Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by intense, chronic worrying. One of the difficulties with understanding GAD is understanding the difference between normal worrying and excessive worrying. Everyone worries. We worry about finances, about health, about our relationships, about our children, about our jobs. But when you have generalized anxiety disorder, your worrying is more intense and more frequent and interferes with your ability to function.
The Difference Between Normal Worry and GAD
Suppose you heard a rumor that there were going to be lay-offs at your job. There was nothing definite, nothing that came from management, just rumors. In this case, anyone would worry. Mary, who heard the rumors, started planning what to do, she talked with husband that evening and together they discussed how the family would survive without Mary's paycheck. Mary slept fitfully that night, concerned about the future, but by morning, Mary had decided to wait and see what happened at work and to start looking for a job, just in case. She had breakfast, helped her children get off to school and headed out the door to work.
Sandy also heard the rumors. Sandy immediately started worrying about her future. She fretted about how the family would suffer with the loss of income. That night, she was in tears when talking with her husband. He told her not to worry, they would be fine, but she worried anyway. She felt nauseous and skipped dinner. She did not sleep, staying up all night worrying about what would happen. In the morning, she gave her children breakfast but still couldn't eat, her stomach was in knots, her head was pounding and she was shaking. She could not think of anything except the possible lay-offs at work. She felt so sick, she wasn't even sure she could go in to work.
Most people, when confronted with a negative situation, will worry for a brief amount of time. They will match their worry with the reality of the situation, as Mary did. People with GAD worry so significantly, it interferes with their ability to sleep, to eat, to function. Even though they know their worrying is excessive, they feel they are unable to control the worry.
The Holidays and Stress
People with GAD don't worry only during stressful situations. They worry all the time, even when things are going well. But added stress can aggravate GAD symptoms. And the holiday season tends to be stressful. The extra activities and the added expenses can trigger GAD symptoms, causing you to feel tense, on edge and irritable. You may have trouble sleeping or have a hard time focusing. While other people are planning for the festivities and seem to be enjoying the season, you are worrying about everything that could possibly go wrong. You know your thoughts are unreasonable but no matter how much you try to relax and enjoy yourself, you just end up worrying more. Instead of having fun and enjoying this special time of year, you feel sick, tired and are sure disaster is just around the corner.
