Gaining Control Over GAD

Time Management is a key factor in helping students with anxiety.

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Brain images from The Norwegian Institute of Public Health display the overactive regions of the brain largely responsible for anxiety. One of the most important regions involved in anxiety is the amygdala found within the temporal lobe of each hemisphere of the brain, which plays a key role in the development of the fear response.

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Living with GAD can often bring great distress, but most of the time it does not greatly impair one’s ability to function day-to-day (Comer, 2016). Even though success may still be possible, this does not mean that it will be easy. The same work that may have seemed simple before now seems to be a huge task, relationships seem harder to form than ever, and motivation seems to have all but disappeared. GAD can truly affect all areas of life without being noticed by anyone else. Since it is often so hidden, it is important to realize that even someone close to you could be struggling with the disorder without your knowing. Even though those with Generalized Anxiety Disorder are often capable of “proper functioning”, studies have shown the disorder to have significant effects on the individual’s quality of life, especially when comorbid with depression (Barrera et al., 2009).

There are many symptoms associated with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. According to Ronald Comer, potential symptoms of the disorder include restlessness, fatigue, poor concentration, muscle tension, and poor sleep. While not all of these conditions must be present for a GAD diagnosis, some must be present for at least three months.

There are many ways in which GAD is thought to be developed in individuals. According to Ronald J. Comer, theorists from all aspects of life have different beliefs as to how GAD is developed.

Sociocultural theorists believe that people who are faced with ongoing societal conditions that are dangerous, are more prone to developing the disorder. Studies have shown that people who are in threatening environments are more likely to develop feelings of tension, anxiety, fatigue and disturbances in their sleep patterns.

Psychodynamic theorists believe that the disorder is developed due to inadequacies in the early relationships between children and their parents.

Humanistic theorists believe that people develop this disorder because they stop looking at themselves honestly and acceptingly. They believe that it is also because an individual is in constant denial of their thoughts, emotions, and behavior which makes them extremely anxious and unable to fulfill their potential.

Cognitive theorists believe that the disorder is caused through maladaptive assumptions. Maladaptive assumptions refer to dysfunctional underlying automatic thoughts.

Biological theorists believe that generalized anxiety disorder is developed through biological factors such as heredity, it is thought to be believed that GAD can be passed on from generation to generation. Another factor Biological theorists believe causes GAD, is the inactivity of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).

Welcome to Gaining Control Over GAD! We are a new club at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign committed to education, assistance, and creating an awesome community to support those with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) here on campus and beyond. GAD is most commonly recognized by the “free-floating anxiety”, an “excessive or ongoing anxiety and worry about practically anything” for at least six months, experienced by those with the condition. Whether you have been struggling with GAD for years, want to help those in need, or even if this is your first time hearing about the disorder, welcome to our page. We hope that you can join us in our mission, helping to make our campus healthier one day at a time!

According to psychodynamic theorists there is a belief that psychodynamic therapy can be beneficial when treating generalized anxiety disorder. Psychodynamic therapists use free association and their interpretation of transference, resistance and dreams in order to help clients with generalized anxiety disorder become less afraid of their id impulses and more successful in controlling them. Another way they help relieve symptoms is by helping anxious patients identify and settle their childhood relationship problems that continue to produce anxiety in adulthood. Humanistic theorists believe that a treatment option for treating GAD is client-centered therapy. Client-centered therapy is a type of therapy that tries to show unconditional positive regard for clients and empathize with them. Cognitive theorists believe that GAD can be treated through either helping clients change the maladaptive assumptions that characterize their disorder or by helping clients understand the special role that worrying may play and change their views when worrying. Biological theorists believe that it can be treated through relaxation training and biofeedback. Relaxation training is a treatment procedure that teaches clients to relax at will so they can calm themselves in stressful situations.In biofeedback, electrical signals from the body to train people to control physiological processes such as heart rate or muscle tension.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by your anxiety, try these grounding methods to help you get a hold of your mind.

Coping with GAD!