In generalized anxiety disorder, there are feelings of
worry or anxiety frequent or almost constant. These feelings are unusually
intense or out of proportion with regard to problems and real risks of everyday
life of the person.
The disturbance is defined as persistent concern daily or almost daily for six months or more. In some cases, a person with generalized anxiety disorder feel that is or ever was a person who cares, even since childhood or adolescence. In other cases, anxiety can be triggered by a crisis or a period of stress, such as job loss, family illness or death of a family member. Although the crisis will eventually pass and stress disappear, can remain an inexplicable feeling of anxiety for months or years.
Besides suffering from constant worry and anxiety (or ending), people with generalized anxiety disorder may have low self-esteem or feel insecure because they perceive the intentions of the people or events in negative terms or interpret them as threatening or critics. Physical symptoms may lead them to seek treatment with the family physician, a cardiologist, pulmonologist or gastroenterologist. Stress can intensify anxiety.
Experts believe that some people with this disorder have a tendency genetic (hereditary) for its development. The disturbance originates probably in the way a variety of brain structures communicate with each other in managing the response to fear. The chemical messengers, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and serotonin transmit signals over the circuits connecting brain regions. The medications used to treat anxiety affect these chemicals.
Women are twice as likely to develop the problem than men. The average adult seeks medical help for the first time between 20 and 30 years of age. However, generalized anxiety disorder can occur at any age and has been diagnosed in children, adolescents and the elderly. This disease is the most common anxiety disorder among people aged over 65 years.
Of all psychiatric disorders, generalized anxiety disorder to which it is less likely to occur alone. Between 50% and 90% of people with the disorder also have at least one other problem, usually panic disorder, phobias, major depression, dysthymia (a less severe form of depression), alcoholism or some other form of substance abuse.
Treatment
The most effective treatment for generalized anxiety disorder is generally a combination of medication and psychotherapy. Research shows that the use of both has a positive effect more lasting than each one individually. The doctor may also offer treatment for other problems that may be hampering the recovery, such as physical status changes or depression.
Medication
It may be necessary to try more than one approach before finding the suitable. Many different types of medications can relieve anxiety. We present here the most commonly prescribed classes:
• Anti-depressants - Despite its name, many of these drugs are very effective for anxiety and are a first line treatment for anxiety disorder, especially when long term or when the person is also depressed. These drugs act by altering the courses of action of serotonin, one of the chemical messengers involved in anxiety response in the brain. Use is often popular selective inhibitors of serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs or in Portuguese SSRIs) such as fluoxetine, sertraline and paroxetine. Besides these, there are other classes of antidepressant effective, including tricyclic antidepressants, older such as nortriptyline and imipramine, and newer drugs venlafaxine and duloxetine. Given that often antidepressants take several weeks before making the desired effect, the doctor may also prescribe a fast acting benzodiazepine for relief.
• Benzodiazepines - This group of drugs affects other chemical messenger that works in the brain system response to fear - gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Among the benzodiazepines are clonazepam, lorazepam, diazepam and alprazolam. Medicines are very safe and often provide quick relief of symptoms of anxiety. Since act immediately, may be prescribed during the first weeks of treatment pending the antidepressant medication to take effect. Another reason why these drugs are prescribed for a relatively short period of time is the tendency to habituation of the body to its effect, which causes less provide relief over time. Stopping these medications should be done gradually and under the supervision of a doctor because it may cause withdrawal reactions.
• Buspirone - Buspirone is an anti-anxiety (anxiolytic) that can be effective for generalized anxiety disorder. However, its use is much less frequent than the drugs listed above. As the antidepressants, are usually requires two to three weeks to take effect.
Psychotherapy
There are several techniques of psychotherapy that may be useful for a patient with generalized anxiety disorder:
• The cognitive-behavioral therapy helps you recognize and change patterns of little logical thinking and behavior.
• The psychodynamic psychotherapy or oriented insight (insight) helps you understand the history behind the symptoms. For example, it may be more aware of how old fears have brought to the present day. This insight can help you face challenges with more confidence.
• Interpersonal psychotherapy can help you understand the conflicts that cause anxiety in important relationships and resolve them more effectively.
• The exposure and desensitization is a behavioral technique that gives support so you can confront and overcome a specific fear. It is particularly useful when anxiety prevents the execution of important tasks or the assumption of responsibility.
• Relaxation techniques applied to teach people with generalized anxiety disorder to control symptoms while using imagination and muscle control. Relaxation techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing, meditation and visualization, can alleviate some of the physical symptoms more bothersome.
• Biofeedback uses special sensors attached to the skin to teach people with generalized anxiety disorder to recognize changes in anxiety-related physiological functions, such as heartbeat, skin temperature and muscle tone. With time and practice, patients learn to modify these changes related to anxiety and anxiety effect control throughout the body.
The therapist can combine with the patient either approach described above or other consideration - for example, meditation, hypnosis or exercise practice - so that the approach fits the specific problems and needs of the person.
