GAD

Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by persistent, excessive, and unrealistic worry about everyday things.

People with the disorder, which is also referred to as GAD, experience excessive anxiety and worry, often expecting the worst even when there is no apparent reason for concern. They anticipate disaster and may be overly concerned about money, health, family, work, or other issues. GAD is diagnosed when a person finds it difficult to control worry on more days than not for at least six months and has three or more symptoms. 

Sometimes just the thought of getting through the day produces anxiety. They don’t know how to stop the worry cycle and feel it is beyond their control, even though they usually realize that their anxiety is more intense than the situation warrants.

GAD affects 6.8 million adults, or 3.1% of the U.S. population, in any given year. Women are twice as likely to be affected.

The disorder comes on gradually and can begin across the life cycle, though the risk is highest between childhood and middle age. Although the exact cause of GAD is unknown, there is evidence that biological factors, family background, and life experiences, particularly stressful ones, play a role.

When their anxiety level is mild, people with GAD can function socially and be gainfully employed. Although they may avoid some situations because they have the disorder, some people can have difficulty carrying out the simplest daily activities when their anxiety is severe.

How to Pray against Anxiety Attacks, Panic and Fear

 

When anxious and fearful thoughts come flooding in, it can be very difficult to quiet your mind and connect with God in prayer. In the middle of a panic attack, the last thing on your mind is getting alone with God. But, prayer can be very helpful in stopping those confusing and terrifying thoughts.

Learning how to pray can calm an anxious mind and fill your heart with peace:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6, 7).

When anxious thoughts, fear, panic or worry come against you, present your requests to God. Pray and petition him, and as you do, his peace which goes beyond all understanding will guide your hearts and mind in Christ. This is more than just a recommendation—it’s a truth that can transform a fearful mind into a mind of peace.

Here are some steps that have helped me connect with God:

1.  Believe

Faith is essential. Without faith, it’s impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). We must believe that God will respond to our prayers. If we doubt, we are like a wave tossed about by the sea, unsettled in all our ways (James 1:5). Here’s how Jesus explains it:

Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I assure you that you can say to this mountain, ‘May God lift you up and throw you into the sea,’ and your command will be obeyed. All that’s required is that you really believe and do not doubt in your heart. Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you will have it” (Mark 11:22-24).

2. God hears you

I think we’ve all wondered, “God, do you really hear me?” We pray and pray and it seems like nothing changes. We beg for freedom, we cry out for a respite of peace, but it seems so elusive. We hear a thought in our head, God does not hear my prayers and we think it’s our thought. Quietly, we agree with this subtle attack of the devil. The enemy constantly accuses us and lies to us. He is the father of lies (John 10:10) and he spews his lies and confusion all over of us to thwart God’s beautiful plans for our lives.  We cannot give into this voice that says God does not hear our prayers. God listens.

Another subtle lie from the enemy is that we are not worthy enough for God to hear our prayers. It’s just not true! When you receive Christ, you are instantly made worthy. He took our sins and we took his righteousness. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says it this way, “God made [Jesus] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Now that you are righteous in Christ, you can boldly come to the throne of grace in your time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

3. Know who you are in Christ

Too often, we approach God in prayer with a sinner mentality. “Lord, I’m a wretched sinner. Woe is me! I’m not worthy to come before you.” This way of thinking is wrong. Once you receive Christ, you are no longer a slave—you are a child of God!

“You are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, everything he has belongs to you” (Galatians 4:7).

In Christ, you are a child of the Most High God. You are special! You are cherished, loved, protected and pursued by God. You are his child!

4. Words carry power

We must be very careful about the words we speak. Words carry incredible spiritual power. Death and life are in the power of our words (Proverbs 18:21). Salvation comes when we confess with our mouth and believe in our hearts (Romans 10:9). Whether good or evil, people speak what’s in their hearts. Jesus said it this way, “Whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good words from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil words from an evil heart” (Matthew 12:34, 35).

