 In this video, we're going to talk about the six must-know symptoms of a generalized anxiety disorder. So make sure that you stay tuned. What is up everybody? This is Chris from the Rewired Soul, where we talk about the problem, but focus on the solution. Today, we're going to be talking about what a generalized anxiety disorder looks like. And this is a very important topic to me because I am personally somebody who has been diagnosed with a generalized anxiety disorder. So I want to give you all the information you need to know if you're showing some of the symptoms for having what's abbreviated as GAD. Now, as always, when I do these videos about the symptoms, I do want to throw a big fat disclaimer out there. Like, this is just to let you know what the DSM says the symptoms are. If you feel that you might be showing some of these symptoms, you need to seek the help of a doctor or a therapist. As always in the description down below, there is a link to online therapy where you can get some help, but I just want to kind of give you an idea of what the symptoms look like. So you know, hey, maybe I got a problem and maybe I need to go get some help. All right, so let's get started. So first off, I am whipping out again my handy dandy DSM. So this is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. This book is what doctors and mental health professionals use to diagnose different mental health disorders. All right, so I'm going straight out of this and we're going to be talking about the six must know symptoms. All right, so let's get started. So symptom number one is an excessive anxiety and worry, apprehensive expectation occurring more days than not for at least six months, about a number of events or activities such as work, school or performance. So these, so this is something to keep in mind too. This is something that's been happening for at least six months on and off. It doesn't matter how regularly, but more days than than not. Okay, so if 51% of your days are like this, then this is where the symptom takes place. So excessive worry about just normal things that people have to do on a day to day basis, going to work, taking care of the kids, having responsibilities, paying bills and all sorts of things like that. All right, so let's look at symptom number two. The individual finds it difficult to control the worry. So this is something that we talk about, like my channel is about like decreasing the stigma of mental health issues and increasing awareness and things like that. Like when you have a generalized anxiety disorder, you can't just turn it off. So when someone's like just calm down or quit worrying, when you have a generalized anxiety disorder, we cannot do that. Okay, symptom number three. The anxiety and worry are associated with three or more of the following six symptoms with at least some symptoms having been present for more days than not for the last six months. So right now I'm going to list six, the six symptoms in this category. So if you have three or more of them that's been persisting more often than not over the last six months, then that's how you know you have one of these symptoms. All right, so let's get started listing out these six. So one, restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge. Two, being easily fatigued. Three, difficulty concentrating or mind going blank. Four, irritability. Five, muscle tension. Six, sleep disturbance, difficulty falling or staying asleep or restlessness, unsatisfying sleep. So with mine, this is something that I will make a more dedicated video about, about anxiety. One of the key ones that stands out to me is irritability. Like when my anxiety is going wild, like I am very, very irritable. My anxiety turns into anger. This is one of the reasons why I try to tell all you like get help for your mental illnesses because when my anxiety is running rampant, I'm not a good father. I'm not a good boyfriend. I'm not a good friend. I'm not a good employee because I'm highly irritable. Okay. Sleep is another huge issue that people with anxiety disorders of all sorts have trouble with because when it's time for us to go to bed, our mind just keeps racing and it keeps worrying. Okay. But like I said, two, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension, all those things. The anxiety, worry or physical symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social occupational or other important areas of functioning. I will never forget. And this is something that I hope none of you do. I used to play this game where I'd be like, oh, I don't need my anxiety meds. And I remember my GAD just went off at work and I just could not function at work. I couldn't sit down. I had a very, very easy relaxing job. This is before I worked at a drug and alcohol treatment center where it's obviously a lot more crazy stuff happened. I was working at a desk at a computer, very chill job, but I couldn't even function. My brain was in a million different places and I literally had nothing to worry about. I actually had to go to my boss and say, yo, I got a leave for the day. Like I had to leave my job because of my anxiety. So if you're noticing that when your anxiety kicks in, it is hard for you to do your job or to just, you know, take care of the house or just regular responsibilities. That is one of the key symptoms of GAD. All right, symptom number five, the disturbance is not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance. For example, drug abuse or a medication or another medical condition. For example, hyperthyroidism. So I got diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder after I got sober. So by the way, this is, this is huge too. It is very difficult for any kind of mental health professional or medical professional to diagnose any, any kind of mental health disorder when you are actively drinking or using, especially in excess. Okay. So I was a few months sober before I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder. The reason why this is important is because a lot of substances, the way they alter the chemicals in your brain, the way your neurotransmitters work, they can actually show symptoms of mental illness, but it was purely based on the substance. So I didn't get properly diagnosed until I got clean at my drug and alcohol treatment center. We cannot properly diagnose people until they've been clean for a little bit of time. And even, even in some cases, it's a little bit more difficult and you need a little bit more clean time to properly diagnose them. All right, the last symptom, symptom number, number six, the disturbance is not better explained by another mental disorder. So what this is saying is generalized anxiety disorder is completely separate from any other type of mental health disorder that you might have. So when you are getting evaluated by a mental health professional, they are, they are separating these things. Some people have multiple mental health disorders. And this is something that is completely separate, just totally separate. Okay. So I really, really, really hope that this video helps some of you out as somebody who struggles with a general generalized anxiety disorder. Like I got to tell you one of the reasons I make this channel, like I want you all to know, I want all of you to know out there, like I live an incredible life, an amazing life and my anxiety is under control, which is why I give you guys so many different tools to manage your symptoms of mental illness. If I can do it, literally anybody else can do it too. But it takes some work. It takes some effort. Okay. So like I mentioned at the beginning of this video, if you would like, if you feel that you have some of these symptoms, make sure you check out the link in the description below. It is an affiliate link. So there is an online therapy program. They give me an affiliate link and basically what it does, it gives a cheap price to all of you viewers out there for some inexpensive online therapy with access to hundreds of therapists at your beck and call. All right. And when you use it, it also helps support this channel so I can provide all of you with more mental health tips. Okay. So if you feel like you're struggling, just go ahead and check out that link. All right. But as always, if you liked this video, please give it a thumbs up. If you know somebody who might be struggling with a generalized anxiety disorder, make sure you share it with them. Okay. But if you are new here, click that little round subscribe button, the one with my little face, click it. Subscribe to this channel. I'm always making videos to help you out with your mental health. Okay. And if you would like to check out some other videos on this channel, go ahead and click or tap on one of those thumbnails right there. But I love you all so much. Thanks so much for watching. Keep your mental health under control and I'll see you next time.