PreventionThe disturbance is defined as persistent concern daily or almost daily for six months or more. In some cases, a person with generalized anxiety disorder feel that is or ever was a person who cares, even since childhood or adolescence. In other cases, anxiety can be triggered by a crisis or a period of stress, such as job loss, family illness or death of a family member. Although the crisis will eventually pass and stress disappear, can remain an inexplicable feeling of anxiety for months or years.
Besides suffering from constant worry and anxiety (or ending), people with generalized anxiety disorder may have low self-esteem or feel insecure because they perceive the intentions of the people or events in negative terms or interpret them as threatening or critics. Physical symptoms may lead them to seek treatment with the family physician, a cardiologist, pulmonologist or gastroenterologist. Stress can intensify anxiety.
Experts believe that some people with this disorder have a tendency genetic (hereditary) for its development. The disturbance originates probably in the way a variety of brain structures communicate with each other in managing the response to fear. The chemical messengers, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and serotonin transmit signals over the circuits connecting brain regions. The medications used to treat anxiety affect these chemicals.
Women are twice as likely to develop the problem than men. The average adult seeks medical help for the first time between 20 and 30 years of age. However, generalized anxiety disorder can occur at any age and has been diagnosed in children, adolescents and the elderly. This disease is the most common anxiety disorder among people aged over 65 years.
Of all psychiatric disorders, generalized anxiety disorder to which it is less likely to occur alone. Between 50% and 90% of people with the disorder also have at least one other problem, usually panic disorder, phobias, major depression, dysthymia (a less severe form of depression), alcoholism or some other form of substance abuse.
Treatment
The most effective treatment for generalized anxiety disorder is generally a combination of medication and psychotherapy. Research shows that the use of both has a positive effect more lasting than each one individually. The doctor may also offer treatment for other problems that may be hampering the recovery, such as physical status changes or depression.
Medication
It may be necessary to try more than one approach before finding the suitable. Many different types of medications can relieve anxiety. We present here the most commonly prescribed classes:
• Anti-depressants - Despite its name, many of these drugs are very effective for anxiety and are a first line treatment for anxiety disorder, especially when long term or when the person is also depressed. These drugs act by altering the courses of action of serotonin, one of the chemical messengers involved in anxiety response in the brain. Use is often popular selective inhibitors of serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs or in Portuguese SSRIs) such as fluoxetine, sertraline and paroxetine. Besides these, there are other classes of antidepressant effective, including tricyclic antidepressants, older such as nortriptyline and imipramine, and newer drugs venlafaxine and duloxetine. Given that often antidepressants take several weeks before making the desired effect, the doctor may also prescribe a fast acting benzodiazepine for relief.
• Benzodiazepines - This group of drugs affects other chemical messenger that works in the brain system response to fear - gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Among the benzodiazepines are clonazepam, lorazepam, diazepam and alprazolam. Medicines are very safe and often provide quick relief of symptoms of anxiety. Since act immediately, may be prescribed during the first weeks of treatment pending the antidepressant medication to take effect. Another reason why these drugs are prescribed for a relatively short period of time is the tendency to habituation of the body to its effect, which causes less provide relief over time. Stopping these medications should be done gradually and under the supervision of a doctor because it may cause withdrawal reactions.
• Buspirone - Buspirone is an anti-anxiety (anxiolytic) that can be effective for generalized anxiety disorder. However, its use is much less frequent than the drugs listed above. As the antidepressants, are usually requires two to three weeks to take effect.
Psychotherapy
There are several techniques of psychotherapy that may be useful for a patient with generalized anxiety disorder:
• The cognitive-behavioral therapy helps you recognize and change patterns of little logical thinking and behavior.
• The psychodynamic psychotherapy or oriented insight (insight) helps you understand the history behind the symptoms. For example, it may be more aware of how old fears have brought to the present day. This insight can help you face challenges with more confidence.
• Interpersonal psychotherapy can help you understand the conflicts that cause anxiety in important relationships and resolve them more effectively.
• The exposure and desensitization is a behavioral technique that gives support so you can confront and overcome a specific fear. It is particularly useful when anxiety prevents the execution of important tasks or the assumption of responsibility.
• Relaxation techniques applied to teach people with generalized anxiety disorder to control symptoms while using imagination and muscle control. Relaxation techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing, meditation and visualization, can alleviate some of the physical symptoms more bothersome.
• Biofeedback uses special sensors attached to the skin to teach people with generalized anxiety disorder to recognize changes in anxiety-related physiological functions, such as heartbeat, skin temperature and muscle tone. With time and practice, patients learn to modify these changes related to anxiety and anxiety effect control throughout the body.
The therapist can combine with the patient either approach described above or other consideration - for example, meditation, hypnosis or exercise practice - so that the approach fits the specific problems and needs of the person.
Given that stress is a normal part of life, there is usually a way to prevent generalized anxiety disorder in someone who is vulnerable. However, from the time it is diagnosed, various treatments can effectively reduce symptoms.
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário