This is how generalized anxiety leads you to obsessive thoughts

Yes ok anxiety is a completely normal experience in the life of any person, in some cases it is linked to certain psychopathologies. This is what happens in GAD, or Generalized Anxiety Disorder, anxiety disorder characterized by the appearance of excessive and persistent worries that generate discomfort in the subject. Knowing how it works is key to knowing how to deal with it.

So if you want to know What is GAD and how is it linked to irrational obsessive thoughts?, keep reading.

• Related article: "Types of Anxiety Disorders and their characteristics"

Characteristics of Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Let's start by looking at the most distinctive aspects of this psychological alteration. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is classified in diagnostic manuals as an anxiety disorder. Specifically, the TAG shows as its main characteristic excessive worry and expectation of apprehension. That is, the subject with this type of anxiety anticipates the possible appearance of negative events, this anticipation generating concern.

The criteria to be able to make the diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder included in the latest version of the Diagnostic Manual of the American Psychiatric Association has published (DSM 5), are as follows: anxiety and excessive worry almost every day for at least 6 months; the patient shows difficulty in controlling her constant worries; and three of the following symptoms appear (restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension and sleep disturbance).

Likewise, it must be assessed whether the alteration and discomfort is clinically significant or affects the functionality of the subject. Thus, we see how, apart from the cognitive symptoms, that is, the concerns that are defined as the main symptomatology, we also observe other characteristic features such as muscle tension or tiredness, physical symptoms.

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The constant worries in the TAG

When studying GAD, it has been proven that it is the anxiety disorder with the least genetic influence. GAD is considered to arise in a learned way, that is, by influence of environment. There are different theories that try to explain the etiology of anxiety disorders, although one of them, the one proposed by Adrian Wells, is the one that has been shown to be most useful in explaining the appearance and maintenance of anxiety disorder widespread.

Adrian Wells proposes the metacognitive model to explain the typical concerns in GAD. This author believes that both the positive and negative considerations that can be made of worries can lead to the appearance of a feeling of threat and discomfort.

exist two kinds of worries. Type 1 concerns are directed outward, toward environmental or external events. In this case, the subjects usually worry because they believe that it is a way to solve problems or avoid threats. Thus, if these types of concerns are persistently repeated, pathological concerns are likely to arise.

The other type of worries, type 2, arise when the individual worries about his own worries. On this occasion the subject perceives the concerns as something negative. This is the type of concerns characteristic of subjects with generalized anxiety disorder, also known as meta-concerns.

The author points out that the main problem of subjects who carry out pathological worries is that they do not understand worry as a cognitive process, as an internal realization, but rather place them in the Exterior. This fact makes them worry for events that are not real, that is, they turn thought into something real and try to avoid such a threat that they place outside.

The intolerance of uncertainty

Another psychologist who has tried to explain the origin of anxiety disorders and especially generalized anxiety disorder is Michael Dugas. This author presents us with the concept of intolerance to uncertainty, which is understood as the lack of acceptance that a person shows in the face of the possibility that a negative event may occur. Can't stand uncertainty not knowing what can happen.

In this way, intolerance to uncertainty produces in the subject the appearance and maintenance of worries, since the The subject focuses his attention on the probability of threat, even if it is minimal, thus causing the concern to appear, increase and persist.

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Treatment

Given the nature of the disorder, we will try to intervene using both cognitive and behavioral techniques. Regarding cognitive strategies, one of the most proven is cognitive restructuring, which tries to weaken catastrophic thinking and influence the anticipation of an event that the person fears. In other words, it consists of making the person leave behind dysfunctional beliefs that, in this case, predispose them to suffer from irrational fears.

On the other hand, as a behavioral technique, exposure to worries is usually chosen so that the individual can normalize them and thus reduce them. What it is about is making it easier for the patient to learn to face those fears and not fall into avoidance strategies, escape or desperate attempts to "block" thoughts. Through this type and interventions, it is possible overcome GAD in a few months.

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Do you want to attend psychotherapy?

If an anxiety problem is affecting you and you need professional psychological support, I invite you to contact me. My name is Diego Sebastián Rojo and I specialize in cognitive behavioral therapy.