Is it Stress or Anxiety? Part 2

In Is it Stress or Anxiety? Part 1, we covered stress and 5 ways to manage stress. But what if you find yourself worrying too much. Most of us experience worry to situations that can cause us to feel anxious. With anxiety, you may experience persistent, excessive worry that does not go away even when the trigger has been removed or taken care of. Clinically, the first step is to evaluate symptom criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders, 5th Edition, Text Revision. A good therapist will look for factors like excessive, hindering worry paired with a variety of physical symptoms and use proven evidenced-based diagnostic assessments to make a diagnosis and rule out other possibilities. Having a standard set of symptoms to reference helps to accurately diagnose mental heath concerns and therefore, create an effective plan of care.

When assessing for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), therapists are looking for;

• The presence of excessive worry about a variety of topics, events, or activities. Worry occurs more often than not for at least 6 month and is clearly excessive.

• The worry experienced is very challenging to control. The worry in children and adults may easily shift from one topic to another.

• The anxiety and worry is accompanied by at least 3 of 6 physical or cognitive symptoms - edginess or restlessness, tiring easily/more fatigued than usual, impaired concentration or feeling as though the mind goes blank, irritability, increased muscle aches or soreness, and/or difficulty sleeping.

• Physical symptoms may include sweating, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

  The hallmark symptom of Generalized Anxiety Disorder, is excessive worry, even when there is no imminent threat. Someone struggling with GAD spends a high percentage of their time worrying about something. For adults, the worry can be focused on job responsibilities, financial matters, or health. In children, worry can be about the quality of their performance in school or sports. When the excessive worry becomes to hard to carry out day-to-day responsibilities, it may cause problems in relationships, at work, and in other important areas of your life.

  Many people who struggle with GAD experience symptoms for a long time before seeking help. Taking the time to seek a mental health provider that can help clarify what your experiencing is a courageous step. Creating a plan of care is important to help you find relief and regain your sense of well-being.

  4 Steps to keep in mind when seeking a mental health provider :

• Normalize how difficult it is to feel any calmness, comfort, or reassurance regarding your worry.

• Take note of any physical symptoms that by accompanying your worry.

• Take time to research providers who are specifically specialized in treating anxiety disorders.

• Be honest with your mental health provider at your first session.