Generalized Anxiety Disorder - How to Cope with Constant Worry and Fear of the Unknown

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) involves excessive anxiety and apprehension about many areas of life. People with GAD may especially struggle with uncertainty, assuming that if something is unknown, then it is mostly likely bad. This can make everyday situations, like school, parenting, finances, even going somewhere new, extremely stressful.

People with GAD may try to control their anxiety with hypervigilance, over planning, and constant worry, as well as spending time trying to predict or figure out what will happen. Overtime people with GAD find that these strategies only make them feel more stressed and overwhelmed.

Signs of GAD include:

• Spending hours researching before trying something new, just to make sure you are prepared

• Taking way more time than others preparing for exams or presentations because you want it to be perfect

• Having difficulty sleeping, thinking about all the things that could go wrong

• Constantly checking with others to make sure you are making the right decisions

• Always being prepared for the worst case situation (or telling yourself you have to assume the worst will happen so you won’t be caught off guard)

While anxiety is a part of life, it doesn't have to be the main part of your life. Here are some strategies for getting out of the worry cycle:

Tip #1 - Get to Know Your Anxiety Patterns

The key to overcoming anxiety is to understand it inside and out. What are you triggers? What are the themes in your thinking when you are anxious? What do you do (or not do!) when you are anxious? The answers will guide how to get out of the cycle.

Tip #2 - Use a Thought Log

Writing down your thoughts and emotions in the moment is helpful in two ways; first, you will get great "in the moment" data about what goes through your mind when you are anxious. Second, you will practice slowing down and observing your thoughts which is a must for breaking out of anxious cycles

"Facts have to be discovered by observation, not by reasoning" - Bertrand Russell

Tip #3 - Learn the difference between productive and unproductive worry

Worry is not always a bad thing. Sometimes our worries alert us to problems and help us come up with solutions. This is productive worry or problem-solving, In GAD, our worry becomes circular and unproductive - meaning we spend a lot of time thinking but don't come up with any solutions. Or we might come up with many solutions but struggle in choosing one to try. We may also be trying to answer questions that are unanswerable, like "How can I be 100% sure that everything will be okay?" It is totally understandable to want that certainty but since it is impossible there is no productive answer.

Tip #4 - Understand what motivates your worry

Most chronic worriers want to stop. They can see how unproductive their worries are and feel overwhelmed but the constant thoughts and need to figure things out. But usually there are also perceived upsides to worry. Maybe if I worry that will keep the bad thing from happening? Or maybe if I worry I'll be more prepared to cope if something does go wrong? Understanding the hidden reasons why you worry is essential to breaking out of the cycle.

Tip #5 - Try something new

Anxiety gets us stuck because we become convinced we have to stick with our old ways of doing things. Trying something new just feels too risky (and too anxiety-provoking). While scary trying something new can actually relieve anxiety - when you try something new you challenge your old ways of thinking can actually make new pathways in your brain!

Getting Help for Generalized Anxiety Disorder

A cognitive behavior therapist can help you make sense of your anxiety and build skills for getting out of the cycles. If you want to learn more, here are two of my favorite books about managing generalized anxiety:

The Generalized Anxiety Disorder Workbook : A Comprehensive CBT Guide for Coping with Uncertainty, Worry, and Fear

Overcoming Anticipatory Anxiety: A CBT Guide for Moving past Chronic Indecisiveness, Avoidance, and Catastrophic Thinking

You can also read more about Generalized Anxiety and CBT on my website or contact me directly to tackle anxiety together.

Contact Caitlyn

Caitlyn Oscarson is a therapist in private practice in Campbell (San Jose), CA. She specializes in evidence-based treatment for anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder.

Caitlyn OSCARSON, LMFT

cognitive behavior therapy

caitlynoscarsonCBT.com