Living with Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) often means carrying a constant sense of worry or dread, sometimes without a clear reason why. This ongoing anxiety can start to interfere with daily activities, relationships, work performance, and overall quality of life. At Connect Cognitive Therapy in Mississauga, Ontario, we offer evidence-based cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), including generalized anxiety therapy, to help individuals manage persistent worry and regain a sense of calm and control. Whether your condition has recently emerged or been present for years, our compassionate anxiety therapists are here to help you understand it, reduce its impact, and move forward with confidence.
What Is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
Although it is normal to feel anxious or worried occasionally, excessive and uncontrollable worry that interferes with everyday events and activities may be characterized as Generalized Anxiety Disorder. From worrying about the next day's events to the inability to concentrate on the present, overthinking about possible negative outcomes never seems to end. GAD can have a significant impact on a person’s life, but with proper treatment and support, it is very possible to get symptoms under control.
What Causes GAD?
Though the exact cause of GAD is not fully understood, it involves a unique combination of different biological, environmental, and psychological factors. This includes things like genetics, exposure to stressors such as traumatic events, and specific personality traits. Even if we were able to pinpoint the specific cause, it would not necessarily lead to relief of symptoms. The same treatments are effective, regardless of the cause.
When Does Anxiety Become a Disorder?
Anxiety that is irrational, exaggerated, and interferes with someone's ability to function in everyday life is typically labeled as a disorder. GAD is one of the most common anxiety disorders and affects 3.1% of the adult population, so if any of this is familiar, you are not alone. While hearing the word “disorder” may sound frightening, it can be helpful to be able to place a cluster of symptoms within a category so that the best possible approach to managing those symptoms can be identified. A person may be diagnosed with GAD if they have difficulty controlling their anxiety, and their anxiety and worry have been consistently present on most days for over 6 months. The good news is that there are some very effective treatment options for anxiety disorders, including for GAD.
What Are the Symptoms of GAD?
Although GAD looks slightly different for everyone and includes a range of emotional, physical, and cognitive symptoms that can fluctuate in intensity over time. Here are some of the most common symptoms:
- Continuous worry about various aspects of life
- Persistent overthinking, imagining worst-case scenarios, and perceiving events as threatening when they are not
- Indecisiveness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Avoiding situations that may trigger anxiety
- Irritability
- Restlessness, inability to relax or let go
- Fatigue, trouble sleeping
- Muscle tension, headaches, trembling
While symptoms like muscle tension and indecisiveness are not serious problems on their own, these can wear a person down if no coping mechanisms are implemented. That’s where generalized anxiety therapy can make a difference.
How Can I Get Help for GAD?
Cognitive-behavioural therapy, or CBT, is one of the most common and helpful treatments for GAD. CBT is an evidence-based treatment that helps individuals challenge thought patterns and learn coping strategies for managing anxiety. It is flexible, adaptive, and tailored to each person's specific needs and symptoms. Certain types of medication may also be used as a form of treatment, but CBT has been found to be just as effective and more enduring. As it happens, CBT for anxiety is one of our specialties!
Get the Help You Need With Generalized Anxiety Therapy
At Connect Cognitive Therapy, we have highly skilled clinicians who provide a personal approach to meet individual needs and maximize overall well-being. GAD can be a struggle at times, but we are here to help you manage it with understanding and expertise. Don’t hesitate to contact us for more information about generalized anxiety therapy in Mississauga, or visit our online booking site to book your first appointment!