased risk of generalized anxiety disorder. Risk factors include:

• A serious illness
• Build up of stress
• Presence of anxiety disorder in your family

Living with generalized anxiety disorder can certainly be difficult but there are steps you can take to make the coping process easier. Learning more about generalized anxiety disorder symptoms is a positive step in the right direction.

One of the most difficult parts of overcoming anxiety panic attack problems is the inability to understand what is causing the attacks. Quite frequently, many people who suffer from anxiety and panic attacks feel that their attacks come from completely out of the blue. It is not at all uncommon for an individual to be going about a normal activity and feel an attack begin for what seems to be absolutely no reason. To make matters even worse, in some cases, the attacks may only appear under the same conditions but generally they increase in frequency and broaden under the circumstances in which they occur.   This can create a number of problems including the expansion of the panic and anxiety attacks into other conditions, including exclusive behavior such as agoraphobia.  

In order to head off such potentially dangerous problems it is imperative to determine the source of your anxiety and panic in order to achieve recovery. One way to do this is to create a type of map or timeline that traces the history of your attacks. You can use a plain sheet of paper or even a poster board for this project. The first step is to write down when you first began to notice signs of discomfort that are associated with your anxiety and panic attacks. These symptoms might have included: 

• Chest pain

• Dizziness

• Fear of losing control

• Feeling out of touch

• Sense of doom

• Heart palpitations

• Sweating

• Trembling

• Hot/cold flashes

• Stomach discomfort

• Numbness

• Difficulty breathing

• Hyperventilation

Think back as far as you can remember and try to recall when these symptoms first appeared. Remember, that this might have been some time ago. Even if you did not experience a full panic attack, write down when you first began to notice the relevant symptoms. Next, write down any major events that may have occurred in your life during this time period. As you move down the timeline toward the present time, write down anything major that went on in your life during times when you experienced other attacks. As you complete this exercise you will likely begin to see a pattern that has likely triggered your panic and anxiety attacks over time.  

Remember that the events which have occurred in your life may not be causing your attacks on their own but rather the way they make you feel and the fears they cause to arise inside you could be the actual culprits for your attacks.  It is important to keep in mind that this exercise is not a complete cure all for anxiety panic attacks.

It will take time and dedication to recovery from anxiety and panic attacks; however, this exercise can help you to identify triggers which may be causing your attacks so that you can learn how to make positive changes in your life that can affect recovery.  By taking the time to map your map your experience with anxiety panic attack problems and identifying major events which may serve as triggers, you can begin to recover.