If you want to experience peace, don’t speak evil, doubting words. If you feel an anxious thought coming on, don’t say, “I’m probably going to have another panic attack.” No! Don’t speak those words. Rather, pray something like this, “Father, my body feels anxious right now, but you said that you will give me perfect peace when my mind is focused upon you. Right now, Lord, I fix my thoughts upon you. I trust in you!”

5.  Build your prayer muscle

Prayer is a lot like a muscle. You need to work on it, strengthen it and build it up. Don’t wait till you need it to start strengthening it.
A professional athlete doesn’t start working out the day before a big race. It takes months and months, even years, to develop the ability to race well. In the same way, we should pray daily, flexing and strengthening our prayer-time muscle.

“Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next” (1 Timothy 4:8).

Prayer: Father, this week, teach me to pray effectively. Show me how to build and strengthen my prayer muscle so that when anxiety, panic or fear hits, I can rest in the confidence that you are with me.


https://www.amazon.com/Prayer-Ultimate-Conversation-Charles-Stanley-ebook/dp/B005C6GDZI?ie=UTF8&keywords=prayer&linkCode=sl1&linkId=4855846707e03016d57de3a121664c02&qid=1438100829&ref_=as_li_ss_tl&s=books&sr=1-1&tag=seasonofpeace-20#nav-subnav

Symptoms of Social Anxiety

Many people want to know the symptoms of social anxiety. They fall into three main categories. As you read through these, take note of which ones apply to you.

1. The mental anguish

People with social anxiety are plagued with negative thoughts and doubts about themselves such as:

• Do I look okay?
• Am I dressed appropriately?
• Will I know what to talk about?
• Will I sound stupid, or boring?
• What if other people don't like me?
• What if people notice I'm nervous?
• What if people think I'm too quiet?

The fear of possible rejection or disapproval is foremost in socially anxious people's minds, and they scan for any signs that confirm their negative expectations.

2. The physical distress

Many people don't realize that actual physical discomfort can accompany social anxiety. For example, someone may experience a panic attack in a social situation, in which they feel a sudden and severe rush of fear and anxiety, accompanied by some or all of the following anxiety symptoms:

• Shortness of breath
• Tightness or pain in the chest
• Racing heart
• Tingling or sensations of numbness
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Shaking
• Sweating

It's important to note that many people are misdiagnosed with panic disorder, when in fact they have social anxiety disorder. The key to knowing which of the two is the real problem lies in understanding the root fear. In panic disorder, the person fears the panic attack itself, and often feels as if he or she is dying during such an episode. In the case of social anxiety disorder, the fear is centered around the possibility that people might witness the panic attack and the resulting humiliation that would occur. Some people may have both panic disorder and social anxiety disorder.

3. The toll of avoidance

It's human nature to avoid pain and suffering. From an evolutionary perspective, we are hard-wired either to fight or flee from a dangerous situation. It's no surprise then that people with social anxiety disorder tend to avoid or painfully endure situations that they believe will cause them harm.

Avoidance can be outright. It might mean never attending a party or going to a restaurant. It might mean having few, if any, friends. It might mean never having an intimate relationship. It might mean dropping out of school or working at a job beneath one's potential.

People with social anxiety may engage in other, more subtle methods of avoidance, what is called partial avoidance. Examples of partial avoidance include using alcohol to cope with anxiety (drinking before a party in order to be able to go at all) and setting certain parameters on social situations (only staying at the party short period of time). Another example of partial avoidance is trying to distract your self by daydreaming or thinking about other things. It also might mean avoiding eye contact.

Let’s Keep in Touch!


I am the co-author of Dying of Embarrassment, Painfully Shy, and Nurturing the Shy Child. Dying of Embarrassment: Help for Social Anxiety & Phobia was found to be one of the most useful and scientifically grounded self-help books in a research study published in Professional Psychology, Research and Practice.

Barbara Markway Ph.D. 

