What is it?

Generalised anxiety disorder is different to panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and other types of anxiety, but they can all have similar symptoms.

How do I recogonise it?

Symptoms can include:

• Constant worrying or obsession about small or large concerns
• Restlessness and feeling keyed up or on edge
• Fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating or your mind "going blank"
• Irritability
• Muscle tension or muscle aches
• Trembling, feeling twitchy or being easily startled
• Trouble sleeping
• Sweating, nausea or diarrhoea
• Shortness of breath or rapid heartbeat

Causes

As with many mental health conditions, what causes Generalised anxiety disorder isn't fully understood. It may involve naturally occurring brain chemicals (neurotransmitters), such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. It's likely that the condition has several causes that may include genetics, your environment and stress.

How do you treat it?

Like any disease, even if there is no cure, there is almost always something you can do to manage it and take control. There are three main areas involved in the treatment of any disease:

• Conventional medicines
• Complementary medicines
• Complementary therapies

For information on medicines and therapies relevant to Generalised anxiety disorder, make an appointment at Lynch's Pharmacy, Broadale, Douglas, Cork on 021-4366923.

Learn all about the drugs used to treat the disease and any complementary medicines or therapies proven to help. Equip yourself with the tools to manage the condition and not be managed by it.

How do you live with it?

Certain adjustments may be needed to get on with your life, and often, some simple tips and advice can go a long way to making these changes. 

We give you all the necessary information available to make your life more manageable and allow you to better live with your condition.

References

GAD- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generalised_anxiety_disorder

GAD, a comprehnesive overview                                                                                                                                                     http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/generalized-anxiety-disorder/DS00502

GAD, informamtion for patients                                                                                                                                                       http://www.cks.nhs.uk/patient_information_leaflet/anxiety/introduction