Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Reducing Stigma and Promoting Wellness

This essay provides an overview of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), highlighting its symptoms, causes, and the importance of promoting awareness and reducing stigma. It discusses how GAD is characterized by excessive worry and anxiety, often accompanied by symptoms like restlessness and difficulty concentrating. The essay explores various factors contributing to GAD, including family history, personality traits, and environmental influences. It emphasizes the significant role of stigma in the suffering of individuals with GAD and suggests strategies for promoting awareness, such as education and community support. Additionally, the essay outlines various approaches to managing GAD, including exercise, structured problem-solving, mindfulness meditation, and medical solutions like anti-anxiety drugs and antidepressants. The paper concludes by underscoring the importance of community understanding and support in addressing GAD and improving the lives of those affected.

Running head: MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Name
Institution

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Introduction
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is indicated by exaggerated, excessive anxiety and
worry about daily life events without any reason (Hirsch, Mathews, Lequertier, Perman &
Hayes, 2013). These individuals show symptoms of trouble with concentration, restlessness, and
constant worry. According to an article published by the University of Pennsylvania, GAD can
occur at any age (Upennedu, 2019). Notably, GAD’s symptoms are similar to other types of
anxiety such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and panic disorder. Diagnosis of GAD happens
when an individual has three or more symptoms and is unable to control worry on most days in a
period of six months. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the causes of GAD and aim to
promote awareness, wellness and to reduce stigma.
Causes of Generalized Anxiety Disorder
According to Anxiety and Depression Association of American (ADAA), there is no
identified singular cause and studies have shown that there are multiple factors are at play
(Adaaorg, 2019). Some of the common factors include the following:
i. Family’s history of anxiety: Lebowitz, Scharfstein & Jones (2014) notes that first
degree relatives of an individual with GAD are more likely to develop GAD.
ii. Personality: individuals with reserved personality especially as children are more
likely to develop GAD when they grow up.
iii. learned behavior: a person’s habit of thinking is learned over a long period of time
and is affected by a range of family, social, and environmental influences.
iv. Other factors may include brain structure, lifestyle factors include caffeine,
relationships (Women are more likely to develop GAD than men), job stress, etc.

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Promoting Awareness, Wellness and Reducing Stigma
Currently, there is a need to formulate effective strategies to spread GAD awareness and
reduce stigma and discrimination. Shrivastava, Johnston & Bureau (2012) notes that stigma plays
a significant role in the economic loss, disability, constant suffering associated with mental
illnesses. Individuals suffering from GAD are in most cases victimized and are unfairly
discriminated from many roles in the society. Furthermore, they are also mistreated by their
friends and family. Egbe, Brooke-Sumner, Kathree, Selohilwe... & Petersen (2014), structural
stigma is widespread to a great extent and strategies for stigma-reduction should be quickly
formulated to spread awareness. Further, this can help in protection of these individuals’ rights
and provision of high-quality mental health care.
Nurses must have a thorough and complete physical evaluation of the patients prior to
initiating any treatment. Notably, this is important to eliminate other psychiatric and medical
problems such as substance-related disorders, alcohol withdrawal, cardiovascular disease, etc.
Furthermore, nurses can help promote awareness, health and wellness by educating the patients
on GAD and their treatment procedures. Also, they can extend GAD education to the patient’s
family members. The following are suggestions which healthcare providers can help individuals
suffering from GAD:
Exercise
Weir (2011) argues that exercise is one of the most effective strategies that assist
individuals manage anxiety and depression. Exercise uplifts moods and this can be explained by
the following theories: (i) altered brain chemicals – subsequent increase in physical fitness
through regular exercise changes serotonin (brain chemical) levels leading to improved

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wellbeing and moods. (ii) reduced adrenaline – regular exercise burns up adrenaline promoting a
more relaxed mind and body. (iii) distraction – regular exercise causes distraction from an
individual’s cycle of worrying significantly improving their wellbeing.
Structured Problem Solving
Structured Problem Solving involves turning worry into strategies to come up with
solutions. Notably, this involves limiting oneself to handling one challenge at a go. As an
individual gain more proficient with the problem at hand they can take on a larger and more
complex problem. This involves six steps listed below:
i. Problem identification.
ii. Brainstorming possible solutions.
iii. Evaluation of the solutions noting their upsides and downsides.
iv. Selection of the most appropriate solution(s).
v. Planning of the solutions implementations.
vi. Plan review (addition and reduction of points).
Mindfulness Meditation and Relaxation
Most individuals experiencing excessive worry do not know how to relax. Eberth &
Sedlmeier (2012) argues that regular relaxation or meditation such as progressive muscle
relaxation can significantly reduce GAD. Mindfulness meditation focuses the attention of an
individual to the present moment. Further, it involves both developing a calm and peaceful state
of mind as well as physical relaxation. Notably, the brain's activity during meditation is different
to other consciousness measurable state such as sleep. The alpha waves produced significantly

