GAD: Did You Know?

? As much as 70% of the population may have at least one classic symptom of an anxiety disorder.
• Normal amounts of anxiety are helpful. It is the raw material of guilt which helps individuals develop standards of good behavior.
• There are two kinds of feelings that people with anxiety are likely to deny: anger and unexpressed wishes or desires.
• Anxiety disorders develop first in 68% of people who later become depressed.
• 11% of men and 20% of women describe themselves as suffering from symptoms of worry, anguish, or anxiety.
• Anxious people can develop social handicaps which result in problems with intimacy. They often live their lives at a distance from the people around them.
• Women are 2X more likely to have an anxiety disorder than men. This makes women more likely to also develop
depression.
• Since 55% of people with GAD relapse when medication is discontinued after 6 months, long term therapy should be carefully considered.
• Insomnia is often a key warning sign of stress overload. If left untreated it usually leads to more severe anxiety symptoms.