What is Generalized anxiety disorder? Seek help from the best psychologist/psychiatrist in Mumbai.

In 2017, 44·9 million people had anxiety disorders in India (The Lancet).
A report titled Let’s Talk (WHO,2017) found that generalized anxiety disorder impacts 38 million people in India.

With the Covid-19 pandemic still in full form, this estimate is also likely to have increased. It is very normal to experience anxiousness at some point - everyone experiences it differently but it is a part of being human, especially in times like this.

So What is Generalised anxiety disorder?

The American Psychological Association (APA) defines Generalized anxiety disorder as “excessive anxiety and worry about a range of concerns (e.g., world events, finances, health, appearance, activities of family members and friends, work, school) accompanied by such symptoms as restlessness, fatigue, impaired concentration, irritability, muscle tension, and disturbed sleep. For a formal diagnosis of GAD, the worry is often experienced as difficult to control, and the various symptoms that accompany the worry and anxiety occur on more days than not for a period of 6 months or more”.

Whilst everyone experiences a certain amount of worry and anxiousness about different parts of their lives, it is different for those with Generalized anxiety disorder as the ongoing worry and anxiety is extremely difficult to control (at times, uncontrollable) and interferes in functioning to a large extent.

This can show up for people in different ways- physically and emotionally.
Physically, it could be through difficulty sleeping, panic attacks, anxiety attacks, nausea, sweating, trembling, to cite a few examples.

Emotionally some examples of ways it can turn up are persistent worry, rumination over worst case scenarios, fear of making the ‘wrong’ decision, irritability, difficulty with fluidity and unwinding.

Generalized anxiety disorder is diagnosed as a clinical concern based on a few factors that are determined by a clinical psychologist and/or a psychiatrist- not everyone who experiences anxiousness has generalised anxiety disorder.

How do I know when to reach out for support?

Support can be accessed at any point in time and not just when experiencing severe distress. It could also be when you feel your worries are not all consuming but there is a baseline level of anxiousness. For instance, you may have an overall sense of something bad that may happen.

The anxiety may also be causing distress in various parts of your life- socially, professionally (work or academia). Or it could also simply be that you want to explore how it impacts you when not in distress, how to cope and explore some deeper roots.

For some, the combination of therapy and psychiatric interventions are helpful. For others, it can be one or the other. Both play different roles that work in tandem with one another and can make a difference and vary from individual to individual.

If you feel extreme anxiety and don’t know how to deal with it. seek help from a mental health therapist in Kolkata. Mpower, a mental health initiative by Aditya Birla Education Trust has a team of experienced mental health professionals consisting of psychologist, psychiatrists, child therapist, speech therapist, remedial therapist, etc. You can avail mental health services at Mpower centre in Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore . A mental health centre is opening up soon in Pune as well.

Also read,
Is overthinking leading to anxiety and affecting your mental health? Find the best mental health clinics in Mumbai.
https://mpowerminds.com/blog/Is-overthinking-leading-to-anxiety-and-affecting-your-mental-health-Find-the-best-mental-health-clinics-in-Mumbai

How to help the children: COVID-19 and health anxiety? Need for child counselling in Kolkata
https://mpowerminds.com/blog/How-to-help-the-children-COVID-19-and-health-anxiety-Need-for-child-counselling-in-Kolkata

Anxiety in youth due to competitive exams. Find a therapist near you.
https://mpowerminds.com/blog/Anxiety-in-youth-due-to-competitive-exams-Find-a-therapist-near-you

How has social media impacted our mental health? 5 ways to deal with social media anxiety.
https://mpowerminds.com/blog/How-has-social-media-impacted-our-mental-health-5-ways-to-deal-with-social-media-anxiety

New Relationship causing anxiety? Seek help from the best mental health services in Kolkata.
https://mpowerminds.com/blog/New-Relationship-causing-anxiety-Seek-help-from-the-best-mental-health-services-in-Kolkata