She worried a lot about her health, thinking that she had some illness. Sometimes she worried about money, other times she worried about family issues. There were times she couldn’t get her mind off of work troubles. If she wasn’t worried about one thing, another worry would pop up that she couldn’t shake. Sometimes, she would feel physically off, having symptoms of fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, irritability, nausea or having to go to the bathroom frequently (National Institute of Mental Health www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad/index.shtml).

Carol had Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Often people with GAD also have depression or a substance abuse problem (www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad.shtml). In addition, many physical symptoms exacerbated by anxiety, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, may be present. If you find yourself relating to Carol, you are not alone. According to NIMH, about 6.8 million American adults have GAD.

There are five different types of anxiety disorder, other than GAD. These are:

· Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) · Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) · Panic Disorder · Social Phobia · Other Specific Phobias What all anxiety disorders have in common is an “excessive, irrational fear and dread” (www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/introduction.shtml). If you see yourself with one or more of these problems, you are not alone. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, roughly 40 million adults have an anxiety disorder. Since stress and worry are a part of life, anxiety disorders are often more likely to be ignored, misdiagnosed, or inappropriately treated. Life doesn’t have to be so hard. GAD is effectively treated with psychotherapy, and, as needed, medication. There are effective tools and strategies people can learn to help alleviate GAD. Often just having a safe place to talk provides some comfort and relief.

I have years of experience dealing with just these kinds of issues. Contact me at www.bethlevinecounseling.com <http://www.bethlevinecounseling.com> for more information.

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Beth Levine, LCSW, based in Rockville, Bethesda and the surrounding Maryland (MD) and Virginia suburbs, is a social worker, therapist, counselor and psychotherapist who provides marriage counseling, family therapy, individual psychotherapy and emotionally focused therapy ( EFT ) to help people deal with divorce, pre-marital issues, teenage children, anxiety, depression, loss and grief. Visit http://www.bethlevinecounseling.com to learn more.