Complete Idiot's Guide to Conquering Fear and Anxiety

He's been a nervous type for as long as he can remember. But lately his nerves have gotten the best of him; frequently, he feels as if he's going to jump out of his skin.To make things worse, depression, colitis, back pain and constant colds plague him. All this at 29!Life as Chronic AnxietyPage 228Adam and other classic nervous wrecks suffer from Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Constantly tense, they live in an inner fast lane, where thoughts, bodilysensations and movements are all accelerated and fueled by excessive worry­by an omnipresent feeling that the world is unsafe. And the anxiety doesn't have to be setoff by a specific situation. It is free­floating­a general feeling that life is haphazard, unstructured, unpredictable and, along with your internal turmoil, beyond yourcapacity to control and organize.Worry in and of itself isn't bad. It is a natural part of the human condition­a mild form of fear that nags us to take necessary action to survive in the world. When wethink of all the things that can go wrong, we take steps to prevent them. But people like Adam see the world through a glass darkly and worry without necessarycause. They worry about money when financially secure; about a child who's healthy getting leukemia; about­well, most everything.Are you concerned that you may be a GAD sufferer? If so, see how much your behavior matches the following symptoms.Feeling keyed upIrritabilityRestlessnessMuscle tension, strained facial expressions, furrowed brows, deep sighs, visibly shakyAutonomic overdrive: sweating, dizziness, pounding or racing heart, hot or cold spells, cold and clammy hands, upset stomach, lightheadedness, frequent urinationor defecation, lump in the throat, high pulse and respiration ratesIncessant and rapid speechRacing thoughtsApprehensive about the future