Research Memo #2

Hypothesis:
What is anxiety characterized as? What are the known, common physical manifestations? Generalized anxiety disorder (or GAD) is characterized by excessive, exaggerated anxiety and worry about everyday life events with no obvious reasons for worry. People with symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder tend to always expect disaster and can't stop worrying about health, money, family, work, or school. In people with GAD, the worry usually is unrealistic for the situation. In my research I found out the more common displays of anxiety/ GAD.

Context:
 I still focused on the answers from my surveys and used some credible websites that stated displays that doctors have found to be the most common. My websites I have listed in my preminary links post have really helped me in figuring out what manifestations people have besides my own. They have taught me that there are many, many more physical showings of anxiety during anxiety attacks than I was even aware of. One of my articles, http://www.medicinenet.com/anxiety/article.htm, has really shown me how even the envionment the person is in can affect what their symptoms are. Each of my articles and websites have given me medical information on GAD and a variety of opinions on whether the symptoms are different between sexes or just differ from person to person. In research memo #3 and to futher my research I am going to go through videos and interviews of people talking about or explaining their anxiety disorder and its manifestations.

Results:

• Excessive worry and tension
• Restlessness or a feeling of being "edgy"
• Muscle tension
• Headaches
• Difficulty concentrating
• Nausea
• Trouble falling or staying asleep
• Trembling/shaking
• Being easily startled

Data Analysis:
Most of the common displays of an anxiety attack or anxiety itself occur almost immediately once the person starts to excessively worry about a situation. From my personal experiences I start out by getting headaches and becoming very tense. Feelings from there normally just esculate in the person and get more intense, I have noticed from experience and my research.
I also found interesting facts such as this below:

The exact cause of GAD is not fully known, but a number of factors, including genetics, brain chemistry and environmental stresses, appear to contribute to its development.

• Genetics: Some research suggests that family history plays a part in increasing the likelihood that a person will develop GAD. This means that the tendency to develop GAD may be passed on in families.
• Brain chemistry: GAD has been associated with abnormal levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are special chemical messengers that help move information from nerve cell to nerve cell. If the neurotransmitters are out of balance, messages cannot get through the brain properly. This can alter the way the brain reacts in certain situations, leading to anxiety.
• Environmental factors: Trauma and stressful events, such as abuse, the death of a loved one, divorce, changing jobs or schools, may lead to GAD. GAD also may become worse during periods of stress. The use of and withdrawal from addictive substances, including alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine, can also worsen anxiety. (Found on http://www.medicinenet.com/anxiety/article.htm)

Conclusion:
 I have found out a lot of information just from a few websites and medical blogs that I had never known before now. This research thus far has helped me to grow in better understanding what I struggle with on a day to day basis.

Follow Up:
I would like to continue my research further by finding videos of people who have GAD describing what they go through to help my audience and myself connect with them and to give my followers a better understanding of what it is like to go through life having this kind of road block in your path.