 Shyness Is Nice

4 Things Not to Say to Someone With an Anxiety Disorder

The experience of anxiety is a normal - and even helpful part of life. As humans we developed the ability to feel anxious because it was evolutionarily advantageous. If a buffalo was about to attack us, we would feel a surge of anxiety and our bodies would go into "fight or flight" mode. If we remained calm in the face of danger, we would not have survived as a species for very long. Anxiety can also motivate us to complete important tasks and may serve as an indicator that we need to pay attention to something in our lives.
However, when someone's anxiety significantly impacts their functioning in multiple areas of their life, they may be struggling with an anxiety disorder. Per a group of psychologists from the Bio Behavioral Institute, "These three factors-duration, intensity, and frequency-distinguish normal, adaptive anxiety from abnormal, pathological anxiety." Unfortunately, anxiety disorders are often misunderstood and it can be difficult to know what to say to someone who is suffering. The following are four things that you should never say to someone who is struggling with an anxiety disorder.
1. You need to just calm down.
Telling someone with an anxiety disorder to "calm down," is akin to telling someone with allergies to "stop sneezing." Mental illnesses are not a choice. No one would choose to feel paralyzing levels of anxiety, and if the person was able to control their anxiety, they would. Telling someone to "calm down" is invalidating to the person who is struggling and insinuates that they are deciding to have their anxiety disorder. Instead, try asking the person what you can do to support them. It could be beneficial to ask the person this question when they are relaxed, rather than waiting until they are in a state of heightened anxiety.
2. What you're worrying about is really not a big deal.
Whatever the person is worrying about is clearly important to them. It is not up to you to determine what should constitute a "big deal" to the person. Again, this goes back to the misperception that anxiety disorders are a choice. Some people who are struggling might know rationally that their fears are unlikely to come to fruition. However, part of having an anxiety disorder is that it can be difficult to stop buying into the anxious thoughts that your mind is telling you. Kady Morrison, a writer who has an anxiety disorder, exemplified this point when she stated, "This is one of the most frustrating things about having an anxiety disorder: knowing as you're freaking out that there's no reason to be freaked out, but lacking the ability to shut the emotion down." Rather then expressing opinions about their fears or source of anxiety, listen to their concerns in a compassionate and empathetic manner.

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3. I know how you feel.
This statement is only helpful if you have a personal experience of struggling with an anxiety disorder. An anxiety disorder can completely consume a person's life and may become a daily struggle. Just because you have the experience of feeling anxious before a test, does not mean that you can understand what someone struggling with an anxiety disorder is going through. However, even though you may never fully understand what they are experiencing, you can still be a crucial source of support. Try to educate yourself on anxiety disorders so that you can learn more about what they are experiencing. It could also be helpful to tell them that you can't understand what it must be like to have an anxiety disorder, but you care about them and are here if they need support.
4. You're right, that could happen.
Try to avoid saying anything that will feed into their fears. For instance, if you have a friend with a phobia of flying, do not engage them with an account of the terrible plane crash that you heard about on the news. This one might seem like a no-brainer, but unfortunately I have seen this kind of thing occur. Instead, try to validate their feelings. Validating a person's feelings does not mean that you are agreeing with them. For instance, rather than saying, "You're right if you go to that party people might judge you," a more validating response would be, "It sounds like the thought of going to the party is making you feel anxious. You are worried that people might judge you. It seems like this is really upsetting you."
By avoiding the use of stigmatizing statements and approaching those struggling with compassion, you can help to eradicate some of the shame that is associated with having a mental health diagnosis. Studies show that shame and fear of judgment is one reason that people with mental illnesses often avoid seeking treatment. This is why providing support and compassion to someone who is struggling with an anxiety disorder is so crucial. Heather Rayne, a blogger, summed it up best when she stated,

"Living with anxiety and/or depression can feel like constantly trying to climb out of a deep, muddy hole with an armful of sandbags. Everything seems so much more difficult - even getting out of bed in the morning can be a monumental feat. The simplest tasks can be a dreaded challenge. Nobody wants to feel this way. And they are not doing this TO anyone. It is happening TO them and sadly, others are caught in the crossfire. But eventually the bullets will stop flying, the smoke will clear and blissful, fulfilling lives and relationships could appear just beyond the horizon. Together, it can be reached."

 

Jennifer Rollin MSW, LGSW
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mindful-musings/201510/4-things-not-say-someone-anxiety-disorder