if no physical illness is found you may be referred to a psychiatrist or psychologist mental health professionals who are specially trained to diagnose and treat mental illnesses like generalized anxiety disorder. treatment for gad most often includes a combination of medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy. medication : drugs are available to treat gad and may be especially helpful for people whose anxiety is interfering with daily functioning. the medications most often used to treat gad in the short-term are from a class of drugs called benzodiazepines. these medications are sometimes referred to as "tranquilizers " because they leave you feeling calm and relaxed. they work by decreasing the physical symptoms of gad such as muscle tension and restlessness. common benzodiazepines include xanax librium valium and ativan. antidepressants such as paxil effexor prozac lexapro and zoloft are also being used to treat gad. these antidepressants may take a few weeks to start working but they're more appropriate for long-term treatment of gad. cognitive-behavioral therapy : people suffering from anxiety disorders often participate in this type of therapy in which you learn to recognize and change thought patterns and behaviors that lead to anxious feelings. this type of therapy helps limit distorted thinking by looking at worries more realistically. in addition relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and biofeedback may help to control the muscle tension that often accompanies gad.
how is generalized anxiety disorder (gad) treated?