Generalised Anxiety

What is Generalised Anxiety ?

Generalised Anxiety (or GAD) is marked by excessive, exaggerated anxiety and worry about everyday life events for no obvious reason. People with symptoms of Generalised Anxiety tend to always expect disaster and can't stop worrying about health, money, family, work, or school.

Everyone feels anxious now and then — and there can be good reasons why. But in people with GAD, the worry is often unrealistic or out of proportion for the situation. Daily life becomes a constant state of worry, fear, and dread. Eventually, anxiety can even dominate a person's thinking so much that they find it hard to do routine things at work or school, socially, and in their relationships. But there are treatments to ease anxiety so it’s not ruining your life. .

GAD most often begins in childhood or adolescence but can begin in adulthood. It is more common in women than in men.

GAD affects the way a person thinks, and it can lead to physical symptoms. Mental health professionals use a standard set of criteria to diagnose GAD. Those symptoms can’t be caused by a medical problem or other condition and last at least 6 months. Those criteria include:

  • Excessive, ongoing worry and tension
  • Unrealistic view of problems
  • Restlessness or a feeling of being "edgy"
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Tiring easily or being fatigued
  • Increased crankiness or irritability
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Muscle tension or muscle aches and soreness

Virtual Reality Therapy for Generalised Anxiety

Generalised anxiety environments have been designed to elicit anxiety-related reactions. Accordingly, a host of our VR environments can be modified to generate anxiety responses, based on what is most necessary for the client’s needs.

VR Environments that help

Worrying about children

The client is in their living room, watching a show about leaving children in the care of others. Suddenly, they receive a call from school, asking that they call back immediately.

Worrying about babies

The client is in their living room. While watching a talk show about baby care, they hear a baby cry through the baby monitor.

Worrying about family members

There’s a strong thunderstorm and the client is at home in the dining room. The client is waiting for a relative to arrive while watching the news on TV where they explain to take precautions when driving.

Worrying about getting sick

The client is at home in the dining room watching a tv show talking about illnesses like cancer, blood pressure or heart attacks.

Worrying about work

The client is in the underground train station going to work. There’s a breakdown and they have to stay still for a few minutes. The client hears a conversation about getting late to work.

VR Therapy involves gradually introducing the client to different environments to discuss and address their concerns of general anxiety. It may involve just a few sessions of therapy, after which the end goal is for the client to confront their thoughts and manage their fears.

Get in touch with our professionals today.