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improve relaxation of the nervous system entirely. Marchand (2012) notes that regular mediation
practice meditation can be a powerful tool in managing GAD.
Medical Solution
The most common medications for people with GAD include anti-anxiety drugs, anti-
depressants, and occasionally sedatives. Notably, these medications impact the brain chemicals
that regulate thought patterns and emotions (Cuijpers, Sijbrandij, Koole, Huibers, Berking &
Andersson, 2014). Occasionally, these medicines can significantly lower symptoms to allow
treatment plan methods to be effective. Notably, they are usually more effective when combined
with psychotherapy.
Reducing Stigma
According to Stuart (2016), there exists numerous opportunities to spread awareness to
the community and alter their perceptions and understanding issues related with mental health.
The key component in stigma reduction in relation to GAD is for the community as a whole to
develop a good understanding of anxiety. The three key components for mental health literacy
include: (i) understanding of signs and symptoms of GAD and other problems related to mental
health; (ii) understanding management and prevention techniques of GAD; and (iii)
understanding how to support others. It has been shown that having a strong support system and
a sense of community are positive aids in coping with anxiety. Listen without judgment and be
available and empathetic when someone talks about their own anxiety.
Conclusion
Individuals with Generalized Anxiety Disorder show symptoms of trouble with
concentration, restlessness, and constant worry. Diagnosis of GAD happens when an individual

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has three or more symptoms and is unable to control worry on most days in a period of six
months. Causes of GAD include family’s history of anxiety, personality, learned behavior, and
other factors such as brain structure, lifestyle factors include caffeine, relationships. The study
notes that stigma plays a significant role in the economic loss, disability, constant suffering
associated with mental illnesses. Individuals suffering from GAD are in most cases victimized
and are unfairly discriminated from many roles in the society. Moreover, the paper discusses
how to deal with GAD through exercise, structured problem solving, mindfulness meditation and
relaxation. The most common medications for people with GAD include anti-anxiety drugs, anti-
depressants, and occasionally sedatives. The key component in stigma reduction in relation to
GAD is for the community as a whole to develop a good understanding of anxiety.

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References
Adaaorg. (2019). Adaaorg. Retrieved 5 October, 2019, from https://adaa.org/understanding-
anxiety/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad
Cuijpers, P., Sijbrandij, M., Koole, S., Huibers, M., Berking, M., & Andersson, G. (2014).
Psychological treatment of generalized anxiety disorder: a meta-analysis. Clinical
psychology review, 34(2), 130-140.
Eberth, J., & Sedlmeier, P. (2012). The effects of mindfulness meditation: a meta-
analysis. Mindfulness, 3(3), 174-189.
Egbe, C. O., Brooke-Sumner, C., Kathree, T., Selohilwe, O., Thornicroft, G., & Petersen, I.
(2014). Psychiatric stigma and discrimination in South Africa: perspectives from key
stakeholders. BMC psychiatry, 14(1), 191.
Hirsch, C. R., Mathews, A., Lequertier, B., Perman, G., & Hayes, S. (2013). Characteristics of
worry in generalized anxiety disorder. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental
Psychiatry, 44(4), 388-395.
Lebowitz, E. R., Scharfstein, L. A., & Jones, J. (2014). Comparing family accommodation in
pediatric obsessive‐compulsive disorder, anxiety disorders, and nonanxious
children. Depression and Anxiety, 31(12), 1018-1025.
Marchand, W. R. (2012). Mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness-based cognitive
therapy, and Zen meditation for depression, anxiety, pain, and psychological
distress. Journal of Psychiatric Practice®, 18(4), 233-252.
Stuart, H. (2016). Reducing the stigma of mental illness. Global Mental Health, 3.

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Upennedu. (2019). Upennedu. Retrieved 5 October, 2019, from
https://www.med.upenn.edu/ctsa/general_anxiety_symptoms.html
Weir, K. (2011). Apaorg. Retrieved 5 October, 2019, from
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2011/12/exercise