Treating Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Your therapist will work with you to change your patterns of thinking. This will allow you to notice how you react to situations that cause anxiety. You will then learn to change your thinking so you can react differently. This can decrease the symptoms of anxiety.

Behavioral Therapy

Your therapist will teach you relaxation techniques. Learning ways to relax can help you gain control over anxiety. Instead of reacting with worry and tension, you can learn to remain calm. Your therapist may also slowly expose you to the situation that is causing the worry and tension. This can allow you to reduce your anxiety in a safe environment.

Medication

Medication can be prescribed for symptoms that are severe and make it difficult to function. Medications can help relieve symptoms so you can concentrate on getting better.

Medications may include:

• Benzodiazepines-to relax your body and keep it from tensing in response to anxious thoughts
  • These medications need to be monitored closely because they may cause dependence.
• Buspirone (BuSpar)-an antianxiety medicine that does not cause dependence
• Antidepressant medications (most commonly selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, “SSRIs”)-to help control anxious thoughts

***Please note FDA Public Health Advisory for Antidepressants:

The FDA advises that people taking antidepressants should be closely observed. For some, the medications have been linked to worsening symptoms and suicidal thoughts. These adverse effects are most common in young adults. The effects tend to occur at the beginning of treatment or when there is an increase or decrease in the dose.Although the warning is for all antidepressants, of most concern are the SSRI class such as:

• Prozac ( fluoxetine ), Zoloft ( sertraline ), Paxil ( paroxetine ), Luvox ( fluvoxamine ), Celexa ( citalopram ), Lexapro( escitalopram )